GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC -The Guyana government is to send a broad-based delegation to the Chinese landing after the Washington-based Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) granted precautionary measures in favor of members of the indigenous Carib Community.
The IACHR said the community of Chinese Landing Is currently at severe and urgent risk of suffering irreparable harm to their human rights.
The petition indicates that they face threats, harassment, and acts of violence in the context of their opposition to mining activities in their lands.
The IACHR said the representatives alleged repetitive incidents of threats and harassment, which would occur “daily” or “regularly”; informed on acts against persons in particular vulnerability such as aggression to a young man, attempted rape of a minor, and threat with a knife against an older person; as well as the extensive use of firearms, with firing incidents.
But Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo told reporters, “We intend to respect the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights ruling, so we will send another team again to visit the area.
“That will be a multifaceted team dealing with the environment, social issues, mining rights, everything to meet with the community and then prepare our report, which we will submit to the IACHR,” Jagdeo said.
He told reporters that the issue was complex because ultimately, the Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), the country’s highest court, had ruled in favor of the gold miners carrying on their operations, despite earlier enforcement of a ‘cease work order’ by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) because that miners had breached the Amerindian Act and should have given the village at least 10 percent royalty.
Jagdeo said that the mining permit was issued before land titles had been given.
“The Caribbean Court of Justice lifted the cease order, so we had stopped mining in this village effectively, saying that you have to comply with the Amerindian Act,” he said, adding that he hoped the planned “one meeting” would be able to resolve the issue including threats. “We will ensure that the team has representatives from every sector that will go and have a full-fledged discussion with the villagers and meet the people there,” he said.
Regarding the threats, Jagdeo said the government would examine the report to “get to the source of the threat” and separate the real concerns from fiction.
He said last year. The Toshao informed him that there was a lot of illegal mining in the area, and miners were being forewarned about GGMC’s impending arrival, so equipment and stocks were moved before.
Jagdeo said the GGMC had informed him that the matter was “complicated” as several villagers support the mining company while others do not. He said since then, the government has permitted the Toshaos to mine, but there are illegal miners in the area.
The Vice President said there had been instances in which Amerindians had allowed and even gotten involved in gold mining.
The IACHR said that Guyana informed on actions to mitigate alleged risks and investigate the reported situation.
It said that between May 18 and 22 last year, a patrol was deployed to conduct security threat assessments and disrupt illegal activities. Between June 26-28, authorities held several meetings with the various Village Councils and residents, including Chinese Landing, and the police in Santa Cruz were given directives to conduct routine patrols within Chinese Landing.
In addition, on March 26th this year, the Regional Commander, the regional crime inspector, and other members of the provincial police force conducted follow-up investigations at Chinese Landing to address the threat allegations.
The IACHR said that it took note of the actions informed by Guyana to investigate the beneficiaries’ risk situation.
“Nevertheless, while the IACHR valued these actions, it noted that they have not resulted in identifying suspects, the start of criminal trials, and holding perpetrators responsible. The Commission observed that the State dismissed several claims brought by the beneficiaries on risk events as misleading or lacking evidence without indicating that investigations have occurred.
Jagdeo said the community was the government’s “primary” concern, so those involved in illegal acts should be punished.
“We believe any transgressions of a social, environmental, mining nature should be penalized heavily. We share that view, but it is very complicated,” he added.
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