The claims of a high incidence of rape in the Guyana National Service do not seem credible

Apr 19, 2021 Letters

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Dear Editor
I joined the Guyana National Service and travelled to Kimbia to commence training as a staff trainee. One of the persons among my team of trainers was Miss Mahadai Das (her rank at the time, I cannot remember). Miss Das impressed me in the way she conducted herself, her mastery of Guyanese history and her commitment to National Service.
Indeed, it was the exemplary person who I perceived her to be that kept me from not running away from the service at that time, since the training was strenuous both physically and mentally. Every time I thought about leaving, I remembered her and reasoned to myself, “If she can stick it, why can’t I?” That was enough for me to steel myself and plod on.
The second part of training took my group to Papaya, I therefore lost track of Miss Das who had made a lasting impression on me. I left GNS around 1980, but on occasions when I met one of her “squaddies”, I would inquire about her. I was shocked and saddened to hear that she had developed a mental illness (that was all many of them could tell me). As time passed, I encountered two of her “squaddies” (one female and one male) who had had recent encounters with her.
The female “squaddie” told me of seeing Das in a disheveled state on a street in the city. This woman had taken Mahadai to her home and took care of her for a time. Eventually Das left of her own accord. Das’ male “squaddie” told me of seeing her walking along the Linden Highway. He stopped and inquired what she was doing there? She gave no intelligent response. He then offered her shelter and sustenance at the organisation that he headed which was located at Kuru Kuru. She accepted. The women in that organisation took care of her for a time, until, again, she silently left of her own accord.
In recent weeks, we have been inundated with negative comments about the GNS. One writer for some time now persists in his attempt to have us believe that acts of rape were common place at GNS centres.
Indeed, he once wrote “hundreds of Indian girls” were raped in the Guyana National Service. In Kaieteur News of 7th April, 2021, he was at it again, only on this occasion, he wrote “…Das was raped as were hundreds of others.” Notice, he is no longer saying “hundreds of Indian girls” – now the rapes occurred to girls generally. I guess someone must have gotten to him and pointed out how ridiculous his earlier contention was. Still, others were determined to go a bit further.
In a letter to the Editor appearing in the Kaieteur News edition of 12th April 2021, the writer tells us “”Doctors at National Service treated thousands of rapes …” These two positions on this matter of incidents of rape in GNS are shady, especially when juxtaposed with the contention of others.
In 1977, the then Mrs. Janet Jagan published a booklet entitled, “An examination of the National Service,” in which she opined on why East Indian young women would not join the GNS. She argued that since unmarried girls were expected to remain in their parents’ home and care, Indian young ladies did not and would not join an organisation like GNS. Indeed, Mrs. Jagan even said that Indian young ladies would prefer to give up attending UG than to join the GNS. Those speaking about Indian girls being in GNS in such large numbers that would allow for “hundreds” and “thousands” of them being raped must first deal with Mrs. Jagan’s contention that the number of Indian girls in the GNS was infinitesimal.
Further, as far as the two largest centres in GNS were concerned, as welfare officer, I enjoyed an extremely good relationship with the medic in-charge of the health centre at Kimbia. Same was true of my relationship with the medic at Papaya where I was the officer responsible for cultural activities for a period during 1977 and at least part of 1978. I am therefore surprised that “hundreds” or “thousands” of rape cases were dealt with; without such information being shared with me. So, why did the gentlemen quoted above feel it necessary to, without offering proof, tell us that “hundreds” and “thousands” of females were raped at GNS?
It seems to me that there are those who are determined to discredit everything associated with the late President Burnham. For them, at all cost, he must be given no praise regardless of the positive effects of some of his programmes. That is why some persons examining the GNS will pay no attention and did not share in the pride we at GNS centres experienced when we shipped bales of cotton, tons of nuts and black-eyed peas, produced by our young people, and bound for both local and Caribbean markets.
These writers did not know, or took no pride if they knew, that boys and girls who our education system had given up on, and had in their future only the possibility of gaining menial jobs, were now masters at manoeuvring cotton pickers at Kimbia, and heavy machinery used at Itabu quarry. All this meant nothing to them – not worthy of praise and encouragement.
For them, to perceive, to praise any aspect of GNS activities would be to acknowledge the good works of President Burnham. This, for them must not be conceded at any cost. Thus, any good that occurred at GNS (Burnham’s brain child) must be given no attention, no credit. However, these individuals are not the only ones anxious to discredit or wipe out the National Service from our consciousness.
Some years ago, the PPP government renamed the Guyana National Service Sports Club, the Georgetown Sports Club. That sports club was built with the labour and partly financed by monthly financial contributions from the salaries of members of the GNS. So why did they do it? Why did the PPP give that sports club such a meaningless rename?
The answer is simple because all things done by Burnham must be wiped from Guyanese consciousness, even if some of these achievements could be used to encourage and inspire our youths to be willing to make the sacrifices that small nations like Guyana, will have to ask of citizens. On this issue of erasing Burnham from our consciousness, in many ways, there is little difference between the pettiness of the PPP and some individuals anxious to discredit everything that Burnham did.
In closing, I offer to make three points. First, the Guyana National Service was a fairly large organisation. To a large extent, what happened at our centres, and indeed offices in the city, mimicked what happens in the wider society. Thus, I believe that acts of rape did occur at our centres.
That these occurred, I am sad and disappointed, just as I am saddened and disappointed when I read of young women being raped by officials in our education system, by priest, pandits or Imams because these persons also represent organisations and institutions in which we tend to deposit so much trust and expect to protect and take care of our daughters and sons.
Second, for all its shortcomings, GNS was undisputedly the most visible, most concrete attempt at involving youth in national development that we in CARICOM have ever experienced.
Third, there is one Abraham David who in a letter appearing in Kaieteur News (newspaper) on 13th April 2021, tells us that he lived in Israel for four (4) years. During that time, he lived in a Kibbutz, as his stint of compulsory National Service, as is required of all citizens of Israel who are within a certain age group. His description of life in the Kibbutzim is similar to what occurred at our National Service. He also said something that struck me. He said, “Israel set up border settlements to enhance its security. These border settlements eventually grew into sustainable villages and towns.”
There seems to be a lesson for Guyana in the above. The lesson is a simple but powerful one – successful occupation give nations right to land. Israel seized the Golan Heights from Syria during the war of 1967. Israel established settlements that “eventually grew into sustainable villages and towns.” To date, even with UN intervention, Israel still occupies the land.
In the case of Guyana, in 1966 Venezuela seized part of Ankoko and have settled it. Like Syria, it is not easy to see Guyana being able to regain this land. National Service, by establishing settlements in our hinterland and border areas was involved in an exercise of successful habitation of disputed land. Our presence therefore acted as a deterrent from occupation by outsiders. This is a much overlooked aspect of GNS. He who does not occupy disputed land will surely lose it.
With thanks
Claudius Prince.

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