Dear Editor,
The commemorative activities for the 40th Anniversary of the Great Civil Rebellion of 1979 – 2019 continue on the Square of the Revolution on Friday the 13th of September from 11 am to 1 pm.
The Great Civil Rebellion of 1979 was the result of numerous human right violations by the then ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) under its maximum leader L.F.S Burnham, who rigged three consecutive General Elections and the July 10th 1978 Referendum which paved the way for Burnham to formulate the draconian New People’s Constitution and to extend the life of parliament putting off General Elections for 2 years.
Another five weeks marks 39 years since Guyana has been forced to live under the fraudulent 1980 Constitution, in human bondage during which both parties took their turn to preside over the plunder of the resources of our country. Poverty, crime, corruption, racial and political prejudice, unresolved murders and forced migration became the order of the day.
Forty years later the Guyanese struggle has arrived at yet another climax which can unleash the potential of new social forces. Following the No Confidence Motion of December 21st 2018, the PNC Coalition continues to rule by resorting to subterfuge and bullying the opposition while it prepares an electoral agenda that will return Guyana to those dark days in our country’s history. To a dreadful time when members of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) hijacked the ballot boxes and two young members of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) died trying to prevent the theft of the ballot boxes.
The lesson of the Great Civil Rebellion of 1979 viewed in retrospect is to prevent the recurrence of atrocities that occurred in the aftermath of those rigged elections. It offers us the opportunity to approach our history objectively in chartering the way forward.
Yours faithfully
Desmond Alli
General Secretary
Guyana United Artists
