Dozens of Chenapau villagers on Saturday protested their removal by the GGMC from near the Kaieteur National Park (KNP) where they said they had been granted permission to mine.
The incident occurred when several police ranks, accompanied by the chief warden of the parks and officers of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) visited the Potaro-Siparuni community and informed the residents that they were mining within a protected area and as such, must leave the site or face legal consequences.
According to villagers, they were told that the armed ranks of close to a dozen men were acting on behalf of the GGMC and the Ministry of Natural Resources. However, the villagers countered that they were mining in the buffer zone which is also earmarked as land to be used for mining in accordance with the Amerindian Act.
As such, the stoppage has angered the community and in response, the villagers armed themselves with placards and called for a halt to the stoppage and threat of legal action as their livelihood was being affected.
Stabroek News spoke to the Toshao of Chenapau, Standford John, who said that he had called a meeting with the visiting GGMC party and asked them about their presence on the land without permission.
John disclosed that whilst the meeting was in progress, the group walked out, an act which the villagers found to be quite disrespectful. Soon after, the villagers were moved off of the land and their equipment removed.
The toshao contended that the villagers were not breaking any laws and should have been allowed to continue their mining activities since they were doing so with the permission of the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs and an entitlement based on the Amerindian Act. He reminded that just a few months ago, the mining boundaries were clarified with the authorities.
“We started to mine thereafter we consulted them and officers even go there normally, GGMC officers go there to do their jobs; you know renew licences and register new engines and so. So, we started working there. So, we had to hold a meeting to get everything straight with them because we don’t need any problem but eventually, that is what we ended up to,” the village chief said.
John accused the authorities of “messing with their livelihoods.”
“We do this for our livelihood. Mining is our livelihood. Years and years, we have been doing this.”
The toshao noted that this was not the first time that the authorities have come to halt mining activities. He referred to 2017 when over two dozen miners were arrested for illegal mining and were later released without any charges.
Now, he said, it is getting overbearing knowing that they are interfering with something they depend on to survive. He gave his blessing to the protest arguing that the villagers are only standing up for their rights.
Villagers with placards protesting their forced removal from the mining area
Protesting the presence of the armed policemen
The villagers protesting the stopping of their mining activities
(Images stored in pictures as Chenapau protest)
