I am very surprised by the latest move by President Bharrat Jagdeo. Mr Jagdeo has now put our country’s reputation in further danger with the recent state visit to Iran. Nothing good can come out of that meeting especially at this time, when the American government is trying to push for further sanctions from the United Nations on Iran. Iran is considered a rogue state by the UN, and is seen as an enemy of democracy. Former US President George W. Bush listed Iran as an “axis of evil” state in his State of the Union speech of 2002. Iran is still on the USA watch list as a state sponsor of terrorism.
Mr Jagdeo’s state visit to Iran must be condemned by all Guyanese. We need to let the UN and the USA know in no uncertain terms that Mr Jagdeo is not representing our country’s interest with this visit and he is there to promote his own agenda. Mr Jagdeo is looking to form alliances with the enemies of the USA who in my opinion are enemies of democracy, civil liberties and human rights. Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is deemed by his people a brutal dictator who firstly was returned to power following a rigged election, and then when the people protested he and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei used force to stop the legitimate protests. Many people were killed and lots more injured. Protestors were incarcerated and some were tortured and then tried and found guilty, while others were simply put to death.
I read on the official website of the Supreme Leader that in a meeting with Mr Jagdeo the latter said in the presence of Ahmadinejad that “Guyana is ready to use the IRI (Islamic Republic of Iran) experiences in all fields.” Now with this being the year before an election in Guyana I think Guyanese should ask the President what was really meant by that statement.
With statements like these Mr Jagdeo continues to put our party and the country at risk, and that is why we cannot sit by as Jaganites and allow him to damage the good name of Cheddi Jagan. We need to come out and let people know that Mr Jagdeo is promoting his own agenda and not that of the real PPP which came to power in 1992.
Yours faithfully,
Ossie Rogers
