The National Toshaos Council yesterday upped the pressure on the Granger administration over its decision to set up a commission to address both Amerindian land titling and the claims of freed Africans.
The indigenous leaders called for a separation of the two issues.
Speaking yesterday, at a press conference at the FLEGT Facilitator Support Office on New Market Street, NTC Chairman Joel Fredericks said that despite the CoI being launched two months ago, the Council, which represents some 80,000 persons and is made up of 212 leaders, was never consulted or asked for its input on the commission.
“It is our concern and it is our right to say how we feel about this CoI that was established without the consultation of the Indigenous Peoples’ representation, which is the NTC and other indigenous groups,” Fredericks said, while referencing the National Toshao Council’s conference where President David Granger mentioned in his ten-point plan that he was going to establish an Indigenous Lands Commission, which Fredericks fully supported.
Since before the CoI was launched, Fredericks said that the NTC expected to have been part of the commission since when it comes to land, especially those that belong to the indigenous people, there is no other group that can be of better assistance than the NTC.
“We are the Indigenous Peoples’ representations. The people elected us to represent them and here we are faced with the establishment of the CoI and we were not consulted. We believe in free, prior and inform[ed] consent…,” Fredericks pointed out.
Treasurer of the NTC, Nicholas Fredericks, also stressed, that in addition to no consultations being held for the CoI, several programmes which are instituted by the government in hinterland areas, often start without consultations with the NTC or other relevant indigenous bodies.
“We are calling on the government and relevant authorities and ministries to apply the free, prior and inform[ed] consent that they are so proud to use and make it into a practical activity that they can practice,” he said, while pointing out that the NTC found it to be “alarming” to know that there was development taking place in indigenous areas without the NTC having any input.
In addition to no consultations being held with the NTC being one of the main issues, the chairman also pointed out that the Council does not agree with the CoI dealing with both the indigenous and freed African slaves land issues together as one. “We do not support a commission like that, because for years, for centuries we know that the indigenous peoples’ land issues were being treated separately,” he said, while adding that under the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) initiative provisions were made on how to address Amerindian land titling issues, which they have supported from the start.
“The NTC does not have a problem or issue if a commission is established to address the African land issues. We respect people’s rights but this commission that wants to deal with two issues, we feel that is not the right approach,” Fredericks said.
Additionally, the treasurer also pointed out that the NTC or surrounding indigenous communities are not consulted when mining concessions are given out, even when some infringe on titled and customary lands.
The Commission appointed by President Granger in March is tasked with examining and making recommendations to resolve all the issues and uncertainties surrounding the individual, joint or communal ownership of land acquired by freed Africans; claims of Amerindian land titling; and other matters relative to land titling.
The commission is being chaired by Reverend George Chuck-a-Sang. In a brief address at the swearing in of the commission in March, Granger explained that the CoI is meant to settle all controversies originating from disagreement over ownership of land so as to satisfy all of the citizens of this country, “that we need not fight each other for land; that we will investigate their claims and we will respond to their just demands.”
Clear indication
Giving his support to the stand taken by the NTC, Vice-Chairman, Lennox Shuman, said that what is happening is a clear indication from the Government of Guyana, regardless of who is in charge, “whether the PPP, PNC, APNU, AFC, or cow head or any other political party”, of an unwillingness to engage the indigenous people, which directly equates to an unwillingness to engage 12-13% of the population.
While the NTC’s position might be interpreted as a political move in some quarters, Shuman rose to the floor to clear all doubts and explained that the NTC is not politically aligned and, “will never be politically aligned, not under this current council.” However, he said, the Council would not rebuff any party that aims to align themselves with the indigenous peoples’ goals.
“If this administration chooses not to align itself with indigenous peoples’ goals then I am sure they will feel the effect in 2020. And if the opposition chooses not to align themselves with the indigenous peoples’ goals then they will feel it eventually,” Shuman said.
Highlighting the difference between the Amerindian land titling and African land issues, Shuman pointed out that having something passed down from generations is drastically different from purchasing something and as such, should be treated separately.
He also pointed out the Council is aware of plans to let the Guyana Lands and Survey Commission (GLSC) deal with the Amerindian Land Titling issues, which he said was not right since the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs is mandated to deal with such issues.
“They are absolutely separate issues and we are asking the government at this point to reexamine this,” he added.
He also raised concerns over the ability for the GLSC to carry out their mandate (which he feels they do not carry out effectively and efficiently) and also juggle with the additional Amerindian Land Titling issues.
If the government continues without engaging the Council, Shuman related that they are going to start taking an “interesting approach.”
“We had an opportunity to chat with the IDB [Inter-American Development Bank] on their policies and if we cannot engage the government with fostering development then we will start engaging the other stakeholders. The IDB has a very robust Indigenous Peoples’ policy and we will engage them and state that Guyana is not fulfilling its obligations,” he pointed out.
“We are urging the government to stop playing football with our rights and lives. We are the ones living in the interior and know the hardships and to establish a CoI without our consultation is a slap in our face,” the secretary of the NTC said.
