PPPC must go to parliament and demonstrate national unity against Venezuela- IAC

Last Updated on Wednesday, 17 June 2015, 3:48 by GxMedia

In the face of intensified aggression by Venezuela to lay claim over the Essequibo Region, the Indian Arrival Committee (IAC) on Tuesday called on the main opposition People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) in the National Assembly and send a unified message to Guyana’s western neighbour.

“The IAC recognizes that at this critical juncture in the history of Guyana, the PPP must take up its 32 seats in the National Assembly and present a united front with the coalition government against the brazenly immoral claims of belligerent Venezuela,” said the IAC which is closely aligned to the PPP.

The IAC urged the PPP to pursue initiatives immediately in order to defend Guyana’s national interest as defined in terms of independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity against the threat of external interference by Venezuela.

They “urged the PPP to understand that the destabilization of the APNU+AFC Coalition government by external forces would automatically lead to the demise of the former itself.”

The IAC’s call came against the background of Venezuela unilaterally annexing all coastal waters off the Essequibo Coast as its maritime territory. The unilaterally re-drawn maritime boundary now takes in ExxonMobil’s offshore concession where that American company recently found a “significant” deposit of high quality crude oil. Guyana has since announced plans to ask the United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon to find a judicial resolution to the matter.

According to the IAC, the PPPC must desist from acts of resistance and instead recognise the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) government

The body is insisting that the 23-year rulers turned opposition, take up their seats in Parliament and and provide the necessary oversight.”…the PPP should not embark upon a policy of non-cooperation and civil disobedience following the recently held general and regional elections but should pursue one of critical support for the new administration.”

“The IAC believes that the PPP should give critical support to the APNU+AFC Coalition government for any progressive measure related to those activities, programs and policies that would achieve national cohesion under the “One Nation” rubric of national development but oppose any reactionary moves and criticize all shortcomings.”

The PPP has refused to occupy its 32 seats in the 65-seat House, claiming that the May 11, 2015 general and regional elections were fraudulent.

The international community and major Western missions, however, say that the PPPC has failed to produce any compelling evidence of electoral fraud. The PPPC plans to file an elections petition in the High Court now that the results have been published in the Official Gazette.