GEORGETOWN, Guyana, Feb 5, CMC – The Guyana government Friday confirmed that nine nationals had been detained by the Suriname military while fishing in the Corentyne River last month.

A statement from the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs said that the men were detained on January 22 and have since been released.

A report named the detained men as Armaan Edwards, Genovese Davair, Alistair Peneux, George Edwards, Ackley Felix, Bob Peneux, Rodrick Herman, Edward Herman and Clifton Edwards, adding that they were “were engaged in subsistence fishing in the Corentyne River at the time”.

“They were using hooks and lines and were in small boats and canoes. Subsistence fishing is part of our Indigenous Peoples’ culture which has been practised for centuries.

“In the Amerindian Village of Orealla/Siparuta, subsistence fishing forms a part of the village life and economy. The Corentyne River is the village’s sole source of fresh fish,” the statement said, noting that the men were taken at least 30 miles upriver to Apoera in Suriname where they were processed by the military and later released.

The Ministry said some of the men had to paddle for hours to get back home and that the matter was immediately reported to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.