Permit me to point out that the Kaieteur News refused to carry this letter of response to Frederick Collins.
As an educator of over 35 years, and one quite familiar with dyslexia in its various manifestations, I find it rather difficult not to diagnose Mr Collins letter in the KN as possessing the elements of a dyslexic writer, since it seems clear that Collins read into my response to a previous letter of his content and intent that were non-existent.
Either that or Collins chose to see what he wanted to see rather than what had actually been written. He discards empirical and first hand evidence as if to say the individuals spoken to were lying whereas he, Collins, who spoke to no one, knows the truth about the experiences of others.
In effect Collins is not only guilty of that which he accuses me, but he practices “transference” as a defensive mechanism. As a social scientist, while conceding that everyone has a “perspective”, contrary to what Collins penned, I have no “agenda” in my remarks about racial persecution during the PNC dictatorship.
I wrote factually – people suffered economic, political, religious, and cultural discrimination at the hands of the PNC. This is supported by numerous researches and publications.
For example Dr Ken Danns, who wrote his PhD thesis on “Power and Domination in Guyana”, wherein he described with copious details, the discrimination against Indians in the Disciplined Forces. Did he have an agenda?
Professor Prem Misir and other scholars also documented the racism experienced by Indians and other groups during the PNC dictatorship.
The eminent Bajan novelist George Lamming and the Nobel Laureate VS Naipaul exposed and condemned the racism and ethnic persecution practiced by Burnham’s regime. Did they have an agenda?
Then there is Eusi Kwayana who wrote that the politically directed violence by the “kick down the door bandits” against Indians amounted to “ethnic genocide”. Did he have an agenda?
Actually, it is Collins who exposes his agenda in dismissing the racism and human rights violations experienced by Indians and other ethnic groups during the dictatorship. Did he not for instance hear Rabbi Washington on the radio castigating Indians in the most racial terms?
There are certain facts of history that are taken as public knowledge; no one questions their truthfulness – examples being election rigging, banning of foods, racial and political discrimination, dictatorial rule, lack of press freedom, among others.
It is shocking, therefore, that Collins would ask for “evidence” to support a known, documented and accepted fact that non-supporters of the PNC were victimised. Collins is attempting “to perfumigate” the era of PNC misrule.
However, him seeking to deride my claims, engaging in a vitriolic attack, and being downright nasty do not alter the truth about life experiences during the ethnic dictatorship.
Persecution takes many forms and is not restricted to physical, cultural and religious abuses, and such abuses should not be derided and equated with the tactic of a victorious party replacing political appointees (ethnic patronage and clientelism).
But even then when Burnham sent an all African contingent (no Portuguese, Amerindians, Chinese, Indians) in 1969 to an international expo, was that just rewarding supporters? There was no racism?
Victims describe Burnhamism, the crux of racial persecution, as “hellish”, being denied access to their cultural foods and having other aspects of their culture marginalised.
Indians and other victims complain that discrimination against them extended to every field of life, from housing to sports, to security, to music, to food, to employment, to the right to religious freedom, etc.
Can Collins peruse the scholarship lists awarded during the Burnham dictatorship? Can he explain why Indians had to practically beg the PNC for a Government to Government scholarship from India then?
It is public knowledge that Indians and other non-supporters of PNC (Portuguese, Chinese, Amerindians and others) were persecuted. Many atrocities were committed. Burnham and his apologists like Collins tried to explain that his discrimination was “political” rather than “racial”.
But as American law has taught us, racial discrimination has nothing to do with “motive” and everything to do with effects. The insidious nature of PNC racism is well documented in countless sources. Every scholarly piece on ethnicity on Guyana has endorsed this view.
For Collins to not acknowledge that Indians and others were victims of racism suggests a racist ideology. Indians and others were victims of racial discrimination in virtually every facet of life during PNC rule; that fact was never disputed.
Has Collins looked at the data on Government spending by Burnham that essentially benefited his own supporters, whereas agriculture, for example, under the trust of feeding the nation was neglected in Indian communities?
In New York lectures, Dr Jagan and Eusi Kwayana addressed the issue of widespread racial and political discrimination and victimisation under the PNC; the PNC relentlessly persecuted those who spoke out against racism and or the dictatorship. The Internet has endless reports and commentaries on racial discrimination.
“Guyana Under Siege”, by Rakesh Rampertab is a good read on the subject. Professor Bertrand Ramcharran also wrote a few excellent pieces on racial discrimination. Proceedings from the Rodney Inquiry provided further proof of human rights abuses and racism.
Peeping Tom (January 13) exposed the racial discrimination experienced by Indians in the security forces.
There are numerous examples of racial persecution. Denying Indians and others the right to vote in Guyana was an act of racial persecution not dissimilar to the experience of blacks in minority ruled Rhodesia, apartheid South Africa and Jim Crow America.
If Indians did not experience racism, the group of Indians who hosted David Granger in Richmond Hill last July would not have asked him to apologise for the PNC’s persecution of Indians.
The banning of cultural foods and religious paraphernalia used by Hindus and Indian Muslims were acts of persecution. As an example, ghee plays a very important role in Indians’ religious practices (pooja, Koran Sharief) and rituals relating to the preparation of disposal of the dead. It could not be acquired.
Flour, raisins, split peas, channa, cardamom, black till and numerous other items that were banned are all important ingredients central to the lifestyle of Indians.
When dhal was banned, one Minister commented “only one community is objecting about banning of split peas”. What is wrong with Indians protesting about not being ableto eat their favourite dietary staple. Indians informed me they were told to go back to India to eat roti and dhal when they complained about the ban of both items.
Is that comment not inherently racist? Is that not ethnic persecution? The following excerpt from a speech of Burnham’s amply illustrates racist ideology of the comrade leader and his party. At a public meeting to PNC supporters, Burnham thundered:
“Comrades! Who mined the gold?” They responded: “We do comrade leader”. He asked: “Who has the gold?” They responded: “The Indians, comrade leader”. He implored: “Then take back your gold.” Is that not racist?
Who invented the kick down door banditry and who were the victims? Who controlled the KSIs? Who controlled trade prior to the nationalisation thrust? And what happened to the Portuguese and Chinese when privatisation was effected?
I ask Collins, who coined the term “Putagee Mafia”? Is that not a case of scapegoating the Portuguese group? Was there ever an apology from Hoyte when he called David DeCaires a member of the Potugee Mafia?
When the a Chinese man’s daughter was raped at national service, prompting him and his extended Chinese family to migrate, was that not an act of persecution or was it merely a result that Collins says comes from a change in Government?
Collins is wrong on persecution. He needs to face hard facts. Certain racist policies are indefensible no matter how much one loves his party. The media and civil society should introspect bias against Indians, Chinese, Portuguese, Amerindians and other ethnic groups under PNC rule or under any Government.
Collins and others should not criticize for criticise sake from the sundry of their comfortable chair with nothing substantive to say.
They should conduct a survey among Portuguese, Chinese, Amerindians, Indians and others about their experience during the PNC era and reveal the results. In the meanwhile, no amount of derision from Collins or other detractors will discourage me from seeking a solution to our racial conflict and building a race free society.
