Chinese Landing: 3 Years of Broken Promises—Minister Must Answer

By Sherod Duncan M.P (APNU)-  Following my engagement with Toshao Nikita Miller and residents of Chinese Landing at Tassawini, serious questions remain about the Government’s response to the precautionary measures issued by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in July 2023.

The IACHR requested that Guyana:

1. Protect the rights to life and personal integrity of residents;

2. Consult with the community and agree on the protective measures to be implemented; and

3. Report on investigations into the events that gave rise to the precautionary measures.

More than three years later, these requirements must be reconciled with the present standoff. Residents are maintaining a watch against the movement of additional mining equipment, while the Village Council reportedly remains without a clear and definitive response from the Government.

The Minister of Natural Resources must therefore answer:

– What specific protective measures were agreed upon with the residents and their representatives?

– When were those consultations held, who participated, and what were the agreed outcomes?

– What investigations were conducted into the threats, harassment and violence that prompted the IACHR’s intervention?

– What were the findings, and were any individuals held accountable?

– What reports were submitted to the IACHR, and will the Minister make those reports public?

– How does the Government reconcile its stated commitment to implementing the precautionary measures with the current attempt to move additional mining equipment onto the disputed lands?

– Why has the Minister not provided the Village Council and residents with a definitive account of the Government’s position and intended actions?

The Minister must not hide behind vague references to ongoing meetings with unnamed stakeholders. He should state clearly whether the Toshao and Village Council have been included in those discussions and whether any proposed action has received the community’s agreement.

This matter concerns more than mining. It concerns the safety, dignity, land, environment and livelihoods of an Indigenous community. The people of Chinese Landing are entitled to transparency, meaningful consultation and effective protection.

The Minister must now tell the country what became of Guyana’s commitments under the IACHR precautionary measures and what immediate steps the Government will take to resolve the present standoff.