-GOIP
There were concerns about the scope of government consultations on forest preservation plans, according to the Guyanese Organisation of Indigenous Peoples (GOIP), which said some meetings were “hurried” and that there were more questions than clear answers about policies.
In a statement yesterday, GOIP corroborated recent concerns about the process voiced by some indigenous leaders, while objecting to “threats” and “scare tactics” reportedly used against those who hold an alternative position on the Guyana/Norway plan. GOIP also disassociated itself from a statement issued by activist Ashton Simon, who listed it among other indigenous rights NGOs that were “baffled” by the statement made by the leaders.
Following a workshop organised by the Amerindian Peoples Association (APA), some leaders said that LCDS outreach activities done last year lacked prior information, were often rushed and only lasted a few hours, while suffering from weak or non-existent translation support for communities. They also urged government and international agencies to put a hold on the implementation of policies related to projects like the LCDS and REDD+, until land rights issues are settled.
GOIP said yesterday the indigenous leaders were “speaking whole truths and not half-truths,” in expressing their reservations about the Norway/Guyana strategy. “The leaders have every right to insist that long outstanding land rights and land titling issues, among others, be first addressed before the LCDS and REDD+ programme proceeds,” it said. “GOIP in principle feels the LCDS and REDD+ agenda is credible in the long term but it shouldn’t be forced down the throats of indigenous communities within a short arbitrary deadline,” it continued. It said indigenous peoples chose a low carbon lifestyle for thousands of years before the people who came after Columbus in the late 1940’s “somewhat ironically forced them to change from this ‘primitive’ way of life and adopt a more ‘developed civilisation.’” Indigenous peoples didn’t cause climate change but are prime victims of it today, GOIP said.
The NGO noted that a few months before the Copenhagen Climate Change summit last December, meetings on the LCDS and REDD+ programmes were held in various parts of the country.
It said that many GOIP members in indigenous communities countrywide reported reasonable turnouts at these meetings but also observed that there were more questions than clear answers about what the LCDS and REDD, entails. The NGO said that some meetings were done in a hurried and “slab-dash” way and some villagers were reluctant to express concerns fearing they would be dubbed “naysayers, boat-rockers or oppositionists.”
The statement by the leaders triggered a strong response by government and Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai accused the APA of communicating “misconceptions and half-truths.” Simon, meanwhile, said that the National Amerindian Development Foundation (NADF), The Amerindian Action Movement of Guyana (TAAMOG) and GOIP were “baffled” by the statement by the indigenous leaders and noted that it is questionable why the APA would hold a workshop to prioritise consultations “eight months after such activities were concluded.” He expressed fear that the publications are bent on damaging the progress and agreements made so far. “Our collective responses… were not done under duress, political direction or animosity,” he had said. However, GOIP emphasised that Simon was not speaking on its behalf, pointing out that he is not a member. It noted that it is GOIP’s Executive Committee that stamps official statements and said no approval was given for any “joint release” as purported by Simon.
The APA last week also reported that following the release of the statement by the leaders, those who attended the workshop were victims of intimidation tactics. GOIP said yesterday that it objects to the Amerindian Affairs Ministry “resorting to threats and scare tactics against indigenous persons who hold an alternative view to the official position on the Norway/Guyana plan.” It said that not all indigenous Guyanese desire to be lectured to, or want to be treated “as if we were serfs in a private fiefdom.” “Such offensive behaviour in not only incompatible with the whole concept of indigenous peoples’ development and betterment, but also violates this country’s constitutional safeguards on Freedom of Association and Freedom of Expression,” the statement said.
