By Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly News|
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — Prominent Indigenous rights advocate and former Governance and Rights Coordinator of the Amerindian Peoples Association (APA), Laura George, has strongly criticized the Government of Guyana for failing to uphold minimum international standards regarding Indigenous peoples’ land tenure and human rights.
George asserted that the recurring, decades-long land and mining conflict in the Carib community of Chinese Landing / Tassawini (Region One) serves as a glaring example of state indifference, despite Guyana’s constitutional protections and international commitments under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
“Held to Ransom on Titled Lands”
George’s remarks follow a tense standoff where Chinese Landing residents mounted a round-the-clock blockade at Tassawini to halt heavy mining equipment—including four excavators and a bulldozer linked to coastlander miner Wayne Vieira—that entered titled village boundaries without village council permission.
Speaking to HGP Nightly News, George questioned how external miners could act with such impunity on legally recognized communal property:
- Emboldened Incursions: She noted that while subterranean mineral rights are state-managed, Chinese Landing holds absolute legal ownership over its surface lands, which must not be breached without community consent.
- Lack of State Protection: George stated that outside mining operators appear shielded and supported, leaving the village population vulnerable and forced into physical confrontations to defend their customary borders.
“Well, we may not have mineral rights outlined, but the mere fact is that the community are the legal owners of the lands. How can a miner be so emboldened to just railroad and rampage the lands of the community of Chinese Landing?” George questioned. “It means that somewhere, the miner, Wayne Vieira, feels very protected, very supported, unlike the community who are being held to ransom on their own lands. It is wrong. It is a direct violation of Indigenous peoples’ rights.”
Indigenous Heritage Month vs. Decades-Long Land Struggles
With Guyana preparing to observe Indigenous Heritage Month in September, George highlighted the sharp contrast between ceremonial celebrations and the harsh realities faced by interior communities:
- Systemic Neglect: She argued that the state’s failure to resolve land claims extends beyond Chinese Landing to numerous Indigenous villages across the country facing mining and forestry incursions.
- Executive Authority to Revoke Licenses: George emphasized that the government has always held the statutory authority to recall, cancel, or reacquire disputed mining concessions to restore full territorial autonomy to the village.
“Our heritage is not recognized nor respected by the government, and it is not Chinese Landing alone,” George stated. “It lies at the foot of the Guyana Government. The government has the power to recall the license or revoke it, even if it was transferred. Chinese Landing has been in this battle for decades.”
Legal History and Toshao Rejection of Ministry Talks
The Chinese Landing dispute traces back over a decade. In 2010, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) issued a Cease Work Order (CWO) against Wayne Vieira for operating on titled village lands without council permission. However, the High Court, Court of Appeal, and ultimately the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) in 2017 ruled that the GGMC had issued the order improperly under the Mining Act rather than the Amerindian Act.
While the Ministry of Natural Resources has recently proposed mediation, George warned that the village must have independent, dedicated legal representation during any talks to prevent their rights from being compromised.
Meanwhile, Chinese Landing Toshao Nikita Miller confirmed that the Village Council has declined an invitation from the Ministry of Natural Resources to travel to Georgetown for discussions with the miner, explaining that leaders cannot abandon the 24-hour blockade:
“The village council is unable to leave the village in fear that the miners will take that opportunity to push their machinery further onto our titled land,” Toshao Miller affirmed. “We are unwilling to take that chance.”
