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Former President Ramotar disagrees with Guyana’s position on Houthis’ Red Sea attacks
Kaieteur News – Former President of Guyana, Donald Ramotar, disagrees with a position that Guyana has taken to condemn the actions of the Houthis movement in the Red Sea.
The Yemeni militant group has embarked on a campaign to target commercial ships in the Red Sea – between Africa and Asia – to disrupt Israeli trade. The group has said its actions are a show of solidarity with the people of Gaza, who have been facing 100 days of indiscriminate violence from the Israeli Defense Forces. The Houthis have said they will not stop until Israel ends its war in Gaza.
Former President, Donald Ramotar
Israel’s military actions in Gaza have been relentless, following an October 7 attack by the militant group Hamas. Israel, according to Palestinian authorities, has killed over 23,000 Gazans, leading to accusations of genocidal intent. Israel claims it is targeting Hamas militants, but most of its victims have been women and children. The United Nations (UN) reported that the conflict has displaced nearly 85% of Gaza’s population and caused acute food insecurity for over 90%.
Guyana has condemned the Houthis’ actions in the Red Sea because of the potential for economic disruptions. While Ramotar did not explicitly condemn Guyana’s statements, the arguments he criticised in a recent letter to the editor, strongly mirror the position taken by Guyana at the level of the United Nations Security Council.
Guyana’s Ambassador to the UN, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, in a January 3 statement, said, “Guyana condemns in the strongest terms the recent attacks against commercial vessels in the Red Sea.” She emphasized the need to ensure the “preservation of navigational rights and freedoms of all vessels in the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea, in accordance with international law.”
The Houthis hijacked the ‘Galaxy Leader,’ a vessel owned by an Israeli businessman, along with its international crew, in November 2023. Guyana has called for the immediate release of the Galaxy Leader and its crew.
Guyana’s Ambassador to the UN, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett
Rodrigues-Birkett emphasized the importance of the Red Sea for international trade, stating, “The Red Sea, with its connection to the Suez Canal, is one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes. The importance of this route to international commerce cannot be overstated with more than 12% of global trade passing through the Red Sea every day.”
Contrastingly, in a letter to the editor, Ramotar focused on the motive of Yemen’s Houthis, stating, “In these conditions, the Houthis began to take measures to halt the indiscriminate killings and massive destruction of property [in Gaza].” He further criticized the international community’s response to the situation in Gaza, particularly pointing out the role of Western powers. “Unfortunately, it did not, [but] instead led to the US and UK bombing Yemen,” the former President said.
Ramotar added that it is unbelievable that some would criticise the Houthis on the ground that their action would carry up the cost of goods imported in various countries. “This, in a sense, is putting a ‘little inconvenience’ by consumers above human lives.”
He argued for a more empathetic understanding of the Houthis’ actions. “What the Houthis are doing is paying with their blood for the support they are giving to stop the massacre in Gaza. This is genuine solidarity and should be commended not condemned.”
There have been protests in Guyana against Israel’s war which reached 100 days on Sunday. While the Government of Guyana does not support the actions of the Houthis, top government officials have condemned Israel’s war in Gaza. President Irfaan Ali in November called it the “first publicly televised genocide.”
South Africa has filed a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), charging genocide. While Guyana has not officially endorsed South Africa’s case, the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) – of which it forms part – has voiced support for the case. Israel rejects it.
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