Now is the time to start the much needed National conversation on improving race relations

Aug 13, 2023 Letters

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Dear Editor,

In the beginning, it was my land. They came to trade and then forcibly took what was mine. They slaughtered my people and forced me to give them my gold. They then brought slaves from another land to help them rob me of what is mine. This is the story of the Amerindian.

I was brought captive from my land and forced to work for a cruel people. They mistreated me and forced me to do that which I did not want to do. They separated me from all that I loved. This is the story of the African.

After Emancipation came Indentureship, a new frontier in race relations. With it came the game of pitting one race against the other. It was mine and now it is yours. I did it for free and now you are getting paid to do it. Now that I am free, they should be paying me to do it. You are taking away my money. Resentment was seeded.

My people are dying from these harsh conditions which we have been subjected to. We must change what we are doing. This is the story of the labourers brought from other parts of the world (Asia and Europe).

I came with a contract and those who came before us do not care to work. They are lazy, at least this is what I was told by those who hired me. Now they look at me with hate and undermine my undertakings. At the end of the contract, I am cheated of my pay. Let’s make the most of it. This is the story of the Indian.

These are very distinct perspectives of the racial groups in our country. Over time we listened to each other and eventually realized that we were being pitted against each other. Divide and control was the game. What we had in common was being mistreated and cheated by those who took what was ours and brought us to the land of the Amerindian whose story was of similar sufferings and horrific atrocities. We eventually learned from each other. While coming together to break free of the servitude and hardships, we were subjected to, we gained strength from each other. Our power became a threat to those in control. So, they made divide and conquer an even stronger weapon by attacking and discrediting the strong amongst us while also planting deception and betrayal. This created further division, and as a result retarded our progress towards true freedom. Over time, while experiencing an illusion of independence we subjected each other to the position of less than those who were in power. A hand me down from those who brought us to these shores. Having learned the ways of oppression, we have seeded and nurtured hate, which today makes it difficult to come together as One People in One Nation with One Destiny.

We can pretend when there are benefits to be had, but deep-seated hate can only be overcome by truly understanding each other once again. Trust takes time and this is the bridge that we must commit to rebuilding. Only then can we meet each other on neutral ground and mutual understanding where reconciliation may be seeded and nurtured to bring everlasting peace amongst our peoples. The leaders of each of our six peoples must commit to doing serious soul searching and decide when they and their respective people are ready to truly embrace peaceful coexistence which will eventually lead to unity.

Rebuilding trust is the first step, and acknowledgment of the wrongs of the past is the first step towards rebuilding trust. This must be followed by forgiveness of ourselves and each other after truly accepting the errors of our own people. We must not hide the truth from our people and Our Nation. This will then allow us to move towards healing and reconciliation. We must have an open and honest conversation with each other. It will be difficult at first, but we must take that step towards each other. Only then will the “do fuh do” approach and hateful attitude towards “dem people” be overcome and a new beginning be realized.

My fellow citizens, those of us in this generation can achieve true change for the better if we look deeply within ourselves and reach for it.

To do otherwise is to choose to remain a pawn of those who have divided us to rule over us. The choice is ours. The way we conduct ourselves during the next general elections as individuals, as a race, as a community and as a political group, will be very telling of the personal choices we have made towards peaceful coexistence and true unity. Now is the time to start the much needed National conversation on improving race relations.

It is CRG’s hope that the leaders of today will make the opportunity available over this period leading up to the next general elections to find a long lasting solution to the current racial divide in our country so as to bring unity amongst our peoples in Guyana. We must not continue the racial violence that has been a part of the election’s cycle.

Sincerely,

Mr. Jamil Changlee

Chairman

The Cooperative Republicans of Guyana

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• Amerindian, forcibly, improving, relations, slaughtered

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