The ERC warns against the media being used as a tool for dividing and inciting Guyanese along ethnic/racial lines

Mar 19, 2011 Letters

Dear Editor,
The Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) in pursuit of its constitutional mandate to promote ethnic harmony and peaceful coexistence between and amongst Guyana’s various ethnicities, wishes to draw attention to a letter (Kaieteur News, Friday, March 4, 2011, pg 7), written by Mona Chaitram, and captioned, “Ambitions of Forbes Burnham and Bharrat Jagdeo” which the Commission, after careful evaluation of the content, concluded that a specific part thereof was explicitly racist and may be deemed to be in contravention of the Representation of the People (Amendment) Act 2001, Section 139D (1) and the Racial Hostility Act, Section 2(1) (C) .
The offending part of the letter is located in the fourth paragraph [line 2], where Ms. Chaitram penned the following statement:
“So Freddie, you are right in describing the post-colonial Africans as custodian of the English culture; and when the Indians, many of whom were not educated as you described began to work, save and think about the future, own a business or a bit of land and build a little roof over their heads, the Africans feel they have the right to rob or burn it down and is screaming about marginalisation and discrimination in Guyana.”
The Commission took the informed position that the above statement is clearly prejudicial to and repugnantly stereotypical of Africans as an ethnic group in this country, and should have been editorially excised in the public’s interest for being unsubstantiated and racially divisive.
Further, the publishing of Ms. Chaitram’s misinformed contention in a national newspaper, seriously calls into question the editorial rationale that informed the decision, since it is patently obvious that scant regard was given to the polarizing effect conveyed in the writer’s postulate.
In light of the foregoing observation, the Commission would like to impress upon you and your editorial staff, the importance of applying robust examination to the information being disseminated through your newspaper’s letter pages since the opinions expressed therein can influence public opinion and behaviour in both positive and negative ways.
In conclusion, please be informed that the ERC’s Media and Campaigm/Rallies Monitoring Unit is actively scrutinizing the broadcast and print media among others, for adherence to the Representation of the People (Amendment) Act 2001, Section 139D (1) and the Racial Hostility Act, Section 2(1) (C), which clearly spells out the penalties to be levied against persons and/or organisations found guilty of publishing racist information.
It is in this regard, and, more so, within the context of this being an elections year, that the Commission solicits your support and cooperation to zealously guard against the media being used as a tool for dividing and inciting Guyanese along ethnic/racial lines.
Yvonne Lansevine
Chief Executive Officer/Secretary

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The ERC warns against the media being used as a tool for dividing and inciting Guyanese along ethnic/racial lines

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