Fenty should read Ban Ki-moon’s speech

Dear Editor,

It is that time of pre-election realties, when the true feelings of many in our fractured and divided society are seen and heard.

A few years ago, we heard this continuous psychological warfare against Africans in Guyana when Anil Nandalall stated on an Indian Arrival Day: “We came as beggars and today we are kings… and East Indians have dominated in every sphere of life in this country – in the area of politics, law, finance business, literature, sports and you name it.” And although 95% of this is untrue, this is the impression young Africans are being given.

As seen in a letter to the editor in Stabroek News (SN, Jan 10) entitled ‘Something tangible should emanate from the Year of the People of African Descent,’  Allan Fenty (someone whom the general Guyanese population  considered to be cultured and educated) shows his real feelings. Whether he is speaking as an individual or as a member of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport where he is employed, one does not know if this is the official position of the Government of Guyana. As a public commentator (‘Frankly Speaking’ and an anchor for his TV programme), he should be immediately relieved of these positions, and sponsors who support him should dissociate themselves from him.

Perhaps the ERC will wake up from its preoccupation with ‘foolishness’ and ask Mr Fenty to explain his thesis. Can you imagine only recently Mr Fenty was proposed by the Committee planning the programme for the UN International Year for People of African Descent, to be its PR person?

For Mr Fenty’s sake, I hope he reads Ban Ki-moon’s speech when he launched the Year for People of African Descent on December 10, 2010, which was also the commemoration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  I quote for him:

“At the same time, we must remember that people of African descent are among those most affected by racism..

“Such fundamental wrongs have a long and terrible history. The international community has affirmed that the transatlantic slave trade was an appalling tragedy not only because of its barbarism but also because of its magnitude, organized nature and negation of the essential humanity of the victims.

“Even today, Africans and people of African descent continue to suffer the consequences of these acts.

“Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen… The international community cannot accept that whole communities are marginalized because of the colour of their skin. As the Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms: “all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights”. If we are to make those words real, then we must eradicate racism once and for all.”

Finally, I hope Mr Fenty tells us type of Indians he wants Africans to become. He should be quite aware that there are already 160 million Dalits in India who are deemed to be untouchables and who do not enjoy basic human rights.

I am certain Mr Fenty is aware Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh became the first leader of his country to compare the condition of low-caste Hindus with that of black South Africans under apartheid. Mr Singh drew the parallel at a conference in New Delhi on social and caste injustices, saying it was modern India’s failure that millions of Dalits were still fighting prejudice. At this conference, he said:

“Even after 60 years of constitutional and legal protection and support, there is still social discrimination against Dalits in many parts of our country. Dalits have faced a unique discrimination in our society that is fundamentally different from the problems of minority groups in general. The only parallel to the practice of untouchability was apartheid.”

Perhaps Mr Fenty is saying to Africans, vote PPP if you want to survive in Guyana.

Yours faithfully,
Eric Phillips