Mining operations resume at Chinese Landing without village consent – Toshao

May 04, 2026 News

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By Khadidja Ba

(Kaieteur News) – Reports have surfaced that mining activities have officially resumed within the Chinese Landing area, allegedly bypassing established protocols for community engagement.

Speaking to Kaieteur News, Chinese Landing Toshao Nikita Miller confirmed that operations have been active for approximately one month. However, the village leadership maintains that the operators failed to present themselves to the community or seek formal recognition before accessing the lands. Both Ministers of Amerindian Affairs and Natural Resources have not responded to requests for comments.

While the specific identities of the individual miners remain unclear to the Village Council, the Toshao pointed to a direct connection with the Vieira estate. “We don’t know exactly who are the individual miners, but Vieira knew about these operations,” the Toshao stated.

According to the village leader, Stephen Vieira, acting as power of attorney for Wayne Vieira, is currently on the ground managing the worksites. The resumption of mining follows a recent visit by Wayne Vieira, who reportedly arrived via the Tassawini airstrip on March 20. It is alleged that the visit was intended to secure local support for the ongoing works.

Reports indicate that Vieira sought signatures for a proposed labour agreement. The Toshao noted that while nine residents and two non-residents reportedly signed the document, the broader community remains concerned about the lack of official consultation with the village administration.

The legal battle for Chinese Landing remains mired in procedural delays. As of May 9, 2024, the Court of Appeal is yet to make a decision regarding the community’s claims. The Toshao noted that a previous case was thrown out by the High Court without a hearing, leaving the village in a state of prolonged legal limbo while mining activities continue on their titled lands. The community has expressed deep frustration, noting that they were “shut out” of past proceedings between the GGMC and Vieira, with no arguments made to the court regarding their constitutionally protected land rights.

The IACHR resolution provides a chilling itemisation of the systemic dangers confronting the Carib community, moving beyond general village-wide threats to document specific, harrowing incidents. These accounts serve as the primary evidence for the claim of “serious and urgent risk,” highlighting a pattern of targeted aggression. For instance, the documentation notes that in 2018, Selwyn Miller and his family were reportedly forced from their home under direct threat by officers from the Tactical Services Unit and the mine’s general manager.

This atmosphere of intimidation is further exacerbated by reported physical assaults and invasive security measures. In August 2021, a 19-year-old was allegedly slapped and pursued by a mine security officer armed with an iron, while numerous other residents have reported being subjected to unjustified searches at gunpoint by both police and mining personnel. These escalations often involve lethal displays of force; in one documented case, a manager allegedly fired six warning shots over a villager’s head to forcibly remove them from a mining concession, illustrating the extreme lengths used to assert control over the area. The government’s “fact-finding” mission in August 2023 was met with sharp criticism from the Village Council. Leading the team was MP Alister Charlie, but the Council noted the conspicuous absence of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, the body constitutionally mandated to represent indigenous interests.

Village leaders described the mission as a “delaying tactic”. During the meetings, GGMC officers reportedly claimed they could not issue new Cease Work Orders because they did not “physically see” the miners operating, despite the community’s insistence that miners simply pause their work when government teams arrive. The Council countered this by citing Section 98 of the Mining Regulations, which allows officers to halt work whenever it appears “absolutely necessary” for public peace or the protection of private persons. The conflict has also sparked a war of words between the government and the Amerindian Peoples Association (APA). The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance (MPAG) accused the APA of being “disingenuous” and “divisive”. In a public statement, the government challenged the APA’s transparency, citing over US$5 million in funding the association received from the Land Tenure Facility between 2019 and 2026.

The government further alleged that the APA attempted to suspend Guyana’s carbon credit payments, a claim the APA denies, stating they only advocate for the respect of Indigenous rights and land titling. The APA maintains that it has supported Chinese Landing for decades, especially when the community was pressured into “poor mining deals” that others ignored.  The IACHR reaffirmed that “survival” for the people of Chinese Landing signifies much more than physical existence. It encompasses the ability to “preserve, protect and guarantee the special relationship” the community has with its territory.

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• Chinese Landing, Mining, Nikita Miller, Tassawini

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