–Hindu organisations, Region 3 Private Sector condemn utterances

THE Guyana Pandit’s Council, Guyana Central Arya Samaj and the Region Three Private Sector Inc. have joined the government and other stakeholders in denouncing the recent racist and divisive comments made by Working People’s Alliance (WPA) member, Tacuma Ogunseye.

The three bodies have issued statements condemning the use of hate, terrorism and racism to incite their supporters against a sitting government.

The Pandit’s Council and affiliates urged Guyanese to join in denouncing the statements made by the WPA member. The body, in a release, stated that as endeavours are made to unify the people as one nation, there should be no place for any public speech that threatens to fuel racial incitement, civil unrest and instability.

Adding to this, the Berbice Central Arya Samaj and the Guyana Central Arya Samaj, in a statement, also called on Guyanese to condemn the statements that can be interpreted as a call to violence in Guyana.

“The call to violence, and identifying one ethnic group to turn against another, at this time in Guyana’s history must be condemned. These persons belong to the past, let’s leave them there. History will not be kind to them,” the statement said.

They added that ancestors of all ethnicities were brought to Guyana and contributed to the building of the country. As such, the country belongs to all Guyanese equally.

Meanwhile, the Region Three Private Sector Inc (R3PSI) stated that the use of hate, terrorism and racism by politicians has several consequences for the political process.

The R3PSI added, “Political activist and academic Walter Anthony Rodney must be turning in his grave to see the levels the party he founded has gone to.”

It was stated that the comments made by Ogunseye to incite violence and encourage members of the Joint Services to engage in public disorder in rejection of a democratically elected government are not without consequence.

This, the body said, can only create a climate of polarisation and division and lead to violence and civil unrest that can further polarise the society.

“It is clear that President Irfaan Ali’s “One Guyana” vision is affecting certain sections of society striving for political power, and it is therefore important for politicians to refrain from using these tactics and instead focus on promoting democratic values and building a more inclusive and tolerant society since many of the persons propagating such a despotic narrative will not be around to see the consequences of their senility,” the statement said.

All three groups noted that all right-thinking members of society must condemn these actions.

Earlier, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, SC, in his capacity as Secretary of the Defence Board issued a statement also denouncing the, “racist incendiary call for public disorder and resistance, positioned as an alternative to the democratic process of Local Government Elections lawfully due.”

The AG said such a statement is capable of amounting to several criminal offences, including but not limited to, sedition, seditious libel, inciting riotous behaviour and exciting racial hostility in order to create a breakdown of law and order within the State of Guyana, if not treason.

He noted that such inflammatory publications cannot be justified under the rubric of freedom of expression as guaranteed by the Constitution, since Article 146 which guarantees such freedom, expressly excepts “…hate speeches or other expressions, in whatever form, capable of exciting hostility or ill will against any person or class of persons.”

President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali in a video message on Saturday, while denouncing the ‘racist, opportunistic dismantlers’ on the opposition side, called on all Guyanese to reject and condemn the WPA’s hate speech.