Latest update April 18th, 2024 12:59 AM
Apr 04, 2010 Letters
Dear Editor,
There is a case to be made in Guyana for increase and sustain levels of activism in a political environment where democratic practices and institutions are undermined by political hubris and hegemony.
Transparency in governance is non-existence; corruption is rampant and constitutional and human rights are violated with impunity. In fact, it is urgent that this case be made.
The raison d’etre for activism as in the form of protest and demonstrations is so that citizen’s interests and rights are adequately addressed.
There is no shortage of egregious issues that are raised in the media, yet there is little direct action and activism, not only to address these issues but to effect the urgent change that is needed to achieve full fledge democracy and attain equality and justice for all citizens.
By activism I mean social justice movements that protest in the streets when they are convinced government does not act in the best interest of the society.
Such activism has won many rights in societies around the world: From the right of women to vote to the civil rights for African Americans and other minority groups in the United States; the end of apartheid in South Africa; the velvet revolution for democracy in the former Czechoslovakia and the Orange revolution against corruption and electoral fraud in the Ukraine, etc.
Without demonstrations and direct actions these rights could not be achieved, and used to deepen and bring about democracy in those societies.
It was demonstrations and protest actions that were used effectively by the WPA, PCD, FITUG, and the PPP, and other interest groups to bring about the much-needed change in Guyana in 1992.
It is important and a test of good citizenry for citizens to peacefully confront the government they have legitimate disagreements with.
Political confrontation is a democratic norm, especially, when structural inequalities underlie significant injustices that cause social and economic harm to the society.
At the same time it is important to state that political confrontation in a multi-ethnic society be cognizance of differences, especially in a racially polarized society like Guyana.
For observers of political practices in Guyana, it is rather perplexing that activism and direct action are so lacking.
The almost withdrawal of this democratic tool by the political opposition and the trade union movement have created the space for the ruling regime with its authoritarian and illiberal tendencies to become more entrenched and hegemonic.
As a result inequalities and injustices go unchallenged.
Protest action is a verifiable means of organising and mobilizing the electorate. An example is the potency of the tea party movement currently underway in the United States.
While there is no public moratorium on protest action in Guyana, its withdrawal as a political weapon, in my estimation can be traced to the poorly supervised post election demonstrations organised by the PNC, which was quickly hijacked by inexperienced and irrational actors.
The PNC subsequently lost the PR battle as the demonstrations evidently degenerated into parcels of racial attacks. Notwithstanding, the relentless exaggerated propaganda by the PPP/C and its intellectual authors succeeded in creating a milieu of hesitation and almost cowardice in the opposition’s organising machine.
Further, the PNC, under the leadership of Robert Corbin has altogether shut down protest action or rather dampened its spirit. The trade union movement it seems has followed suit. The AFC has not demonstrated an interest in establishing an activist community.
This lack of sustain activism in the society has created widespread apathy and inertia, as Guyanese have no organ around which they can rally their interest and vend their frustration with the lack of good governance. The Government has used this period of inaction to conduct its campaign of marginalisation and disregard for fundamental constitutional rights.
The opposition and other interest groups have therefore been relegated to mere bystanders in parliament and with other aspects of non-participation in Governance.
There are amalgams of legitimate grievances around which Guyanese can be organised. This lack of activism that exists is akin to political malfeasance and gross negligence by the combined opposition and other interests groups in Guyana.
Dennis Wiggins
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