The Institute for Action Against Discrimination (IFAAD) has condemned reported attacks against Chinese Landing Toshao Nikita Miller and members of her community, calling on the Government and law enforcement authorities to take immediate action to protect residents and ensure accountability.
In a press statement issued today, Friday, November 13, IFAAD described the reported violence as deeply disturbing, warning that the incidents raise serious questions about the safety, security and protection of Indigenous peoples in Guyana.
The condemnation follows a violent confrontation late Thursday night involving Miller and residents of Chinese Landing, allegedly involving miners accused of encroaching on Indigenous lands. Miller reportedly said she was physically assaulted and that she and other residents were threatened when gunshots were fired over their heads.
The organisation said the attacks, if confirmed, represent an unacceptable escalation of the longstanding tensions surrounding mining activities, Indigenous land rights and the protection of ancestral lands.
IFAAD stressed that no elected Indigenous leader or member of an Indigenous community should be subjected to physical violence, intimidation, threats or harassment for defending the rights and welfare of their people.
“It is unacceptable that matters have reportedly escalated to the point where community leaders and residents face physical attacks while seeking to protect their community.”
The organisation called on the Minister of Amerindian Affairs, the National Toshaos Council (NTC), the Guyana Police Force, the Ministry of Home Affairs and all other relevant authorities to urgently intervene, ensure the safety of affected residents and launch a thorough and impartial investigation.
Beyond demanding an official response, IFAAD appealed to Indigenous communities throughout Guyana to stand in solidarity with Chinese Landing, warning that intimidation, bullying, discrimination and injustice against Indigenous people must not be allowed to go unchallenged.
The organisation also questioned the apparent silence and lack of visible action from institutions entrusted with safeguarding Indigenous interests, insisting that those bodies must be held accountable for their responsibilities.
“Our communities deserve protection, not silence; action, not empty assurances; and justice, not investigations that disappear without accountability.”
The statement further underscored the need for transparency and meaningful intervention, rather than investigations that fail to produce accountability or lasting protection for affected communities.
IFAAD said it would continue demanding answers from the authorities until justice was served, making clear that the protection of Indigenous leaders and communities must not be treated as a secondary concern.
The latest incident has once again brought into focus the tensions between Indigenous communities and mining interests in Guyana, particularly the challenges surrounding the protection of ancestral lands and the authority of elected village leaders.
For Chinese Landing residents, the immediate concern remains their safety and the protection of their community from further intimidation and violence.
IFAAD concluded its statement with an unequivocal demand:
“Chinese Landing deserves justice. Indigenous lives matter. Indigenous rights must be protected. The time for meaningful action is now.”
