They explained that the bridge collapse was caused by the trucks that transported heavy cargo over the bridge. The truck drivers ignored the many warnings and kept crossing the bridge with their heavy loads throughout the years. The chiefs of these 3 Amerindian villages sent a joint letter to President Jennifer Simons, explaining that the villagers had sounded the alarm repeatedly. “Time and time again it was said that heavy trucks had to steer clear from the bridge but the warnings were ignored,” said the village chief of Apoera, Marciano Jong. As a result of the bridge collapse West-Suriname has been cut off from the rest of the country. Local entrepreneurs and workers are left without any income as transports have come to a halt. The villages also can not receive fresh supplies. The village chiefs pointed out that “this is not only a logistical problem but also a social and economic issue which is why they are demanding that the lumber mills and concession holders must repair the bridge. “The local community should not cover the damage that was caused by the recklessness of commercial parties,” said the village chief of Section, Simons Ferdinand, and the village chief of Washabo, Srisria Sergio. The village have come up with two solutions for the government. The first one is to deploy a pontoon at Witagron so that people could cross the river safely with their goods. The second solution is aimed at the construction of a bridge across the Kaboeri Creek so that the region can once again be reached by land. The village chiefs explained that the indigenous communities must also be treated with dignity. “When we stand up for our rights, we are often labeled as terrorists. That is unjust and hurtful. We are only asking for justice and responsibility.”