IT was very pleasing to listen to Guyana’s lawmakers speak with a united voice, reaffirming that the Essequibo territory belongs to Guyana and not Venezuela, and denouncing efforts to stray from the ongoing judicial process before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Lawmakers gathered at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre at Liliendaal, Georgetown, last Monday for an Extraordinary Sitting of the National Assembly. There, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Relations, Hugh Todd, moved a motion denouncing Venezuela’s planned December 3, 2023 referendum on Guyana’s Essequibo region and the border case before the ICJ. The motion also reaffirmed that the ICJ should be the place to settle the controversy once and for all, reaffirming that Essequibo is Guyana’s. It didn’t matter what party the 11 speakers represented. They all spoke as Guyanese keen on defending Guyana’s territory from foreign claims. It was great seeing the unity. I mean, the circumstances aren’t great. I wish it didn’t take a territorial claim to engender this sort of bipartisan unity and collaboration, but I guess this is one of those instances where we say, ‘a win is a win!’

I sat in the National Assembly and listened to 11 lawmakers share their views on the controversy, Venezuela’s aggressions, and what they believe could be done to improve public awareness and preparations as Guyana participates in the judicial process unfolding at the ICJ. History lessons on Venezuela’s claims and aggressions were abundant. The Parliament, and by extension the public, was told of how vulnerable Guyana’s Indigenous peoples, living near the border are in the face of increasing Venezuelan aggression. Updates on Guyana’s efforts to settle the controversy were provided. And there were calls for greater public education, international lobbying, and bolstering the Guyana Defence Force. It was an informative and, by and large, inspiring session.

Beyond what happened in the National Assembly, there were very important things happening just around the same time. Across at the Pegasus Hotel, the University of Guyana’s Turkeyen and Tain Talks returned from its pandemic-induced hiatus to bring a more academic level of discourse to growing efforts at increasing public awareness of the controversy. But importantly, that was the first organised space I saw Guyanese youth encouraged to share their views on the controversy and Venezuela’s aggressions. One student in particular, Malika Russell, voiced something many of us have been thinking; that is, we’ve grown up knowing that the Essequibo belongs to Guyana despite Venezuela’s decades-long claim of our territory. So now that the Venezuelan government seems to be intensifying its claims and aggressions, she noted, there is a cloud of concern, if not fear, that hangs overhead. I know this feeling all too well. I feel it myself. I think I’m fairly au fait with the diplomatic and judicial processes unfolding vis-à-vis Venezuela’s claim to Guyana’s territory and Guyana’s efforts to reaffirm that the 1899 Arbitral Award decided the boundary between the two states. Yet, I can’t help but feel concerned, worried even, that not everyone adheres to international law like Guyana.

There was also an important engagement between the Advisor on Borders and Guyana’s Co-agent in the border case against Venezuela, Mr. Carl Greenidge and local reporters at the sidelines of the Extraordinary sitting of the National Assembly. As reported by the News Room, Mr. Greenidge contextualised what was unfolding in Parliament and what should be unfolding at the ICJ on Tuesday. According to him, Venezuela’s worrisome referendum essentially, asks citizens to vote on the fate of Guyanese in Guyana’s Essequibo region and on matters that should rightly be settled at the World Court. So, Mr. Greenidge explained, Guyana is asking the ICJ to block that referendum, particularly those provisions that allude to a possible annexation of Guyana’s territory, and doing so through the possible use of force, in clear violation of international law. He said Venezuelans should not have the “mistaken view” that they can decide the fate of others outside their borders and that they can simply defy their country’s international obligations.

Beyond the context he provided, he also explained why it is necessary for people – be it lawmakers, academics, or others knowledgeable about the matter – to keep talking about what processes are unfolding. Mr. Greenidge said this controversy has been going on for decades and it is at a point where Guyana is seeking a final, binding, legal ruling reaffirming the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Award and that the Essequibo belongs to Guyana. Still, it is a lengthy process and involves many moving parts (such as Venezuela’s referendum). So he posited that people must be kept abreast of any developments so that they are not led astray by any propaganda and to engender continuous displays of patriotism. He also said public awareness is key so that Guyana’s allies are kept abreast of the situation.

Two days from now, the ICJ will hear from Guyana why Venezuela’s referendum is problematic. Beyond that, Guyana and the ICJ wait to see if Venezuela will participate more in the judicial process at the ICJ. And ultimately, Guyana hopes the ICJ will rule that the 1899 Arbitral Award is valid and that the Essequibo region is we own!

If you would like to connect with me to discuss this column or any of my previous work, feel free to email me at vish14ragobeer@gmail.com