CGID calls on US and Int’l Community to force the PPP to comply with democratic norms

The Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID) is calling on the United States (US) government and international community to not tolerate ethnic, political and others forms of discrimination and injustices in Guyana by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government.

CGID President, Rickford Burke, told Village Voice the letter signed by several organisations and individuals outlying the problems Guyanese, at home and in the diaspora, suffer at the hands of the government are grave enough to warrant intervention.

“The PPP regime must be told from friends and foes around the world their discriminatory practices are a threat to internal and external peace. The world could do without another ethnic war, and I am fearful the PPP actions are likely to result in another Rwanda or Bosnia if they are not stopped now.”

Representatives of a wide cross-section of the Guyanese community last week dispatched letters to United States Vice President Kamala Harris; Chairman the Congressional Black Caucus, Congresswoman Joyce Beatty; as well as to CARICOM and African Heads of Government, bringing attention to some problems in Guyana.

In a covering letter- seen by Village Voice- addressed to US Vice President Kamala Harris and signed by retired Lieutenant Colonel Lelon Saul, Secretary, Institute for Action Against Discrimination, it states:-

“To say that Guyana is on the brink of civil unrest is mildly describing the situation. We have traveled to many villages within the ten administrative regions of Guyana and spoken to affected residents. Consequently, we have documented, what we presume to be, the central concerns of the people, selected from a mass of other complaints, to give an insight into the pervading ills affecting our people. We believe that the Government is deliberately setting the stage for civil unrest, an occurrence that may only serve to compromise our fledgling democracy and create chaos and loss of innocent lives.”

Saul told this publication many people are still streaming in to sign the letter and he is about to send off a new batch of signatories. According to him, given local efforts to achieve respect, inclusion, equity and equality are being ignored by the government, and the political opposition is being sidelined, concerned Guyanese were left with no option but to internationalise their pleas.

See letter attached-
Joint Statement Comdemning PPP Government Racism