Two toshaos yesterday pleaded with the Government to intervene in the Chinese Landing mining dispute that has seen threats against residents of the Indigenous community.
Concerned for the residents of Chinese Landing, Vivian Edwards, the Toshao of Waramuri in Region One, took the opportunity at yesterday’s discussion with the Ministry of Natural Resources at the National Toshaos Conference (NTC), to plead with the government to act against threats meted out to residents of Chinese Landing also in Region One who voiced concerns over mining operations being done on the community’s titled lands.
“I am asking the government to act on this [the threats] before it gets worse and out of hand,” Edwards said.
Similarly, a few minutes later, Orin Fernandes, the Toshao of Chinese Landing, made a similar appeal while updating Vickram Bharrat, the Minister of Natural Resources, that up to yesterday, new equipment was being towed into the community without the village council being consulted.
Over the past few weeks, miners have been threatening the lives of not only residents of Chinese Landing but the members of the village council as well.
Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Gail Teixeira said that while the government is working towards meeting the July 15 deadline to respond to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (UN CERD) recommendations on rights violations at Chinese Landing, they may have to seek an extension of the deadline.
The Carib indigenous community of Chinese Landing in Region One has complained about a number of violations under the Amerindian Act of 2006. They had submitted that these violations are being perpetuated by both the government and miners who were granted permission to operate on titled, customary and sacred lands within their communities.
Fernandes recently told Stabroek News that ever since the recommendations of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (UN CERD) on rights violations at Chinese Landing become public, there have been brazen acts of intimidation.
“The situation is getting more and more out of hand. We have a lot of things happening and the residents here are not feeling safe at all. We are hoping that the government can do something,” said Fernandes.
Bharrat told Toshaos that he will meet with the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and the Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, so a team can be sent to the Indigenous community to address the issue of threats against their lives.
“I want to state clearly that the government is against any act of violence or any acts of discrimination against the people of the village,” said Bharrat.
The Chinese Landing toshao and residents have complained for weeks over the threats and passage of heavy mining equipment but there had been no discernible action.
Bharrat also told Fernandes that a meeting will be set up during the course of this week with the relevant parties so that they can find solutions to the various issues surrounding mining in the community.
