Concerns about discrimination against indigenous peoples and their rights were raised during the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) review of Guyana’s human rights record in Geneva on Wednesday and Minister of Foreign Affairs Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett has acknowledged that there are gaps to fill.
“Estonia recognises that Guyana has made progress in the recognition of indigenous peoples rights. However we were disappointed to learn that the decisions on mining of lands used traditionally by indigenous peoples could still be made without free and prior informed consent of the affected communities,” Estonian representative Jüri Seilenthal said, at the review before the UNHRC Universal Perio-dic Review (UPR) Working Group.
He also expressed concern at the existence of discrimination against certain groups of children, for example Amerindian children, children with disabilities or children because of the gender identity or sexual orientation.
“We invite the authorities to fully commit to improving the education system and ensure its quality and accessibility for all, with particular attention to girls and indigenous children,” Seilenthal added. He also recommended that Guyana guarantee the indigenous peoples’ rights by fully engaging indigenous peoples of the country in decision-making in all the matters that affect them.
Norway also welcomed progress made with regard to land rights and land entitlement as well as the establishment of the Indigenous Peoples Commission to address discrimination faced by Amerindian children. “We note, however, conflicting views between the government and parts of civil society regarding the extent to which appropriate consultation with the indigenous peoples is carried out. As a means to strengthen such consultation, Norway recommends that Guyana ratify and implement ILO Convention 169,” Oslo’s representative Sigri Stokke Nilsen said.
In response, Rodrigues-Birkett said that “there are several indigenous NGOs but the government of Guyana, we deal more with the elected representatives of the indigenous communities.” She added that all indigenous leaders meet every year at the National Toshaos Council and all have the opportunity to interact directly with the president and ministers and this is where a lot of consultations take place with the indigenous leaders. “I would say the consultations with indigenous peoples and the involvement of indigenous peoples in all walks of life, including in politics and other areas, I think it has never been as robust as it is right now in Guyana,” she asserted.
On the issue of discrimination as it relates to Amerindian children, the minister said that if there is discrimination, as far as the state is concerned, it is positive discrimination. She pointed out that most indigenous communities are located in the “far reaches” of Guyana’s interior and the delivery of services to these communities is very costly and challenging.
However, she said government has been improving the road networks and telecommunications and has built dormitories to cater to a number of communities in order to ensure children have access to secondary education. She also pointed to the Hinterland Scholarship programme, which allows children from the hinterland to attend schools in Georgetown.
“However I would be the first as an indigenous person myself to indicate that there are gaps that we need to fill and this is why we have as I mentioned in my opening statement and the report mentions, established what we call a Hinterland Education Improvement Programme where we are working to ensure that we have full access in the hinterland not only to nursery and primary because we have full access in those areas already but also to secondary education,” Rodrigues-Birkett said.
She asserted that just about 14 years ago, the country had just one Amerindian doctor and now with Cuban help, hundreds of persons have been trained, including “scores” of Amerindian doctors “and many of these doctors attended secondary schools in their communities” and this is one measure of progress.
Sweden had noted that in general, the indigenous people of Guyana have a lower standard of living than the majority of society and recommended that Guyana adopt a national action plan for the improvement of the situation of indigenous peoples.
