Guyana: Status and effectiveness of the commissions on racial harmony (2003-May 2004)

News sources covering the period of May 2003 to April 2004 have reported on the inauguration (EFE 2 May 2003; BBC 3 May 2003) and continuing evolution of the government-mandated Ethnic Relations Committee (ERC) (Guyana 18 July 2003; Stabroek News 27 Aug. 2003; ibid. 26 Oct. 2003; ibid. 19 Dec. 2003; Guyana Chronicle 19 Dec. 2003).

Originally conceived after the 1997 general and regional elections were contested by the opposition People's National Congress/Reform (PNC/R) party (BBC 3 May 2003), the ERC was officially established through an amendment to the Constitution Act 2000; article 212D (Guyana Chronicle 25 Mar. 2004). Under Article 212D, the ERC is mandated to "'promote cooperation between all bodies concerned with the fostering of harmonious ethnic relations'" and "' ... establish mechanisms for arbitration, conciliation, mediation and like forms of dispute resolution in order to secure ethnic harmony and peace'" (ibid. 25 Mar. 2004).

In a 2 May 2003 ceremony, the 10-member ERC was sworn-in and government and opposition party leaders hailed this as an historic event (BBC 3 May 2003). In July 2003, the Guyana Government Information Agency (GINA) reported that the ERC was made up of commissioners and their substitutes representing seven different groups: the Guyana Trades Union Congress, the Christian community, the private sector, youths, women, Hindu community and the Muslim community (18 July 2003). Nevertheless, Country Reports 2003 noted that the inauguration of the ERC hampered the launch of the Human Rights Commission (25 Feb. 2004, Sec. 4).

In their first meeting in August 2003, ERC members elected Christian community representative Bishop Juan Edghill as the chairman of the commission, and private sector commissioner Norman McLean as the deputy chairman (Stabroek News 27 Aug. 2003). In October 2003, government and news sources presented conflicting stories about the relationship between the ERC and the first Regional Ethnic Relations Committee in Region 3 (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara) (Stabroek News 31 Oct. 2003; Guyana 18 Oct. 2003). On one hand, the GINA reported on the establishment of the Region 3 ERC that would work in cooperation with the national ERC (ibid.). On the other hand, in an interview with Stabroek News, Chairman Edghill distanced himself from the Region 3 ERC, stating that the Region 3 group had not been authorized by the national ERC and had no place within its organization (31 Oct. 2003).

By December 2003, the ERC had two cases before it (Guyana Chronicle 19 Dec. 2003; Stabroek News 19 Dec. 2003), and a number of issues related to budgetary allocations, human resources (ibid. 26 Oct. 2003), and the establishment of a permanent office still needed to be addressed (Guyana Chronicle 19 Dec. 2003). While Stabroek News reported that the ERC intended to establish a legal and investigative unit that would, among other things, monitor and examine complaints of racial discrimination (19 Dec. 2003), the Guyana Chronicle reported that the ERC had "already created" the aforementioned legal unit (19 Dec. 2003).

According to Stabroek News, the ERC initially planned, as of December 2003, to meet with various constituencies, including political parties, ethnic-based groups, and the media, in order to foster social unity (19 Dec. 2003). Moreover, Chairman Edghill stated that the ERC was aiming to have its office fully operational by February 2004 (Stabroek News 19 Dec. 2003).

In January 2004, the GINA submitted a complaint to the ERC regarding remarks made by Lincoln Lewis, General Secretary of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (Stabroek News 28 Jan. 2004). The GINA accused Lewis of stirring racial tensions by stating that the national government was committing "economic genocide" against its Afro-Guyanese citizens (ibid.).

Reporting on the progress of the ERC, Chairman Edghill stated that the commission had held sixteen statutory meetings and ten special meetings with the seven groups represented by the ERC (Stabroek News 14 Apr. 2004). In addition, the ERC was examining recruitment options for the positions of Chief Executive Officer/Secretary, Coordinator of Dispute Resolution, and heads of education and awareness, and legal and investigative units (ibid.). In an earlier report, Chairman Edghill noted that the ERC would start with 16 employees, and that once the commission was fully established it would count on 32 or 35 staff members (ibid. 19 Dec. 2003).

A case that has garnered some publicity and generated a hearing with the ERC is that concerning the publication of a book entitled The Cycle of Racial Oppression in Guyana written by Dr. Keane Gibson (BBC International 10 Mar. 2004). According to a BBC International news article, Gibson's book claims that the largely Indo-Guyanese government neglects the Afro-Guyanese community to the detriment of their economic well-being (10 Mar. 2004). On one hand, Stabroek News reported that the ERC had received eight written complaints against the book and that, as of April 2004, four groups were planning to put together presentations at the hearings (14 Apr. 2004). On the other hand, BBC International stated that the ERC had collected about 15 written complaints about the book (10 Mar. 2004).

As of 14 April 2004, the ERC maintained that it would continue its efforts to promote cooperation and peace among the ten administrative regions of the country, using such means as "peace educators" (Stabroek News 14 Apr. 2004).

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 for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

BBC. 3 May 2003. "Guyana: President, Opposition Head Hail 'Historic' Ethnic Relations Commission." (NEXIS)

BBC International Reports. 10 March 2004. "Guyana: Ethnic Relations Commission Postpones Hearings on Controversial Book." (Dialog)

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2003. 25 February 2004. "Guyana." United States. Department of State, Washington DC. [Accessed 3 May 2004]

EFE. 2 May 2003. "Guyana - Race Guyana Moves to Deal With Tense Racial Relations." (NEXIS)

Guyana. 18 October 2003. Government Information Agency (GINA). "Ethnic Relations Committee in Region 3 Established." [Accessed 3 May 2004]

____. 18 July 2003. Government Information Agency. "Ethnic Relations Commission Fully Comprised - Work Ongoing to Establish Tribunal." [Accessed 4 Jan. 2004]

Guyana Chronicle [Georgetown]. 25 March 2004. "Ethnic Relations C'n [Commission] Calls for 'Environment of Trust'." (Land of Six Peoples) [Accessed 4 Jan. 2004]

____. 19 December 2003. "Ethnic Relations C'n [Commission] To Be More Pro-Active in New Year." (Land of Six Peoples) [Accessed 4 Jan. 2004]

Stabroek News [Georgetown]. 14 April 2004. "Commission Getting Feel For Ethnic Relations." (Land of Six Peoples) [Accessed 3 May 2004]

____. 28 January 2004. "GINA Complains to Ethnic Relations Body About Lincoln Lewis' Remarks." (Land of Six Peoples) [Accessed 4 Jan. 2004]

____. 19 December 2003. Patrick Denny. "Ethnic Relations Body Unveils Work Programme Complaint Against Dr Gibson's Book On Agenda Next Month." (Land of Six Peoples) [Accessed 4 Jan. 2004]

____. 31 October 2003. "Region Three Body Has No Standing With Ethnic Relations Commission - Bishop Edghill." (Land of Six Peoples) [Accessed 3 May 2004]

____. 26 October 2003. "Ethnic Relations Commission Meetings Planned With Race-Based Groups." (Land of Six Peoples) [Accessed 4 Jan. 2004]

____. 27 August 2003. "Ethnic Relations Body Holds First Meeting." (Land of Six Peoples) [Accessed 4 Jan. 2004]

Additional Sources Consulted

Internet sites: Amnesty International, Freedom House, Human Rights Watch.