Editorialising on “Mining and Amerindians” last Friday, after my article, “Chinese Landing” on Sunday, Stabroek News largely adopted the point of view of the Amerindians of Chinese Landing as its own. In doing so SN tendentiously describes some of what I said as ‘baffling’ and ‘bizarre.’ SN suggested that since Chinese Landing got “no support from the local court system,” they had to resort to IACHR. This is not what happened.
Chinese Landing did not seek any support from the court system. The court cases were filed by GGMC. The first was intended for Mr. Wayne Vieira to cease mining, there being no agreement between him and the Chinese Landing Village Council. The second was not to renew his mining permits because he did not have such an agreement. Mr. Vieira’s defence, in part, was that Chinese Landing had refused to enter an agreement with him and had been engaging in illegal mining. Chinese Landing resorted to the IACHR when their illegal mining served as invitation to 400+ “outside” illegal miners in a village of 300+ and the GGMC and Government could not or would not stop the “outside” illegal mining.