Chinese Landing Village Council says Govt. must address their safety concerns

Aug 04, 2023 News

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…rejects fact-finding mission, slams Teixeira’s attack on APA

Kaieteur News – The Chinese Landing Village Council on Thursday said they are not interested in a government fact-finding mission to the community, but rather the administration should address their safety concerns occasioned by outside miners working on a concession there who, armed with high-powered rifles and have been threatening to harass residents in their lands.

The Village Council also rebuked the government for a statement it issued through the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance (MPAG) on Wednesday, which sought to cast aspersion on the Amerindian People’s Association. (APA) “…the APA has always supported our village’s struggle for our rights, and we will continue working with the APA as we value their dedication and support,” the Village Council said in its statement. “We respectfully request that the Government focus on addressing the threats to our rights rather than its views on the APA. We have agreed to the delayed dates of August 5-6 requested by the Government for an initial meeting, and we have already sent our proposed agenda for that meeting to the Government. We look forward to welcoming the Government team to our village and to constructive discussions towards the implementation of the IACHR resolution.”

In a lengthy statement, the ministry said in response to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights’ precautionary measures issued to Guyana on July 21, 2023, Government has taken a decision to stop all mining in Chinese Landing temporarily to allow for a more conducive environment to address the concerns of the community and all concerned.  The decision comes in wake of the IACHR resolution calling on the PPP/C Government to protect the rights and interests of the residents. Among some of the complaints by residents to the IACHR is the fact that community members “felt unsafe even passing through the concessions to the other side to farm, hunt and fish, and to visit our families”. The ministry said in its statement that this concern was also reiterated in a correspondence to Minister Teixeira dated July 29, 2023 in which Toshao Orin Fernandes stated that steps which require immediate attention included “mining activity must stop.” “This decision is as a direct result of the ongoing communication between the Government of Guyana through the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance and the Chinese Landing Village Council through Toshao Fernandes,” the ministry stated.

In its statement the Village Council said it wished to clarify a few points raised in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance press statement in the hopes that this will assist the Government to better act in compliance with the Commission’s resolution.  According to the Council, the IACHR has accepted their evidence of these facts on a prima facie standard, noting that “because of this that we have stated, as we have been requesting for years, that this outside mining – which we have never properly consented to – must stop.”

The council noted that it is looking forward to engaging in discussions with the Government towards implementation of the IACHR precautionary measures request.  “We have never asked the Government to stop all mining on our lands. We feel that we must clarify this, as we note that some of our villagers do small mining for their livelihoods, and we hope that the Government will not cut off our source of livelihood and further infringe upon our rights in its attempt to respect our rights. Should there be any confusion regarding our right to our livelihoods, we are prepared to request clarification regarding our rights from the IACHR,” the Village Council stated.

No fact-finding mission

Additionally, the council said they continue to believe that a “fact-finding mission” is not what the IACHR has requested that the Government do, but rather, that the Government must now work in consultation and agreement with them to identify the targeted measures needed to protect residents’ rights.” We must clarify that our submission of May 22, 2023, to the Commission, was merely in response to the various legal and factual arguments raised by the Government in its own report to the Commission (which we had only received on May 15). Our response raised no new substantive facts that require investigation by the Government. We also appreciate that there has been continued communication between us and the Government. We again offer the reminder that it is the Government’s responsibility to consult and agree with us on the measures to be taken to protect our rights to life and personal integrity. We hope that any discussions we will have together will be in this spirit,” the Village Council stated.

Disappointed

Turning its attention to the attack on the APA by the government, the Village Council said it is very disappointed. “We are however disappointed that the MPAG chose to use much of its press release to malign the Amerindian Peoples Association. The APA has always supported our village’s struggle for our rights, and we will continue working with the APA as we value their dedication and support. We respectfully request that the Government focus on addressing the threats to our rights rather than its views on the APA. We have agreed to the delayed dates of August 5-6 requested by the Government for an initial meeting, and we have already sent our proposed agenda for that meeting to the Government. We look forward to welcoming the Government team to our village and to constructive discussions towards the implementation of the IACHR resolution,” the council’s statement concluded.

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• Chinese Landing, Council, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, statement, Village

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