Trinidad and Tobago: Update to TTO23379.E of 9 April 1996 regarding ethnic or racial strife, tensions or attacks and the response of the authorities
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 18 September 2000 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | TTO35447.E |
| Reference | 2 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Trinidad and Tobago: Update to TTO23379.E of 9 April 1996 regarding ethnic or racial strife, tensions or attacks and the response of the authorities, 18 September 2000, TTO35447.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3df4beb110.html [accessed 22 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
According to a number of sources, ethnic and racial tension between residents of Indian and African heritage remains an issue in Trinidad and Tobago. According to IPS, a scheduling conflict between a Hindu Ramayana conference attended by the Prime Minister and the ceremonies for Emancipation Day and a proposal to rename a park in Port of Spain, "are testimony that there are simmering problems here" (6 Aug. 1998). Another August 1998 report also refers to these incidents and points also to distrust in the justice system as a symptom of racial tension (LARR 25 Aug. 1998).
An AP report indicates that the campaign in local elections "was marked by racially charged rhetoric," although leaders of both major parties claimed that Trinidad and Tobago had moved beyond voting based on race and ethnicity (13 July 1999). According to an August 1999 IPS report Hindu dissatisfaction with cultural policy was refuted by the leaders of both parties in messages marking the 37th year of independence for Trinidad and Tobago (31 Aug. 1999).
In April 2000, it was reported that talk of secession on Tobago was in part racially-based, in that Tobago's population was largely of African descent (AP 2 Apr. 2000). The coup in Fiji, in which an ethnic Indian Prime Minister was overthrown, raised concerns in Trinidad and Tobago according to India Abroad (16 June 2000).
A government bill that included a provision extending "blasphemous libel" laws to cover all religions, rather than only Christianity, was attacked as imposing excessive restrictions on free speech (IPS 16 June 2000).
In July 2000, the CANA news agency reported that Prime Minister Panday had accused the opposition People's National Movement party of plotting "strategies for inciting racial tension" in the next general election "'if all else fails'" (24 July 2000). According to an August 2000 report, racial tensions had increased since Panday's election in 1991, however, the report quotes an analyst as stating that the leaders of the two main parties did not want to see the upcoming elections become a "trigger-point" for conflict (AP 31 Aug. 2000).
No reports of racially or ethnically based attacks could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Associated Press (AP). 31 August 2000. Tony Fraser. "International News." (NEXIS)
_____. 2 April 2000. Tim McDonald. "Feud Between Trinidad and Tobago Raises Talk of Secession." (NEXIS)
_____. 13 July 1999. Tim McDonald. "Opposition Party Wins Local Elections in Trinidad." (NEXIS)
Caribbean News Agency (CANA). 24 July 2000. "Opposition Denies Strategy to Play Race Card." (BBC Summary 27 July 2000/NEXIS)
India Abroad. 16 June 2000. Devant Maharaj. "Indo-Trinidadians Concern Over the Events in Suva."
Inter Press Service (IPS). 16 June 2000. Wesley Gibbings. "Opposition Mounts Against 'Anti-Hatred' Bill." (NEXIS)
_____. 31 August 1999. Wesley Gibbings. "Cultural Appointment Fans Ethnic Conflict." (NEXIS)
_____. 6 August 1998. Wesley Gibbings. "Racial Tensions Resurfacing?" (NEXIS)
Latin American Regional Reports: Caribbean and Central America Report. (LARR) 25 August 1998. "Racial Tensions on the Increase Again: Blacks Asians and Whites at Centre of Controversies." (NEXIS)
Additional Sources Consulted
International Religious Freedom Report, 2000
IRB Databases.
United Nations Human Rights Committee. 22 Sept. 1995. Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination: Trinidad and Tobago.
World News Connection (WNC)
