The PNC has done everything legally possible, everything humanly possible to refute the allegations made against members of our party as to the involvement in [the murder]. We certainly don’t accept it and we have always held out that we are willing to have any inquiry and give evidence at any forum’ – PNCR Leader David Granger
In wake of a decision by the South African government to defer conferral of the Order of the Companion of O.R Tambo on late president Forbes Burnham, the PNCR yesterday said that objections being raised over his alleged involvement in the murder of political activist Walter Rodney are not sufficient to deny the award.
At a press conference held at the Office of the Leader of the Opposition yesterday, Ronald Austin said the party is awaiting the final decision of the South African government with regard to the award. “It is confident that the [South African] Government will stand by its initial sovereign decision to confer the Order of the Companions of O.R. Tambo on the founder leader of the PNCR,” he said, reading from a party statement.
On March 12, 2013 the Chancellor of Orders of the South African Government, R. Cassius Lubisi PhD, by way of a letter, informed Roxane Van West Charles, the daughter of the late president, that the Government of South Africa has decided to confer the O.R. Tambo award on him “for his integral part in sport boycott against south Africa during the apartheid regime and for support of the liberation movement and freedom fighters in South Africa.”
However, the South African High Commission in Ottawa subsequently inform-ed her that Pretoria “had decided to defer the posthumous awarding of the Order of Companions of O.R. Tambo indefinitely.”
The PNCR said that while there are reports in the media about the award being rescinded, it has not been informed neither is it aware that a decision has been taken by the South African government to do so. However, it added that speculation on the reasons or reasons for the deferment of the award has centred primarily on a petition which has been circulated in the media and an article written by Professor Horace Campbell “in which various allegations have been made against Burnham.”
Campbell, Professor of African American Studies and Political Science at Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York, writing on the website for Amandla magazine, has questioned the decision to award Burnham posthumously, citing Rodney’s death and attempts to discredit Rodney’s life and legacy, including by followers of Burnham.
“Having seen the petition and the article, the PNCR has concluded that these fulminations are not of sufficient weight to overturn a decision by the Government of South Africa,” the party statement said.
“The PNCR respects this sovereign decision of the South African Government. However it cannot think of any plausible or justifiable reason for so doing,” it added. “The party is convinced that Mr. Burnham richly deserves such an award. He threw the full weight of his party and Government behind the support of the liberation fighters in southern Africa politically and diplomatically.”
Speaking at the press conference, Opposition and PNCR leader David Granger said that there have been allegations of the PNC’s involvement in the death of Rodney for over three decades. “Persons have been making the allegation that Gregory Smith, a non-commissioned officer of the Guyana Defence Force was involved and that he should be extradited from Cayenne, Guyana to face charges. The man has died and he did write a book called ‘The Assassination Cry of a Failed Revolution,’ in which he makes certain allegations in it,” said Granger. “There is no allegation against Forbes Burnham in that book. [Smith] was meant to be the star witness and if that is the evidence that the people making the allegations want to go by, it is there for all to see,” said Granger.
He said that Burnham has brought in forensic experts into the country to investigate Rodney’s cadaver and that Hoyte as President convened an inquest. “The PNC has done everything legally possible… everything humanly possible to refute the allegations made against members of our party as to the involvement in that matter. If people took the trouble to read Gregory Smith they will see where the blame lies. We certainly don’t accept it and we have always held out that we are willing to have any inquiry and give evidence at any forum,” said Granger.
Granger said that the party intends to write the Government of South Africa on the issue, having had a coordinating committee meeting to discuss it.
According to the PNCR, Burnham helped to change the strategic equation in Southern Africa by allowing Cuban troops to transit this country to rout the forces of reaction during the Angolan civil war. “And in the case of South Africa itself, Guyana was a leading voice and participant in the sports boycott against the apartheid regime. As a matter of policy Mr. Burnham placed emphasis on the release of Nelson Mandela from prison, knowing that this would have a transformational effect on the struggle for freedom. And so it proved,” it said.
It added that it was pleased with the earlier decision to confer the award to Burnham even though it had come 28 years after his death.
