Successful administrations have failed to honour the Diaspora patriots who helped restore democracy

Oct 05, 2019 Letters

Dear Editor,

I write to applaud those Guyanese within the country and the diaspora that played a significant role in the struggle for the restoration of democracy and capitalist free market economics to Guyana. I remember them well as I played a leading role from March 1977 onwards from New York and prior to that for several years within Guyana. We worked tirelessly to help restore democracy to the homeland. They are all patriots, freedom fighters, the like of whom are hardly found in Guyana.
October 5 is a historic day for Guyana. It is the day in 1992 when democracy was restored after some twenty six years of dictatorship. It was a dictatorship that was foisted upon the nation by Britain and the USA and the Western powers in December 1964 to oust the left wing Cheddi Jagan administration that the west felt posed a threat to its interests. Ironically, it was the US that played a leading role in helping to restore democracy to Guyana after their ally in the form of Forbes Burnham turned against the West.
Several Guyanese played a critical role in the restoration of democracy in our homeland. Successful administrations in Guyana (PPP and APNU+AFC) have failed to recognize and honor these individuals for their sterling contributions to the nation. It was a small handful from abroad, join the freedom fighters at home, who took the lead in the diaspora lobbying and appealing to the governments of their adopted homelands (ABC countries) to help with the restoration of democracy. The US, under a Republican President, responded favorably threatening the Hoyte regime with sanctions if free and fair elections were not held. (Ironically, it was a Democratic Administration under Kennedy/Johnson that toppled the Jagan government.) Those who fought in the struggle against the dictatorship can never be compensated for the time spent in the struggle. They were a dedicated bunch who spent long hours educating the world about human rights violations in their former homeland. They were not beneficiaries of the struggle and most of them were alienated and marginalized by the post 1992 governments. One complaint of the patriots or freedom fighters is that those who hardly fought against the dictatorship became beneficiaries and (then some of them bilaway the productivity of the sweat of others). The patriots are forgotten. They must be remembered. These few patriots from abroad and those marginalized at home deserve highest honors and accolades for their patriotism and nationalism in saving the country from further tyranny. I salute them.
Yours truly,

Vishnu Bisram

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Latest News