Dear Editor,
In another section of the press, Freddie Kissoon has bemoaned Guyanese Muslims (and Hindus) for not supporting a militant anti-People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) movement in Guyana aimed at toppling the legitimately elected government.
As Freddie rightly pointed out, the then leaders of the Christian establishment opposed the Dr Cheddi Jagan government during the 1950s and 1960s because of the socialist views he espoused. During the People’s National Congress (PNC) ethnic dictatorship, all the religious groups supported the anti-dictatorial movement because they were all persecuted.
Since 1992, Guyana has been a democracy and there are no violations of human rights. Thus, there is no need for religious groups to initiate or support anti-government protests like those of the 1980s when people were literally begging the Lord for relief from their sufferings from the dictatorship.
In Guyana, parties enjoy political support largely based on ethnic, not religious affiliation. There is no direct religious involvement in politics. However, this does not mean that certain people do not speak out when there are egregious violations of political decency.
Critiques are not made based on ethnic or religious affiliation but on righteous condemnation. There are no abuses of human rights under this government for one to condemn or ‘speak out’. So Freddie is wrong to castigate Indians for being ‘silent’ against the PPP/C. Whose rights have been violated?
They spoke out against the PNC dictatorship because their rights were violated – their franchise and right to food, cultural diet, etc were taken away from them. Today, Guyanese enjoy full freedom and to vote for any party. No one silences them as under the dictatorship.
Has it dawned on Freddie that the reason Indians are not engaged in protest actions against the democratically elected government is because this is the only government that has not violated human rights in Guyana since 1953 and is the only government that allows unparalleled democratic freedoms.
Freddie is not objective and fair in his commentary targeting Muslims. It is well known that sometimes, those who bemoan others for racism may themselves be ‘the racists’ – anti-Indian, for example.
Recall Freddie repeatedly said he is ashamed to be an Indian. These people fail to take the biased plank out of their own eyes before complaining about the mote in others. Freddie’s bias is manifested in his commentary picking on Muslims (and at times Hindus) without justification.
Freddie is married into a respected Muslim family. Is he not sensitive to this family about how he enjoys eating pork? Does he have no respect by writing about his odyssey ordering and or eating beef that is prohibited by Hindus, considering he comes from a Hindu background?
What people do in their personal life and what they consume should not be in the public domain. Freddie’s eating habits is none of our business. Let us show some respect for all religious people!
Yours truly,
Vishnu Bisram