Agence Vu for Cosmopolitan
01 July, 2002
Every night, 'Samantha' (15), crosses from Surinam to work as a prostitute on the French Guianese side of the river Maroni. The banks of the Maroni river have become something of an El Dorado in recent years, after the local government began selling licenses for small scale mining, an expansion on existing commercial operations. Garimpeiros flocked from neighboring countries such as Brazil to prospect for gold, setting up camp on both sides of the river. Uncontrolled mining activity has disrupted local life, leading to increased violence, alcohol abuse and prostitution.
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