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Burnham took us on a journey that was just

May 12, 2013 Letters

 

Dear Editor,
It is with dismay I note the debate on whether the government of South Africa should confer Guyana’s later President Forbes Burnham the Oliver Tambo award. I believe it is quite unfortunate that some Guyanese cannot look at this achievement holistically and contextually.
Firstly, I do not just see this honour of an award towards a man but towards a nation he represented and presided over. President Burnham did the unthinkable at a time when many small states would not dare try and exacerbate tensions among global superpowers.
Guyana was not at its best days economically but we were a respected nation internationally because one man took the nation among giants where our national pride relieved us of any indignity. While many may see this honour and award as a personal (posthumous) achievement for Burnham it is the nation that equally benefits for it was Burnham and more importantly Guyana that stood resolutely with our oppressed brothers and sisters in South Africa during apartheid.
It was Guyana and Guyanese that paid the cost when our tax dollars went towards efforts against apartheid. It was Guyana and Guyanese that auspiciously welcome, entertained and honoured numerous African heroes and heroines to our shores that we as citizens stood in solidarity with against oppression and apartheid. It was Guyana and Guyanese that championed causes against oppression and apartheid in varied international forums from the United Nations to the Non-aligned Movement. It is Guyana that erected monuments and symbols on our soil to honour heroes and heroines of the collective struggle against human bondage from the Non-aligned Monument to the African Liberation Monument in the compound of the Umana Yana for posterity. These were done under Burnham.
Our men and women in the diplomatic service were deployed on continents to champion a cause for people distant to us because the cause spoke to our collective humanity. The award is also for them. I believe those in the foreign service at the time can eloquently chronicle their efforts on this question under the stewardship of Burnham.
Apartheid was ugly in all its forms. It was clear and blunt institutional racism. It was racism practiced by officialdom against a black majority and Guyana in Burnham was principled in being against this. All and sundry across the political divide at home were not against Burnham representing our ideals. We are a free people and wished those in South Africa at the time to breathe the same free air like us and not in a system that suffocated the masses.
Burnham’s conviction against apartheid was morally right and is duly recorded and documented and today apartheid is in the dust bin of history. He did not live to see the end of apartheid but he nevertheless won on principle.
The award is not just a Burnham award but a Guyana award for Guyanese experienced what he did. The pride the Burnham family felt on news of the Oliver Tambo award being conferred to him we should equally share as Guyanese for we have a stake in it because Burnham took us on a journey that was just.
Maxwell Shaw

 

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