Dear Editor,
After reading about the cry of an Israeli woman in the Israel/Palestine conflict I said to myself: “Is this so different to the cry of some Guyanese today?”
I Quote:
“We feel empathy for them, we want to live in peace with them, but instead our leaders promote our differences and create more distrust. So we live in fear and insecurity. They fail to comprehend: that fear destroys our shared understanding and our shared humanity. When we see others as a threat, and are ready to negotiate their human rights for our security, we are playing a zero-sum game. The result is always the same… zero.”
Security today in this our homeland is being driven by fear – instigated, encouraged and sustained by some of our unprincipled leaders on both sides of the political divide. Fear is dangerous and divisive when it breeds intolerance, threatens diversity and justifies the erosion of human rights. Fear thrives on myopic, cowardly and self centred leadership. There are many real causes of fear, but the approach being taken by our leaders to resolve this issue is short-sighted, promulgating strategies that erode the rule of law, human rights, increase inequalities, feed racism, divide and damage communities, and sow the seeds for violence and more conflict. The politics of fear has been made more complex by the emergence of armed groups, unscrupulous businesses, even government officials that commit or condone human rights abuses and cover-up inefficiencies and corruption. They – in different ways – challenge the power of government. A weak, self-serving government and ineffective security and law enforcement institutions, that are slowly being politicized, are unable or do not have the will, strength, tools and knowledge to clamp down on and apprehend these groups, leaving people vulnerable and afraid.
History shows that it is not through fear but through hope and optimism that progress is achieved. So, why do some leaders promote fear? Because it drives division which in turn allows them to consolidate their own power, create false certainties and escape accountability.
This is what is happening in Guyana from before the birth of independence and will continue for generations to come until we get rid of perceptions that result in mistrust and fear inculcated and promulgated by some of our leaders through generations. Perceptions of Indo-Guyanese that the Afro-Guyanese is dominating and lazy and will only strive to take what others have sweated for and the perception of Afro-Guyanese that the Indo-Guyanese is a thrifty bunch that only accumulates, hoards and will eventually take what is rightfully Afro-Guyanese. What happened to “One People, One Nation, One Destiny”? Is this only dressing on top of the nastiness of some of our leaders past and present? It is indeed sad to say that perceptions like this were blatantly used by Idi Amin in Uganda. Where did it end in Uganda? Over 300,000 dead or missing!
Fear feeds discontent and leads to discrimination, racism and persecution of ethnic and religious minorities. Increasing polarization has strengthened the hands of extremists at both ends of our political society, further reducing the space for tolerance and dissent.
At one pole is the PPP/C and at the other is the PNC/R. They have only one thing in common, mistrust.
Nowhere has this been more blatant than in the National Assembly which is a hive of intolerance and mockery from both parties that have been in power throughout the troubled life of independent Guyana. In many parts of Guyana racial sentiments are at an all-time high, as demonstrated by the ease with which some groups fomented violence following the 2001 elections, the new government’s stance on the restructuring of governmental institutions since 1992 (I am not condoning what was happening before 1992 either when the party card was the order of the day), the obsession with controlling the unions, the shelving of the Freedom of Information Act, the muzzling of government controlled institutions, the drunken flaunting of power, the blatant ‘all for one – one for all’ collusion and protectionism of the PPP/C (the same for the PNC/R to a lesser extent), the dismissal and decay of the justice system, the thoughtless noose-tightening around the throats of educational institutions and the sordid reasons for the radio monopoly.
Where should the line between protecting free speech and stopping incitement of racial hatred be drawn? The state has an obligation to promote non-discrimination and prevent racial crimes. It can do that without limiting freedom of speech. It is my opinion that freedom of expression should not be restricted or frowned upon. Yes, it can be used to propagate lies and incitement as well as truth, but without it there is no way to argue against lies, no way to seek truth and justice as is typical with the present radio monopoly and the ‘hogging’ of state media.
That is why speech should be curtailed only where there is clear intent to create fear and to incite racial or religious hatred, not where the purpose is to express opinion, however distasteful. This is where the essence of regulations must take effect. Proper regulations and policies must be put in place, not death by monopoly!
It is in the sphere of terrorism and counter-terrorism that fear’s most harmful manifestations flourish.. just take another look at the aftermath of Lusignan and Bartica. People have the right to be secure and the government has the duty and responsibility to provide that security, after all we are signatory to the UN conventions and that includes the “Responsibility to Protect” (R2P). However, ill-conceived and slothful strategies have done little to reduce the threat of violence or to ensure justice for victims of attacks, and much to damage human rights and erode the rule of law. Beware of the government or the courts pursuing a policy of detaining people indefinitely without charge or trial.
It is the job of the people to ensure that their MPs do not allow this to happen in the future.
The UK and the US governments have resorted increasingly to “control orders” that allow the state to effectively place people under arrest without criminal prosecution. Suspects are thus condemned without ever being convicted.
People’s fate will no longer be determined on the basis of what they have done but on the all omniscient or psychic ability of government and security forces to predict what they might do! Security at all costs is a dangerous and damaging strategy, just take one look at Sri Lanka! Institutions must become more rigorous in their demand for accountability and courts less willing to give in to government’s fancies, claims and influence.
There must be calls for greater scrutiny and accountability of the Security Services and the Home Affairs Ministry. The judiciary must be allowed to act without governmental interference or influence.
Leaders must disassociate themselves from others who seek only personal gains while the nation lives in fear and apprehension. When did it all begin? Where will it all end? Well total destruction is not the only solution.
Yours faithfully,
Bissaul Singh
