‘When elephants fight, the grass gets trampled’…The betrayal of IDPADA-G and African Guyanese

There is this African proverb “when elephants fight, the grass gets trampled.” I make reference to this proverb to publicly make known my concern about four organisations, purportedly representing the interest of African Guyanese, taking the side of the Jagdeo/Ali regime to go after  the International Decade for People of African Descent Assembly – Guyana (IDPADA-G).

Readers would recall the wicked efforts by Bharrat Jagdeo to withdraw state funding from this organisation by maligning its leaders and accusing them of misappropriating the state’s money. When the evidence exposing his wickedness was laid bare for the public to review the regime retaliated by accusing IDPADA-G of not having its records audited. When this too was exposed not to be true rather than do the decent thing and admit to an error Jadgeo not only dug in but withdrew the grant in September.

IDPADA-G has since taken the regime to court for failing to disburse the money which was approved by the National Assembly. Suddenly appearing is an application by the four organisations to be enjoined in the matter, making pleadings in support of the government.  This is most unfortunate, recognising that one of these organisations is led by a man who has been elected by the African community to represent their interest on the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC).

One must now question what quality of representation Africans could expect from this man in pursuit of Africans’ rights on the ERC. It is instructive to note the Attorney General, who is among these at the forefront justifying the government’s atrocities against the African community, has expressed disappointment that the application by these four organisations was denied by the judge.

Among the African community there are quiet expressions of disappointment in these organisations, an act many view as tantamount to treachery and not without merit. How could these organisations side with the government that the Assembly approved and was passed into law  and moreso deny this funding to do its work consistent with the United Nations’ thrust to right historical and structural wrongs against a people.

The African community must be unabashed in speaking out against acts that would trample theirs and the UN’s efforts to inclusion; social, economic, cultural and political rights. It is disturbing, to say the least, that rather than these organisations align with IDPADA-G to support the empowering of the community they support those oppressing the community.

It would have been a red-letter day and a betrayal to the ancestors’ struggles for liberation, respect and dignity as human beings and equal participating members of society were these organisations allowed to join with the regime. And there is every reason to be concerned should this level of betrayal take on wider national characteristics.

Society is already suffering from the acts of African leaders in the PPP who openly support and front the regime’s aggression to deny Africans their fundamental rights and freedom, and to exclude their elected representatives from the decision-making table, be it at the political, trade union and civil spheres. They carry out violations of the laws and transgressing of rights with loyal viciousness reminiscent of the slave drivers and house slaves.

African Guyanese must understand their centuries of struggle, though made more arduous by these types, must be defended and protected, at all legitimate cost.  These hard fought and won gains must not be sacrificed, at any altar of expediency, for a mess of pottage, crumbs from the table or seeking association. For whereas some among us feel no ancestral pride or shame in supporting and fronting actions aimed at torpedoing hard fought freedoms and rights to participate in and benefit from our fair share of the nation’s patrimony, those driven by pride and the belief in humanity must soldier on.

God has a way of dealing with the treacherous and spineless in our midst. It is only a matter before they and their descendants pay the price for their misdeeds.  Their evil will not be rewarded.