The silence of the diplomatic community and international agencies in Guyana is particularly troubling since these entities wield significant influence in Guyana and especially since embassy representatives from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and European Union, as well as major international organizations, have clearly chosen to raise their; post oil discovery, local profiles and therefore seem committed to playing an extraordinarily influential role on activities which allow them to influence trade opportunities for their home countries. This was demonstrated in the interventionist roles played by these very same ABC countries and their EU counterpart in the recent elections debacle in Guyana 2020.
Recently, in Guyana, African Guyanese citizens had their homes and livelihoods destroyed when their unregularized ancestral lands were bulldozed, their animals killed and buried, their children left without their belongings, school supplies, uniforms, and clothes. Women were beaten and children were traumatized, yet there was no response from these powerful international representatives.
This silence from these formidable entities can leave opposition supporters and marginalized groups feeling abandoned and without a voice. It can also send a message that their rights and well-being are not a priority to those in positions of power.
It is important for international representatives and organizations to speak out against human rights abuses and to use their influence to hold governments in their host countries accountable for their actions. The failure to do so can perpetuate a cycle of abuse and undermine the very principles of democracy and human rights that these entities are supposed to uphold. In addition, their unwillingness to speak to government abuses, significantly increases political risk and therefore the risk to the foreign investors they seek to recruit and to the creditworthiness of the governments to which they lend millions to fund major projects.
It is therefore crucial for the international community to take a stand against such atrocities, and to ensure that the voices of the oppressed are heard. The victims of these abuses deserve justice and support, and the international community, especially the ABC countries and the EU have the influence with authoritarian governments to insist on change or hold them accountable.
