GHRA criticizes govt’s Amerindian Heritage Month launch

(Kaieteur News) – The Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) has slammed the Government’s launch of Amerindian Heritage Month, accusing the administration of masking serious and unresolved Indigenous rights issues with ceremonial fanfare, while land disputes and the recent loss of Indigenous lives remain unaddressed.

In a statement issued Tuesday, the GHRA Executive Committee condemned President Irfaan Ali’s opening address, arguing that the event adhered to a “patronizing, well-trodden road of singing, dancing and feathered head-dresses.” The rights organization noted with concern that President Ali chose to identify himself during the proceedings as the leader of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) rather than as the head of state.

Central to the GHRA’s criticism was the total absence of official acknowledgment regarding the recent MV Barima tragedy. Organizers, broadcasters, and government officials systematically avoided referencing the significant loss of indigenous lives, a move the GHRA contrasted with the actions of the Whitewater Community. Whitewater distinguished itself by dedicating its local Heritage Month events specifically to honoring the victims of the maritime disaster rather than following the official state program.