Dear Editor,
On November 24th, 2023, I read the Stabroek News. I saw an interesting piece: The Venezuelan border issue and Guyana’s President’s visit nearby to a border point. I am however simply amazed that our soldiers are being assured that there is absolutely nothing to fear and that “We are doing everything by international guidelines, and we believe that Venezuela will not act recklessly”. It is obvious to me that anyone making those statements has neither met Maduro nor had a discussion with him about his Party’s plans for Venezuela’s future. The interesting piece also briefly canvassed the upcoming December 3, 2023 referendum.
The referendum is a Venezuelan legal instrument and will be used by its Parliament to effect laws that it considers a necessity. This is exactly what Venezuelans are being asked: whether they reject the 1899 Arbitral Award, whether they agree with the Geneva Agreement, whether they recognize the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice, and whether they want the installation of a ‘Guayana Esequiba’ State. If they say yes, it becomes binding on the government of the day to bring effect to the desire of the people. After all, democracy demands it.
Brokering a 2023 treaty is the best course to ensure peace, at least in the interim, between Venezuela and Guyana. I am referring to what an ordinary Guyanese person defines peace as. Neighbourly relations whenever they go sour can always be resolved. We ought to take steps to avoid a war between our two countries, at all costs. The keywords here are “at all costs”. I repeat enter into a treaty.
As a lawyer, I am well aware that when one heads to court it is, oftentimes, beneficial to first concentrate one’s efforts on resolving most of the main issues at a Pre-Conference Hearing and have some sort of agreement on major issue(s) and all the main facts. Venezuela has already embarked on such a course and their referendum will be their guiding torch because their people would have spoken. Dialogue has proven in world affairs to solve matters not entering into a war, particularly if war could have been avoided. A choice we should consider is to ask the Americans to broker an urgent meeting with the two neighbouring presidents, with the view to entering into a treaty after it, which both leaders are entitled to do via prerogative action.
Sincerely,
M. Shabeer Zafar
Barrister and Solicitor (Ret’d)
Guyanese attorney-at-law (Former)
Ontario, Canada
