There were talks this week about Venezuelan troops near our borders. There are those asking if we are at risk for a Venezuelan invasion.
Some of the people are worried while some believe it is much ado about nothing. First it was said to be a rumour that there was military activity near our borders. An explanation was sought from the Venezuelan ambassador to Guyana, and it was reported that the exercise is part of a Venezuelan military exercise to tackle illegal mining. Do you believe that?
Rumours and facts are intermingled in these discourses about Venezuela’s claim to part of Guyana. I read several comments from people on social media. Some fear that Venezuela is planning an attack. Some fear that there is already an invasion with thousands of Venezuelans now living and working in Guyana. Some fear that spies are here gathering information. While there are those who believe that most of the Venezuelans are simply here seeking a better life after hardships in Venezuela.
When rumours and truth intermingle, it can be dangerous. Are we really threatened with invasion? Is this a country up for grabs not only by descendants of the old colonizers but also new ones?
Venezuela claims two-thirds of Guyana. The case is before the International Court of Justice. Guyana is seeking a final judicial settlement on the border controversy.
About a year ago I saw a map on twitter that was shared by a Venezuelan account. They said that it was a map of Guyana but all of Essequibo gone. They were arrogant in their responses as Guyanese in the comments sought to call them out on this error.
“Not a blade of grass!” we boldly shout, but are we prepared if some Venezuelans want to get Essequibo at all costs?
There is no doubt that we want peace when it comes to this matter. Guyana must not become a land like Palestine where its people were made prisoners and strangers in their own land and now are dying in a war. To say that there is no threat to Guyana from Venezuela would be foolish. Some politicians would have us believe that it is propaganda and that there is no threat.
There was tweet put out a couple days ago on the Venezuelan Minister of Defense Vladimir Padrino Lopez’s twitter page. It translated to “The sun of Venezuela is born in Essequibo. It is our land and in the conscience of Venezuelans rests the hope of seeing it definitely without claims, limitations or protests. Our greatest desire is to see it linked as a whole to the map of the country, as it has been since we began the war of our national independence.”
One must wonder if that was a malicious tweet to worry the Guyanese people or a warning? Are the people concerned worrying themselves for no reason?
Every day the Venezuelan presence increases in Guyana. We would imagine that most are simply people fleeing the hardships of their country to seek a better life. We would like it to be a case where Venezuelans and Guyanese can hold hands and sing kumbaya and live in peace and harmony, but the fact that they still want two-thirds of this country is troubling until the issue is permanently resolved, and we hope in favour of Guyana.
As I have always said I have no problem with migrants coming to our country as Guyanese have migrated to several parts of the world to seek a better life. However, in welcoming migrants we must not dim our lights or be lax. We must be cautious. We must document who is coming. Venezuela has a population of over 29 million, and I am quite sure we do not know how many are in this country. How are we not at risk?
But the fact is Guyana is not only under threat because of Venezuela’s claim to Essequibo. Others after the oil wealth have also revealed their faces with actions that can be interpreted as them wanting to recolonize us. There are instances of oil companies trying to bully Guyanese off their ancestral lands in the name of the gas-to-energy project for example. I saw videos this week sent by a private citizen about this. In the name of development some pray and believe that any eye-pass must be allowed against the ordinary citizens of Guyanese. It is like we the ordinary Guyanese are expected to take any sort of bullying or demands from these people who have placed their roots in our oil and what most of the Guyanese people are gaining is more stress, more poverty, and death because it is slowly becoming impossible to live comfortably in this country if one is poor. We the citizens are not safe. Sad to say we are not protected by our government. Sad to say that some of our politicians are complicit in our rights being under threat. Those who signed the oil contracts and those who refuse to renegotiate have all failed us. In the name of power, they have shown where their interests lie.
The reminders that the attitude of many descendants of the old colonizers have not changed are plenty. By their works we can often see that they do not respect us. While I understand that there are those Guyanese who are benefitting from the oil wealth, the majority are not. What have some of the actions of those whose hands are glistening with oil taught us? It was only a few weeks ago that there was a controversy about a bill of US214 million being reduced to US3 million in favour of ExxonMobil. The rumours spread about government’s involvement in these atrocities of putting the wants and needs of others before those of the Guyanese people.
When rumours are intermingled with facts the people will make assumptions and the stability of the country is at risk. I often wonder if those who are selling our country have any intention of living in Guyana after the oil wells would have been depleted. I often wonder if they think the plight of poverty that will deepen in this country will not affect them. Will the hungry, frustrated and betrayed not knock on their doors guarded though they may be? Will their anger and hopelessness not blind them? Perhaps then Guyana will no longer be the Guyana we now know as the number of not only Venezuelan immigrants, but others increase.
