Like John Lewis, combating racism, electoral fraud in Guyana

Dear Editor,
The Black American Congressman John Lewis has deservedly been given a hero’s funeral for his role in combating racism and electoral fraud against Black Americans. His role was extraordinary and courageous.
In Guyana, and even in the diaspora, we have had similar figures, heroes all, who partook in struggles like Lewis did — against racism and electoral fraud.

The Guyanese rights activists and revolutionaries probably never heard of Lewis and other Black heroes, but they (unknowingly) emulated the struggles of Lewis, Rosa Parks, MLK, Andrew Young, Jesse Jackson, Maynard Jackson, and others who stood against racism and fraudulent elections that denied Black Americans an accurate reflection of their votes, thereby marginalising their political representation.

Guyanese activists really fought for our freedom in the same way Black Americans did for theirs. They are indeed heroes, and should be saluted in the way Blacks honour their heroes in America.
The perpetrators who occupied and/or continue to hold office through fraud are no different from the White racists and election riggers of America during the period of Jim Crow rule. Those in Guyana who replaced the departed White man, including a racist who advised Granger to tear up the Constitution and rule with military support, ought to be ashamed of themselves for practising racism and disenfranchising voters.

Guyanese heroes will continue to stand up to these racists, electoral bandits, and oppressors.
In Guyana, after years of struggle by heroic figures like Dr. Jagan, Dr. JB Singh, Sydney King, Ashton Chase, among others, the White British granted the right to vote in 1953, and free and fair elections. But the White estate owners didn’t like the self-government (headed by Jagan) the people chose, and toppled it four months later. After four years of struggle, the British restored self-government. Dr. Jagan’s PPP won again. And he won re-election in 1961.

But the British engineered Jagan out of office. He was replaced by an opportunistic Forbes Burnham in December 1964. Burnham ran a racist government, ousting non-supporters from the civil service and security forces. And then he took the extreme step, from 1968 onwards, to disenfranchise voters (particularly Indians, Amerindians, Portuguese, Chinese, and Mixed) similar to what was experienced by Black Americans.

The Black American leaders fought back against White racists, and Guyanese fought against Burnham’s racism and electoral thievery, becoming victorious in October 1992. But racist practices were restored in 2015 with a change of Government, and continues till this day. And electoral banditry was shamelessly perpetrated in public glare in March 2020.

Guyanese are battling that fraud, and, this time, the entire globe is also arrayed against it.
I salute all the heroes who championed civic and electoral rights and fought against racism in America, Guyana and elsewhere. I urge David Hinds, Tacuma Ogunseye, Lincoln Lewis, and other Black nationalists to rethink their position on defending (supporting) electoral fraud and racism in Guyana. Their actions reverse the hero status they earned in combating electoral fraud and racism during the Burnham era.

On the election (fraud) matter before the Court of Appeal, all the issues raised in the appeal are res adjudicata, meaning they were previously litigated by the CoA and the apex court, CCJ. The CCJ found no merit in them; they cannot be heard again. They ought to be dismissed, and I would be surprised if they are not unanimously thrown out. But I would not be surprised if a judge points to some issue to validate – making it a split decision on some issue and 3-0 on others.

Right after the ruling, GECOM should move expeditiously to declare the result. GECOM must not allow itself to be handicapped by the courts. That ploy was employed by racists against Blacks in America to disenfranchise them and steal their victories. GECOM ought not to be a party to that scam in Guyana. GECOM should not allow frivolous judicial appeals and filings to delay the declaration in perpetuity. The CCJ ruled in finality – only the recount results must be used to make a declaration. That cannot change. GECOM has the recount numbers. The Chair must gather courage to end fraud and stop racism by declaring the results. Lowenfield ought to go, and someone should be appointed to perform his task. The aggrieved can move an election petition.

Yours truly,
Vishnu Bisram