Dear Editor,
T Pemberton’s letter (November 15) referencing the absence of Chinese Guyanese in the political campaign profoundly brings to this nation’s attention an inconvenient truth. Running from this issue or pretending it doesn’t exit will not wish it away, since race matters in multiracial societies. It has been accepted this country has a minimum of six races and until such time everyone is assured that in spite of one’s race the playing field is level, some will continue to abuse the masses and pit groups against each other for their self-serving ends, conflicts will escalate, migration will continue, and co-existence and holistic development will remain elusive. This country must therefore pay attention and change course.
The United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 1 expressly states, “All peoples have the right of self-determination. By virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and culturaldevelopment.” This right is enshrined in articles 147, 149 and 13 of the Guyana Constitution, guaranteeing the right to freedom of association, protection from discrimination on the grounds of race, and participation in national decision-making that affect one’s well-being. As social beings self-determination is pursued as a collective, through direct or indirect association. In pursuit of same no government, group or individual has the right to discriminate against anyone who exercises this right.
Race is not a proviso in our constitution for appointment to public office. However, it is a proviso in terms of protection from discrimination. The double standard that exists in this society when it comes to this issue is of serious concern since race is respected, defended and admired as a unifier in families and communities, our primary institutions, but for politics and being equal beneficiaries of the nation’s resources race is used, subtly and overtly, as a wedge in pursuit of power, maintaining power, and justifying exclusion/discrimination.
Rights operate simultaneously (side by side). They are non-negotiable and uncompromising. You do not give up a right in order to enjoy another right. To overcome race as a divisive issue the society needs to accept, embrace and respect our diversity as outlined in universal rights and laws. An individual must be allowed to identify with his race with pride and confidence. No race must be allowed to antagonise another or consider its group superior and pursue any effort to this end. No one must be excluded from enjoying their rights because the group does not hold the levers of power. No one must be allowed to impose on you a member of your race as your representative. If persons choose to vote for someone of their race because they feel that individual can best represent their interests their right must be respected. Similarly too if they choose to vote differently.
What we need to be disrespecting and intolerant of, is any individual or group who is contemptuous of this right, uses this right to advance a superior and discriminatory agenda, shuts other races out from equitable access to our national resources, and denies them their rights.
The enshrined right to freedom of association must be respected simultaneously as the right to protection from being discriminated against on the grounds of race. The failure to respect these fundamental principles is where the conflict is manifested in our society and this is where the
problem has to be fixed and what the national conversations, policies and laws have to be centred around. Our politicians and civil institutions need to articulate, fight for and ensure laws, programmes and policies will a) respect the right to freedom of association, in conjunction with b) protection from being discriminated against for exercising this right.
The time has come too when we need to examine best practices of similar multiracial societies, like the United Kingdom and US, where racial pride and respect are publicly nurtured. In such environments the individual’s right to association is respected in electing their representative – based on race and in spite of race – to articulate and secure their well-being through the various branches of government. The result is that it forges a relationship that honours one’s right and that of others and creates possibilities for working together for the collective good.
Yours faithfully,
Lincoln Lewis
