What is happening in Gaza is barbaric. It has been reported that since October of last year more than thirty-one thousand people have been killed and there have been over seventy-two thousand injuries. What we are witnessing is genocide. Genocide is ongoing in the world but the news about same is quiet. Some do not even recognise that they are a number among the lambs to the slaughter. The depths to some of the nefarious activities that threaten and take human life are unknown, but what it continues to reveal is the beastly nature of some who walk among us and call themselves humans. The cries of those who are suffering are unheard by many. For some, if they are not directly affected, they do not care and for others it is a coping mechanism to detach to protect their mental health.
Women and children have been most of the victims in Gaza. To watch the bodies of especially children, grey, cold, and lifeless is traumatising. Women have been ripped away from their children; many dreams unfulfilled, and a people threatened with annihilation. There should be no forgiveness for those who participate in the murders of innocent people. To think that there are those who believe that what is happening in Gaza is justified in the name of religion or God, is insanity. We see the faults of some who walk on this earth, and we know that their actions are unjustified and without divine instruction. Still, it is allowed to continue. There have been too many examples throughout history of mankind’s cruelty – colonialism, slavery, holocaust, in the name of gods, in the name of the advancement of certain groups, a world that has been crippled by racism and hate; it is hard to imagine that this world will ever stand united in the name of love.
On Sunday March 10th a group of Guyanese stood at the Square of the Revolution in solidarity with the Palestinians. Former president Donald Ramotar who was a part of the protest called for the murders in Gaza to stop. One placard read “The conscience of history has never been on the side of the oppressor, permanent cease fire now.”
It is encouraging to see Guyanese stand for a cause and there should be no condemnation for anyone who stands for the Palestinians. However, there should also be ongoing protests for the suffering of our people and sadly we do not see that happening. It is not bombs that are dropping here and bodies being dug out of rubble, but the essence of who we are is at risk; we are like a people on the auction block. Many are suffering, hurt and angry about not being valued or benefitting from the resources of the country that belongs to them.
As much as we can stand for the pain and suffering of others, we must also stand for ourselves. It is the brave who must lead the revolutions to save our people. We have seen based on the silence and inaction, that there are too many passive Guyanese. Too many are afraid to speak and stand. However, all the voices cannot be silenced if we stand together. The issues that keep us divided seem to be much more powerful than our collective will. The voices of those who threaten us we have allowed to seem stronger than our collective voices.
Every Guyanese should know who our oppressors are. We should be asking, what is our greatest threat? Is it outsiders like those dipping in our oil and enriching their generations? Is it our neighbours like the Venezuelans threatening to take Essequibo? Is it the politicians or is it we the people who refuse to stand?
If we can stand for the Palestinians, we can also stand for ourselves. Watching the bodies of the people in Gaza is disturbing and heartbreaking, but in our land, we have also watched the cold bodies of our people. We know what happened in the early 2000s when murders were rampant, and fear was rife. The many unsolved murders we know of. We are still wondering about the murders of men like Ronald Waddell and Courtney Crum-Ewing. In 2020 we witnessed two of the most brutal murders this country has ever seen. The spirits of Joel and Isaiah Henry I am sure are still restless for no one has been convicted for their murders.
Do we not love ourselves? The fact that we often hear the utterance that Guyanese are foreign minded reveals how many of us see ourselves. We see how certain groups of people are disrespected in this country. Teachers for example, protested for a month for better salaries. I admire them for their courage but if we stood in our collective power, thousands more would have been on the streets supporting the teachers. All public servants who are also facing hardships would have joined to be heard and seen.
This week the talks collapsed between the Guyana Teachers’ Union and the government because the government refused to consider the proposed multi-year agreement. Sad to say many of us expected this. What we continue to witness is a government which is selective in who they choose to respect. What we the people have done is embolden them to think that they can treat us however they please. They think that they can offer a large section of the population crumbs and get away with it. But, why not? Have they not gotten away with it? They move like demigods and sadly that is how some look at them. The people’s power can end all that.
We can stand for the Palestinians, but we must also stand against the threats against us. Last Sunday there was the commemoration of the 27th death anniversary of Dr. Cheddi Jagan at Babu Jaan Corentyne Berbice. Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo during his address said “If we’re not careful, they will succeed in dividing our people again, by picking them off one by one. By appealing to their emotions. There’s another battle being waged. They believe again, they can go back to the 2015 era and say to people that the PPP is corrupt once again.”
He also said, “You got all kinds, some who are trying to challenge us, but they better be cautious. They got to come right. It’s a free country politically, but they may have interpreted our being quiet as a sign of weakness. It’s not so. When the right time comes we deal with them.”
It is telling when the commemoration of the death of a leader such as Dr. Cheddi Jagan becomes a political rally. Left unchallenged careless and threatening words are often uttered by those who some see as their leaders. Who has ears to hear, will hear, and those with eyes to see, will see. It is time for us to stand.
