For whose name’s sake?

Oct 10, 2010 AFC Column, Features / Columnists

---

By Raphael Trotman
AFC Leader

It has been sometime since the AFC Executive’s decision of not wishing to enter into an alliance with either the PPP or PNC was announced. There has not been a day since that an opinion, for or against our decision, has not been expressed privately or publicly, to me, or other members of the AFC.
There has been merit in all the arguments and even at times when I have been personally vilified, I have sought to remain objective and accept that whilst many people believe the decision to be the correct one, many others are also genuinely upset because they believe that change will not come otherwise.
In my speech at the launch of the AFC in October 2005, I said that our vision (AFC’s) is to bring healing to Guyana and the “creation of a just, equitable, and unified state…” This is what I intended to be the raison d’être of our entrance into the politics of Guyana. Being mindful and appreciative of the efforts of other “third parties” in particular, we were to set ourselves up as examples for others to see how the races of Guyana could work in harmony with each other, and not against each other.
Bringing healing, after decades of acrimony and conflict, was our stated purpose. We, by demonstrating that we could stay together, work together, and share together, set as our objective, the recovery of the opportunity for the establishment of a peaceful, united and prosperous nation-state that was lost when our great leaders separated themselves so long ago.
I believe that healing has to be preceded by an acknowledgement of the past and to be followed by forgiveness, and justice, before there can be reconcilement.
When I was still a member of the PNC, I opined that the Party was big and understanding enough to acknowledge its role in the 28 years of its administration and if need be, to even offer an apology. I was condemned and chastised for making this statement. I am happy to see that others have since followed in the same vein, and have been able to do so without the vilification that I suffered.
It is not that I consider myself to be better than others, but I understand that for thousands of families here and abroad the names PNC and PPP have a negative connotation, in the same way that for thousands it is, admittedly, positive. For too many, a reference to these Parties conjures up images of pain, suffering, discrimination and injustice for which there has been little or no atonement.
In this context, therefore, it is understandable that this discussion on alliances has dredged up every imaginable and unimaginable response as to why there should be no pre-election alliance with either the PNC or PPP, and much of it – I venture to say 99% of it – has to do with past hurt and anger.
Yet, it is because there is so much past hurt and anger, which beg for healing and reconciliation, that I believe that these Parties have to make their way back into the mainstream of politics and that if they demonstrate genuine commitment to put country first, should not be cast aside and left apart and adrift.
What we should be striving for is a better and more wholesome form of politicking and governance rather than to simply claim victory in a dysfunctional majoritarian system.
It is equally important for me to state to my brothers and sisters in the AFC that because we are “different” we are held to a different standard, in the sense that we cannot practice divisive and exclusive politics, but instead, an inclusive and mending type of politics; the type of politics that casts aside anger and hatred, and in their place, embraces one that fosters understanding, healing and reconciliation. We may be different, but not superior, to others and should never lose sight of this fact.
It is appropriate at this time to note that Freddie Kissoon’s recent and timely admonition on the standards and behaviour of the AFC, coming after an “anonymous” letter was published, cannot therefore be ignored. Not knowing who the author(s) of the anonymous letter was, I nonetheless wish to offer an apology to Drs. C.Y. Thomas and Rupert Roopnaraine for any distress that was caused by the letter, ostensibly written on behalf of the AFC.
This ongoing discussion on alliances has revealed a misconception that we in the AFC may have unwittingly created. When the AFC made its decision regarding the PNC and PPP, it may have appeared that the views of the thousands of citizens, being the followers, supporters and sympathizers of those parties, were not sufficiently considered to the extent that we may have sent a message that we are uninterested in the fate and welfare of Guyanese who are historically and inextricably bound with either Party. This is furthest from the truth.
I believe that as leaders of the AFC, having created a Party to forge reconciliation, we cannot simply condemn those people who choose not to come with us, to a life of misery simply because they have chosen to be aligned to, and to stay with, either party.
It is for this reason that in 2006, we publicly stated two (2) pre-conditions to being in any post-election coalition government.
The first was that if we won the elections outright, we would invite other political parties and other leading personalities to join the government, and that if we failed to win the plurality of votes and a coalition government was inevitable, then we would only participate if all parliamentary parties and other civil-society stakeholders were invited to participate as well.
The second pre-condition was that constitutional reform leading to the getting rid of the Executive Presidency and the majority rule construct, must be agreed to, and implemented by all. Our position will be no different in 2011.
I believe that someone has to work with the PNC and PPP to bring them forward and I believe that there are persons within both parties who have what it takes to bring them to the table of reconciliation. Those of us, who are in politics seeking to make a difference, do so in the name of the people, and not for our own name’s sake.
For the AFC, I would say that it goes without saying that we cannot engage in the normal politics of excluding and destroying each other, but be engaged in a different kind of politics that ensures that our decisions are not based on anger, revenge, carrying over past hurts, and fear. The AFC is fighting to ensure that the pains of the past are addressed and not bequeathed to the next generation of youth who never asked for this burden. Likewise, the PNC and the PPP must be made to see that if one or both fail to seize the opportunity, then both, or one, will pass into oblivion.
Recently, it has been said that the AFC is the only Party that embraces and exudes the ideals of Cheddi Jagan, and nothing I have read in the past months has excited me as much; given the almost total rejection of the AFC by Indo-Guyanese in 2006.
This statement I know has raised the hackles of some who felt that the AFC is becoming a satellite of the PPP, but those who feel upset need to recall that it was the PPP that cast a similar, yet opposite, aspersion on us in 2006 by saying we are really a “Black-man” Party and the PNC in disguise.
Now the pendulum is swinging and it should be allowed to swing. Therefore, these upcoming elections will confirm, or reject, the thesis that ethnic voting is engrained. I believe that we will see a monumental shift.
I dream of the day when the AFC’s journey is complete by having the visions and ideals of both Cheddi Jagan and Forbes Burnham, and of all other fighters for freedom, justice and equality, characterizing every aspect of our work. In the meantime there is much work to be done, and we need to focus on getting ready, and building the best possible alliance of forces to bring change to Guyana.

---

---