Dear Editor,
It is rather interesting that we have not heard from either the government or the Ethnic Relations Commission on an important issue contained in the CWC 2007 Brochure.
The statement on Guyana is worrisome as also is the silence, so far, of our front line political parties.
This is a fundamental issue, since it deals with how we see this nation state of Guyana developing, how we see ourselves and how we relate to and regard other persons in the country.
Are we trying to attain the goal of a One People, or are we justifying the call made a half century ago for partition?
Are we comfortable if any one of our ethnic groups accepts a clear distinction or division as a given? And therefore, go our separate ways? Heaven forbid, what would those delightful Douglas and other mixtures do?
For me, we must do all that is possible to forge a national identity, predicated on love, tolerance, morality, compassion and mutual respect.
However, it would appear that some set of influential folks are hell bent on domination, which equals a them and us regime – a culture of hegemony.
As a youngster, I grew up in the bustling South of the City, a charming amalgam of different races and religions. I recall that my father, who was a sort of magistrate, advisor, peacemaker, medical man all rolled up in one spent many moments settling disputes between Hindus and Muslims.
There was harmony between Afros Indos and the others most of the time; that is up until the mid 1950s when the cry of Apan jat emerged (to the young ones – it means – vote for your own race).
The result of that campaign has not yet unfortunately evaporated.
The statement in the brochure must be addressed by our political, religious and civic leaders – unless they are so overwhelmed with an inauspicious environment that they now piously accept the portent of “them and us”, or worse, “master and vassal”.
If that be the case, those who will be adversely affected must be aware of what is in store for sections of the population.
Every civilisation has moved forward, thanks to the influence of many different peoples, cultures and lands.
The experiences of the ancient and modern world show that wherever people failed to accommodate and to share, problems follow, or even witnessed an implosion , or violent eruptions. But what caused me to write again is the only public defence of the statement so far is a letter written by T. Ramsundar and interestingly, it appears in the Daily Chronicle of Saturday 27 January 2007, page 6
Who is this person speaking for?
Is this the position of the majority of East Indians in Guyana? I doubt it, for most Indians I come in contact with are patriots, loving and broadminded citizens.
T Ramsundar states as follows: “Most Indo Guyanese see themselves as East Indians for they identify themselves with their ancestral roots rather than the mainstream or melting pot culture of the West Indian.”
Did the writer do a census – he/she states most Indo Guyanese, which means, at least over 50% – Heaven again forbid.
This is a profound statement and if true requires urgent attention – is he or she reflective of the government or party in office position? Somehow, this may be a case of ‘mouth open, tory jump out’. Come on Ministry of Culture, come on PNC, AFC, ACDA and, in particular, Ethnic Relations Commission, what say you to that statement? Is it what is subtly being played out before our eyes?
This is a document of an international character. We need answers before the dusk.
Yours faithfully,
Hamilton Green, JP
