Traditional Marudi land owners asking to be included in decisions that impact their lives

Dec 17, 2021 Letters

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Dear Editor,

Kaieteur News – The spinning surrounding the Marudi issue by the authorities will continue, with hope that people will get fed up and forget.
In the 10th December, 2021 edition of the Stabroek News, the Minister defended the government’s decision to “greenlight the start of small-scale mining at Marudi Mountain, claiming that ‘we in the government needed to strike a balance…” This is far from the truth — if indeed government has to strike a balance, then we, as Indigenous peoples, would have been part of the process leading to the signing of any agreement. That clearly did not happen in the case of the Marudi agreement. There cannot be a “balance” struck without respect for our rights in the decision-making process. This imbalance is heavily in favour of those so-called small-scale miners.
I find it difficult to accept that the Minister truly believes that the process that led to the signing of the agreement had our communities’ full and informed input. It was instead a total disregard for the right of free, prior, and informed consent and our rights as traditional owners of the area. These rights and principles are important, if we as Indigenous peoples are to take part in national development in and around our lands. Anything less than full respect for our rights will see the continued decimation of our lands, and its rich biodiversity and natural beauty.
In its Early Warning/Urgent Action Communication to Guyana, in December of 2018, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination communicated that, ”The Committee is concerned about the allegations that the Wapichan people have been largely left out of any decision-making process related to the mining activities at Marudi Mountain, a sacred mountain to the Wapichan Indigenous tribe…” The Committee requested the State party to provide information on the steps taken to: ‘Consider the suspension of the Mining Project on Marudi Mountain until free, prior, and informed consent is granted by the Wapichan Indigenous People following the full and adequate discharge of the duty to consult’. It would be interesting what next steps the Committee will be considering.
Our famous, “Guyanese Critic” visited some villages to ask some people what they think of the issue at hand. It was surprising that he was being driven around by the REO. This is the same REO who went to Marudi to hold meetings about mining, claiming that “buggie” is helping miners at Marudi, and he does not have to be there ‘cause he can be given millions of dollars’ worth in contracts in the Region. Since when does the REO promote mining? I was under the impression that that responsibility falls under GGMC. I do hope that Mr. Critic gets genuine and balanced opinions. If Mr. Critic were to walk around any part of our country, he might hear many criticisms of the government’s policies, but we know it is not cherry-picked, random people on the street, but rather, the elected government that makes those policy decisions. So why is there a different standard for the government and for our Indigenous representative institutions? All that the communities of the South Rupununi are asking is that our representative institutions of the Indigenous villages in the South Rupununi be included in any decision-making on any development activities, especially when we are the ones who will have to live with all the negative impacts of extractives.
Mr. Critic, I’d like you to read the letter of 30th October of 1967 by our Elder Toshaos and read the Amerindian Lands Commission report of 1969 before you go saying that the land is government lands and not Indigenous People’s land. Please understand the context of our land issue and its history so that you can share accurate information.
The Minister is claiming that the issue is being politicised by a few. Asking to be included in decisions that will affect us cannot be considered politics. This is a basic and fundamental human right and that is what we are demanding in this situation. Having the REO, and other close associates, visit communities at very short notice to convince them to accept the agreement is politicising the issue. Having a one-liner consent to the agreement for individuals to sign onto is politicising the issue. Having the REO transport Mr. Critic around the villages and into Marudi to “hear from the people” is politicising the issue. It is a classic attempt to distract us from the real issue of respect for our human rights. If that is not politicising, what is?
Editor, Saturday coming, the 18th December 2021, will make three weeks since the Minister promised that the agreement will be sent to us. Up to the time of writing, we have not been sent anything. Such is the respect the government has for the Indigenous Peoples of this country.
In conclusion, I wish to reiterate that it’s not about benefits and livelihoods, or whether we want mining, it is about the agreement that was made without our inclusion or input, when the very Ministers are talking about “Free, Prior and Informed Consent”. As traditional owners of these lands, we are simply asking that we be included in decisions that will impact negatively us in time to come.

Respectfully,
Chief Kokoi
Wapichan elder

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