Dear Editor,
I watched with disgust and amazement as the Government of Guyana squandered my voice, by issuing a statement on my behalf as a Guyanese, condemning Israeli operations in the Gaza Strip, and picketing the Embassy of the United States of America with slogans accusing the US of supporting “the murderous campaign of the Israelis.”
The current response from Israel is justified, as no country, including Guyana, would or could allow terrorists who have hijacked its neighbour, to attack it by indiscriminate rocket fire, and armed with the means to defend itself, failed to do so.
Hamas is a terrorist organization which thrives on a skewed interpretation of the honourable religion of Islam, the criminal agenda and support of rogue countries, and more importantly, naked cowardice. It is cowardly to use your religious message to convince a young man with his whole life ahead of him that his purpose is to go in the presence of innocent people and detonate bombs attached to his body, ending his life, that of many others, and maiming many in the process.
It is even more cowardly, after firing rockets and running like a common thief in the night, to hide among civilians − women and children − in an attempt to shield yourself from the consequences of your actions.
When Hamas was firing rockets at Israel, where was the Government of Guyana/PPP outrage against the cowardice? Where was the outrage against the suicide bombers? Was not the Hamas rocket fire murderous, or was it invisible to their politically twisted consciences?
I was schooled and qualified for my livelihood in the US. I have many family members living a better life in the US. The single greatest contributor to our economy is the US. The largest provider of aid to Guyana is the US.
The largest source of remittances to Guyana is the US. The embassy with the longest line of persons applying for visas, in the rain, sun, and wee hours of the morning is the US Embassy. If we are attacked by any country and cannot competently defend ourselves, the country that will likely have to defend us is the US.
My mother taught me not to bite the hand that feeds me, and it seems our leaders could have used some of her stern maternal teachings. The verbal attacks and picket of the US Embassy, chiding a sovereign country for defending itself while being silent on the terrorists they are forced to live in fear of daily, are reckless acts of the PPP.
We are in a far less fortunate position now. We are independent so the government can’t be exchanged by some superior authority. The US, disgusted with our continued outstretched but ungrateful hand, can simply cease to help us.
This may not be a problem for those with reckless mouths, since I am sure that at least some of the people in that picket line hold visas from the very country they were unfairly castigating.
The United States Embassy should ignore them, since their position is not a Guyanese one and not hatched of consensus.
Yours faithfully,
Learie C Barclay
