On the cusp of ambitious plans for national development, so many of us seem hell bent on destroying our future and relegating our children to lives of hatred, violence and servitude.
India, Pakistan, Rwanda, Somalia — civil wars, genocide, partitioning–a few years before the beginning of these atrocities, citizens were galvanized into retreating back into their own tribes, or into creating new tribes.
It started with the politicians but when the unthinkable happened, it was neighbor against neighbor, in-law against in-law, customer against seller, friend against friend. First whispers, then boycotts, then violence, then national mayhem.
Guyanese in all tribes need thoughtful representatives who will speak on tolerance and justice. National ugliness never just erupts, it begins with little statements and actions from our tribes which we learn to ignore, then to tolerate–a slow boil, building up into a fury.
Do you really believe it can’t happen here? Talk to your elders, read your history and note that those politicians who most aggressively court division are the ones most financially able to escape the mayhem. The wealthy politicians will run and leave us to deal with the violence and mayhem.
There should be no compromise to the calls for justice but ignorance and racism among supporters will only breed an escalation. Guyanese in all tribes have to know that tolerance and sharing; especially when the pie is large enough for all to eat, is much more palatable an option than the bloody violence that racism, hatred and divisions can bring. The future we want for our children is entirely in our hands.
