Dear Editor,
I find it prejudicial and judgemental to attach a label to those persons who speak up when they feel that a particular ethnic or social group is being treated unfairly. If Eric Phillips of ACDA or Tacuma Ogunseye feel that African Guyanese are being discriminated against by any government, organisation, etc, then they have the right to speak up against same. I will not label them in any way to suggest that they are fighting for these affected people because of their ethnicity or otherwise. Justice for all people should be demanded at all times.
In the same breath I also feel that it is unfair to label people like Vishnu Bisram, Ryhaan Shah, Devanand Bhagwan, Ravi Dev and others, who speak up against injustices perpetrated against Indians, as ‘Indian Supremacists.’ This smacks of a prejudiced view and implies that these persons have a narrow agenda. Don’t they have a right to voice their concern like Ogunseye, Phillips, Kissoon and others who are rightly concerned about African rights? As we end another year and start a new one it will be refreshing to see a change in the tolerance level of social and human rights activists, politicians and columnists from all media houses for those from all ethnic groups who speak out against injustices suffered by their people, and by persons from other ethnic groups. Sauce for the gander is sauce for the goose!
Yours faithfully,
Mahindra Persaud
Bahamas
