Govt. to deploy team to probe environmental, human rights abuses at Chinese Landing - VP Bharrat Jagdeo

Govt. to deploy team to probe environmental, human rights abuses at Chinese Landing – VP Bharrat Jagdeo

Jul 28, 2023 News

Kaieteur News – Government is expected to send a multi-faceted team to investigate several allegations of environmental and human rights abuses against Amerindians residing at Chinese Landing, Region One.

Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo

This was confirmed by Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday. This decision by the administration comes in wake of Resolution 41/2023 which was recently issued by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR). That international body called on Guyanese authorities to implement a series of measures to protect the Indigenous Carib Community of Chinese Landing. According to the commission, the Carib community which has approximately 210 people is currently at serious risk of suffering irreparable harm to their human rights by miners and even some members of the Guyana Police Force.

Details of those risks were outlined in a petition to the international body which was filed by the village council of the indigenous Carib community of Chinese Landing, the Amerindian Peoples Association of Guyana and the Forest Peoples Programme. The petition notes that a mining permit granted to Mr. W.V back in 1995 is the root cause of the harassment and discrimination being inflicted in the indigenous residents for years.

The petition notes that the permit was granted without the consent of the community and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) subsequently issued a cease work order in 2010. The miner was able to get this order overturned with a judgment from the Caribbean Court of Justice.

In March 2021, the Amerindian beneficiaries brought their case to the judiciary again, claiming that the mining activity was in direct contradiction with the Amerindian Act and the protections it offers for titled land. That matter is still engaging the attention of the court. In the meantime, mining in the area has accelerated, in tandem with environmental and human rights abuses hence the petition for intervention was made to the commission.

Jagdeo said yesterday that the government will respect and adhere to the commission’s resolution which calls for a thorough investigation and report on their findings and proposed solutions. Jagdeo was keen to remind however that the government through GGMC did stand with the people of Chinese Landing by issuing a cease work order.

The Vice President recalled also that last year, he spoke with the Toshao of Chinese Landing who did communicate to him, that there are several cases of illegal mining. Jagdeo also noted that government even attempted to do raids but on each occasion, the miners in the area were warned and were able to stop works ahead of time and hide their equipment.

Despite those challenges, Jagdeo said government will obey ruling of the commission and send a multi-faceted team into the area and a subsequent report will be issued to the IACHR. “So that is where we are. We have noted the ruling and we are concerned about this and the community is our primary concern and we believe that any transgressions of a social, environmental mining nature should be penalized heavily…,” the Vice President concluded.

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abuses, Bharrat Jagdeo, environmental, human rights, Vice President

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