Indigenous Peoples Month

Sep 03, 2010 Editorial

Yes, we know that the powers-that-be have declared that September is to be “Amerindian Heritage Month”. But we also know that three years ago, when the amendment to the “Amerindian Bill” was being debated in Parliament, almost all the organizations representing the peoples affected, insisted that they should be referred to as “Indigenous Peoples”. If we are going to respect people we can at least respect their right to name themselves.
The term “Indigenous” rather than “Amerindian” is not inconsequential. To accept “Amerindian” – an abbreviation of “American Indian” – is to acquiesce in the arrogance of the Europeans not to rectify their error in assuming that they had reached India when they stumbled across the “New World” five hundred years ago. It is on the same level as accepting that those Europeans “discovered” that world, as if the inhabitants of that world were not humans. It is an inalienable right of all humans to name themselves.
Be as it may, the theme for this month’s activities is: “Promoting Sustainable Livelihood and Cultural Heritage while transforming our Village Economies”. Ever since economic data has been collected in our country, it has been incontrovertible that the Indigenous Peoples have been the most poverty-stricken. Locked out of the coastal economy – which has not been exactly high-flying to begin with – because of their historical retreat into the hinterland to escape European exploitation, they have remained largely locked into a subsistence mode of existence.
Very few impartial observers, however, can deny that the present administration has worked with single-minded determination to raise their standard of living. Cynics may snicker that it is all geared towards “buying” their votes but that is neither here nor there. The bottom line is that there has been a visible improvement in the material conditions of existence in the interior and the Indigenous Peoples have benefitted from this. After all, the Constitution guarantees the Indigenous Peoples, as it does every Guyanese citizen, the right to vote for the party of their choice – in secret. There will be no one holding a gun at the head of anyone.
Events at the global level have helped the cause of the Indigenous Peoples. There has been a gradual acceptance that they have been wronged grievously when their lands were unilaterally expropriated by others that were, after all, mere migrants. To add insult to injury, they have been treated like third class citizens. Today, several internationally recognised organisations lobby for the rights of Indigenous Peoples to be respected, and these organisations lend concrete support to local groups.
The role of forests in sequestering carbon, and thus possessing the capacity to aid significantly in lowering the Carbon-dioxide levels in the atmosphere, have brought the spotlight onto Indigenous Peoples since, by and large, they remained living in those forests. They have been, in the most literal sense, the guardian of those forests. In staking an avant garde position for the protection of forests, our government has recognised the pivotal role Indigenous Peoples can play in the implementation of the LCDS.
Firstly, it is recognised right up front that they can choose to participate or not in the LCDS. This is as it should be: every group has the right to choose the path of its development. The continued consultation with the Indigenous Peoples has been guaranteed. There has to be recognition, however, that decisions that they make will have an impact on the rest of the populace and it is hoped that their leaders will act in a mature fashion. Notwithstanding their protestations, it should be recognised that not all the international advisory groups have the interest of the Indigenous Peoples at the top of their agendas.
It would be nice if there can be solar panels on the roof of every Indigenous person’s home – as, of course, a chicken in every pot – but that is a mere detail. What is of paramount importance is that at long last, there is widespread acceptance that the development of the Indigenous Peoples is crucial to our national development. Happy Indigenous Peoples Month!

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