What Ethnic Cleansing?

guyana chronicle editorial

WHEN the PPP/C assumed power in 1992, after 28 years in the Opposition, one of its first moves was to rid the top echelons of the Public Service of those it deemed to have been operatives of the previous Government. Very few, if any of those fired were identifiable members of the PNC or were candidates on the party’s list at the elections. And those identified as PNC members were, for the most part, suitably qualified in their fields. But that made little difference to the new Government. Many observers still recall the then Minister of Foreign Affairs undertaking an overseas trip that culminated with the firings of several Foreign Service workers. Other agencies of the Government were targeted for similar action. What was noticeable about the firings was the ethnicity of the vast majority of the victims – they were African- Guyanese. This prompted some PNC leaders to label the Government’s action as “Ethnic Cleansing,” a term that was being used to describe the ethnic conflict that was raging in the then Yugoslavia. The term was coined by academics to describe the physical removal of rival ethnic groups from communities where they had hitherto belonged. In the case of Guyana, no such thing was happening or was even suggested. Yet Opposition elements chose to use that extreme term to describe the firings. In the end it became obvious to even the PNC leadership that the term “ethnic cleansing” was being misused. It eventually disappeared from public discourse and the term “marginalisation” emerged to describe the African-Guyanese sense of discrimination. Fast forward to 2015. The APNU+AFC Government comes to power after 23 years of PPP/C rule. In its first few months it relieved some identifiable PPP members and election candidates from their jobs – most of which were political appointments. As was the case in 1992, most of the victims were of one ethnic group – Indian-Guyanese. In a carbon copy of the 1992 scenario, top PPP leaders charged the new Government with “ethnic cleansing.” So what are the lessons here? First, we do not learn from our mistakes. Perhaps, we don’t care to learn from them. For a political party to repeat the same mistake that it was a victim of displays an extreme form of political cynicism that will only continue to retard our national aspirations. If the PNC leaders could claim some misunderstanding of a term that was just being introduced, PPP leaders cannot make the same claim. Second, at a deeper level, this situation brings into focus the difficulty of ethnic politics. Objectivity, which is normally problematic, is even more problematic in ethnic societies. While in office the PPP protested against charges of ethnic discrimination. Yet, within a few weeks of leaving office it levels the very charges against the new Government. Our politicians can’t not know that it is customary for political appointees to resign or face removal when a new Government takes office. The PPP can’t not know that some of its top members are still in their public service positions. They can’t not know that among those removed from their political jobs are a few African-Guyanese. But in our ethnic environment, these realities don’t seem to matter. Some have suggested that even if there is no “ethnic cleansing,” the firing of the GPL boss and other Indian-Guyanese reflects discrimination against that group. That may be true. But it could also reflect a situation where the previous Government over-packed the top echelons of the Government agencies with Indian-Guyanese. The larger issue, therefore, is ethnic imbalance in the top echelons of Government. This is a persistent problem that has never been addressed by successive governments. In the final analysis, complaining of ethnic cleansing does not help the situation. It can only serve to intensify the inherent ethnic fear in our society, especially when there is a change of Government. The overwhelming majority of Indian-Guyanese have not lost or are in danger of losing their Government jobs. But when you hear your leaders speak of a well-orchestrated plan by the Government to fire those who are of your ethnic group, it is difficult not to be fearful. The PPP needs to stop its fear-mongering. As a long-standing party it needs to be more responsible. There must be a way for that party to discharge its Opposition mandate without resort to the worst in us. And the Government needs to speak directly to the Indian-Guyanese community on this issue. The burden of explaining the difference between ethnic cleansing and removing political appointees is theirs. Some may argue that in our ethnic conditions such an explanation would not make a difference. But, as the old saying goes, it is better to try and fail than not try at all.