Dear Editor,
No one who has seen the graphic images of the refugee crisis in Europe can fail to be unaffected emotionally.
The sight of the body of that little boy on the beach; of the little ones on those long, cold treks with their parents; of that little girl who reminds her mother that it wasn’t her turn to eat ‒ surely those images must tug at the heartstrings of every decent human being. Inevitably we ask ourselves how life could be so unjust, unfair, and cruel to others. Where, we might ask, is God in all this? How can God allow this to happen?
Well, perhaps God is giving us yet another opportunity to further evolve, to raise our consciousness to another level, to show humanity to itself. This is a catastrophe that challenges that humanity within us, and gives us a chance to redefine ourselves as the caring people we are capable of being, and can be now. This is a challenge to prove ourselves here in Guyana as true Hindus, true Muslims or true Christians. This is a problem that confronts us as a caring people, a problem that we have the capacity to help solve.
I propose that we submit an offer to the United Nations and the European Union to resettle a number of refugees here in Guyana.
There will be many immediate arguments against helping these unfortunate people. Some might caution that we might be importing potential criminals into our midst. But look at the thousands of criminals we have exported over the years to the UK, USA and Canada. And how can we not empathize with the plight of those refugees when over the past sixty years Guyanese were first political refugees escaping from the turmoil in the country, and then economic refugees as living conditions here became unbearable and they saw a chance of bettering themselves elsewhere? How can we not recognise the fact that there are now more refugee and migrant Guyanese living outside of Guyana than within? What would have happened to all those people but for the kindness of those welcoming countries?
So the next argument might be: And who pays the bill for this? I suggest that this will cost us absolutely nothing. Just a few days ago the German government was offering US$2 billion to African countries to prevent their people from leaving Africa. I am absolutely sure that many of the developed countries, Germany especially, will help both financially and with all the required technical skills to establish new homes for those people here in Guyana.
So where would we place them? That is the easiest answer of all. Just think of it: 90% of our population live on just 5% of our landmass. Isn’t it a crime for us to sit on this God-given asset, doing nothing with it, while others are in such great need? Rupununi, for instance, is a vast area that the President himself recognises is begging for the opportunity to be developed, especially as a foil against Venezuela’s territorial claims.
Politicians, too, will have their objections. Their first instinct will be to consider to what extent a large influx of foreigners might affect the voting demographics in years to come. A few days ago our President spoke of his hopes for a World At Peace. This situation presents him with a singular opportunity to contribute to that peace, to rise above those narrow, self-serving political interests and move Guyana towards a new spirituality.
I therefore urge the President and leaders of all the churches and social and religious organisations to take this matter as soon as possible to the people. In the time it has taken me to write this letter, scores of innocent children would have died, and many more will die in the coming winter.
Concern for our fellow man cannot be limited to the borders of our lands. This is a time when we need to put into practice the notion that We Are One. By acting on these beliefs, we will gain the goodwill of the world. More importantly, however, we will be remaking ourselves as individuals who recognise that we are indeed out brothers’ keepers.
Almost every one of us says that Guyana is a blessed country. It is time to think of sharing those blessings now.
Yours faithfully,
Clairmont Lye
