ACDA calls on western nations to stop recolonisation, intervention in Guyana’s electoral process

Last Updated on Friday, 13 March 2020, 16:41 by Writer

The African Cultural and Development Association (ACDA) on Friday accused western diplomats of aligning with the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) against the interests of Afro-Guyanese.

“This peculiar recolonization effort is displayed in the relentless attempts of some Ambassadors to keep African Guyanese under the control of foreign sovereigns. This view is evidenced by the known fact that one of the vocal Ambassadors in Guyana is seen regularly and intimately in the company of known Opposition activists and another was found aiding the departure of Charandass, who moved to oust the APNU-AFC Government from power.

ACDA views their present positions as an extension of their disregard for the sovereignty of Guyana and as a cloak to hide their partisian disposition towards people of African descent,” ACDA said.

The PPP is mainly supported by Indo-Guyanese while Afro-Guyanese back the People’s National Congress Reform-led A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC).

ACDA’s call comes against the background of the European Union observer mission asking the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to examine the Statements of Poll for Region Four.

Earlier Friday, the United States, Britain, Canada and the European Union cautioned that Guyana risked being isolated if a President is sworn in based on results that are not credible.

ACDA called on the foreign emissaries and other electoral observers to act as impartial electoral observers – see and report.

The association said members of the diplomatic community and some foreign observers were preventing GECOM from completing its work, amounting to “an attempt at controlling the electoral process of an independent country, the subversion of Guyana’s judicial process and undermining its democracy.”

“We African Guyanese reject the dictates of our former colonial power the UK, and its kit(h) and kin the USA, Canada and the EU who seem to think that they have the right to meddle in our electoral process as they see fit, ignore the rule of law and cast aside when they feel like the judgements of our courts.

All these powers, who enslaved Africans, are guilty of the worst atrocities against mankind and have done nothing to compensate the victims for that injustice. If we accept this arbitrary intervention in our internal affairs, Guyana is, in effect, conceding that its sovereignty and independence are the preserve of others,” the association added.

ACDA said there was a grand conspiracy to direct the work of GECOM in violation of their observer status, the constitution and the ruling of the court that upheld the right of Regional Officer to decide on the method to be used in the tabulation of the Region Four results.

ACDA said while African-Guyanese are open to a satisfactory conclusion of the electoral process, “we are conscious of the lessons of history and will not be willing participants in our own demise. Neither do we ask the same of others.”