Amid a standoff between Chinese Landing and the government over the encroachment of miners on its lands, the head of the indigenous village is seeking an opening on the agenda of Monday’s National Toshaos Conference to air the matter.
In correspondence dated August 24 and seen by Stabroek News, Chinese Landing Toshao, Orin Fernandes has written to all members of the council making the request.
“I write in my capacity as Leader of the community of Chinese Landing and with a mandate from my Village Council to request a space on the agenda of the upcoming National Toshaos Council Conference to speak to the threats to our rights we are tackling as a result of unwanted mining. We believe that the NTC Conference which is scheduled for August 28 – September 1, 2023 presents the ripe opportunity to inform all indigenous leaders of the situation faced by our community as a result of the invasion of and intimidation by miners working for Mr. Wayne Vieira on his concessions.
“Therefore, we are requesting that Chinese Landing be allocated a slot during the opening of the NTC Conference on Monday, August 28, 2023, to speak to our issues as well as present written information documenting these issues to the Executive of the National Toshaos Council”, Fernandes stated.
He stressed the urgency of the matter.
“This is an urgent request since the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), on July 21, 2023, called for precautionary measures to be implemented to protect our community. Additionally, because the NTC Conference is a large gathering of indigenous leaders in Guyana, we are of the view that, we should be given the opportunity to appraise our fellow indigenous peoples of our battles with the hope that the National Toshaos Council join our call for the revocation of Mr. Wayne Vieira’s mining permits”, he stated.
Chinese Landing first received its title in 1976 under the Amerindian Act of 1951 (amended in 1976). The title was reissued in 1991 under the State Lands Act and in 2018 the village received a certificate of title under the Land Registry Act. He pointed out that the areas in question are part of the community’s traditional lands.
“Despite our having title to and rights over our lands, we are unable to fully utilize the lands and our residents are threatened and intimidated by outside miners. The situation, though tame at the moment owing to the temporary suspension of mining on our lands, has the potential to escalate once mining resumes.
“It is with that fear in mind that we are requesting space to share our concerns and issue a call for our proposals to be adopted. The people of Chinese Landing remain resolute in our call for outside miners to be removed and the mining permits issued to Mr. Wayne Vieira to be revoked”, he wrote.
He expressed the hoped that the NTC Executive will agree that the situation is dire enough to warrant a space on the conference’s agenda.
