Praising the heroism of John Lewis and Guyanese freedom fighters

Jul 28, 2020 Letters

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DEAR EDITOR,

I can’t help but compare and contrast the way Americans and Guyanese honour their (dead) heroes who championed freedom for their people. There were similar struggles in both societies against racism and the right to the ballot (electoral fraud) — Black Americans were denied right to vote and when that right was given, similar to how the Whites gave the right to vote in Guyana, but their ballots were not counted as there were electoral frauds similar to what took place in Guyana (1966 to 1992) and what has been taking place right after the March 2 vote.
Our Guyanese heroes like those of America’s like MLK and John Lewis gave all they had to fight racism and redeem the unmet promise of equality and counting of the ballots that was so long denied to Black Americans as it was denied to Guyanese. The Guyanese and American heroes answered brutal violence and fought for a better life for all.
Americans join with the nation in honouring the Black civil rights champion John Lewis on his passing. Lewis body was taken to the area where he was savagely beaten by police. This brings back memories of accounts of several of our freedom fighters who were beaten by police and paramilitary units all over Guyana, some even killed. There should have been similar momentous tributes to those who experienced violence when their funerals were held.
Lewis is deservedly being given a hero’s funeral for his contribution to the (largely non-White) freedom movement in America that helped secured rights of all regardless of race and national origin, including the seven hundred thousands Guyanese Americans. Blacks and other Americans give a fitting funeral farewell to their civil rights heroes. There are countless Guyanese heroes of all ethnicities who gave their lives for the ballots to be counted during the period of dictatorship. Some lost their lives or limbs and still have deep scars from the brutality unleashed on them not dissimilar to what happened to Lewis. Our Guyanese heroes were and are also ‘Lewis like’ in their struggle. When will Guyanese give ‘a Lewis type tribute’ to honour their heroes of our freedom movement against racism and electoral banditry?
Lewis, the Alabama Black native, persevered in the fight for the ballot and other rights for Blacks. He was savagely beaten by Whites not dissimilar to the brutal onslaught that our heroes suffered during the ethnic dictatorship in Guyana. Lewis went on to get elected to represent a Black district in Congress. He was never shy to champion the rights of Black Americans. He spoke up for and in defense of his people, and the world took note honouring him for fighting against white racism against Blacks and people of colour.
Several heroes, not the least being Cheddi and Janet Jagan, Walter Rodney, Edward Dublin, Father Darke, Feroze Mohammed, Ohene Koama, Komal Chand, Reepu Daman Persaud, Isahak Bashir, Josh Ramsammy, et. al. gave their lives to the freedom movement and the struggle against racists and electoral fraudsters who persecuted us for 28 years denying us the right to the correct count of the ballots. Some of our heroes are still around, beaten by police, like Clement Rohee, Ravi Dev, Leyland Roopnarine, Paul Tennassee, Nand Gopaul, et. al. for championing the right to the vote. And we must not forget the heroes of the 1976 and 1977 student dissension on the Corentyne for standing up to injustice and those heroes who fought in the diaspora like Arjune Karshan, Baytoram Ramharack, Vassan Ramracha, Chuck Mohan, et. al. They loved their country so much that they risked their life for what was right and for the promise of a better Guyana. A few heroes like David Hinds and Tacuma Ogunseye have gone back to the perpetrators of racism and defending electoral fraud; Lewis would be disappointed in their behaviour.
As a student of American history, I recall Lewis courageous struggle and the savage beating he endured and it brought back memories of the ballot martyrs, heroes, shot down by soldiers in cold blood 47 years ago. They were opposed to the theft of their ballots of Indian voters not dissimilar to Lewis objection of the theft of ballots of Black Americans. Lewis lived and went on to get elected but the martyrs were never able to see parliament. I also remember those who were maimed and beaten as they demand the right to vote between 1965 and 1992. The perpetrators of violence were Burnham’s police and paramilitary units and gangs of goons that operated everywhere; some are holding office today and behaving in like manner 30 years later. And we must also remember the young man killed on the East Coast on March 5 for taking to the street demanding that his vote be accurately counted not dissimilar to Lewis. He was a hero who gave his life to focus attention on electoral fraud. The Guyanese people must pay respects to those who made tremendous sacrifices for our freedom and comfort. They are/were heroes. What would have happened if they had not fought for free and fair elections? They stood up for justice as they braved batons and bullets of the racists and fraudsters. Those who seek to annul the 2020 elections or reverse the outcome through fraud and who engaged in rigging between 1966 and 1992 are no different from the racists, KKK, and Jim Crow purveyors that Lewis fought against. They ought to be ashamed of themselves of wanting to remain in office knowing fully well they lost. They have no decency and Lewis would not want to come close to them.

Yours truly,
Dr. Vishnu Bisram

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