Have Moses and Khemraj betrayed supporters?

Dear Editor,

Guyanese who worked with and know Moses Nagamootoo, Khemraj Ramjattan, and Charandass Persaud are at a loss to understand why these illustrious sons “would betray their own” – their words. They noted that if anyone had told them a few years back that Moses or Khemraj or Charandass would “sell them out and go into bed with the PNC” for self-perks, they would have hurt that person. So why this turn against Moses, Khemraj, Charandass and other ‘AFCites’?

Everywhere I go in Guyana or NY, there is the oft-repeated comment, “Moses and Khemraj sell out their supporters”. But did Moses and Khemraj really betray the PPP or was it the other way around? If the PPP had not ill-treated them or if the PPP had allowed democratic decision-making within the party, or a democratic process to choose the 2011 Presidential candidate, would Moses have abandoned the PPP? The political behaviour of Moses, Khemraj, Charandass and Veerasammy Rammayah (popularly called Edgar) is to say the least disappointing.

People never thought that Moses, who many saw as a hero to be emulated for his struggle against Burnhamism, and his buddies Khemraj and Charandass would go into bed with the PNC given what PNC did (the extent of the brutality and humiliation) to them and to so many others during the ethnic dictatorship.

I know Moses and Khemraj well and worked with them in the struggle against the PNC dictatorship for the restoration of democracy. Few in Guyana have put in more time than Moses in fighting the racist PNC dictatorship. But these two former patriotic sons of the PPP were treated very badly by the post-Jagan PPP leadership and perhaps had/have justifiable reasons for turning their guns against some elements in the PPP. But they have no justifiable reasons for betraying or hurting PPP supporters and those who put faith in them to advocate for their interests in the coalition arrangement.

Their fans now look at these once heroes as worse than neemakharams; they are viewed the way Burnhamites were in the non-PNC supported communities. People cannot understand why Moses, Khemraj, Charandass, and Rammayah have not spoken out against the ethnic marginalisation, discrimination and cleansing being perpetrated against Amerindians, Chinese, Indians and other groups.

It is noted, for example, that in the governing coalition arrangement, both PNC or APNU and AFC would agree on policy-making and decision making-consensus between the two sides; APNU or PNC would not dominate the government and resources would be shared equitably around the nation to reflect the ethnic diversity of the nation.

All these agreements have been violated and the AFC leadership of Moses and Khemraj have not complained or sought redress.

The APNU had signed an agreement that if the AFC brought their 11% Indians to the PNC’s 40% (to produce 51% and formation of the government), then AFC would be rewarded with a minimum of 40% in every decision-making or policy implementation and appointments.

So far, Indians have not even had 5% resources directed towards their communities. In fact, Indians have gotten “negatives”. It is noted for example that their culture is marginalised, their communities are targeted for robberies similar to the era of kick-down-the-door banditry as institutionalised under the PNC dictatorship; Indian as well as Amerindian communities have lost jobs and disposable income; sugar workers did not get promised raises that lured them to vote for the AFC; the high prices committed to Amerindian and Indians for rice and ground provisions have not been honoured – worse, AFC and PNC leadership said government is not in business to subsidise farming or find markets for farmers.

The end result is farmers are in worse shape today than when they were under the PPP’s 23 years of governance – a complete betrayal of those who had put their faith on Moses and Khemraj to stand up for and defend the community’s interests.

In my recent exchanges with Afro-nationalists, hardly any of them express any respect for Moses or Khemraj or Charandass.

These AFC Indians are not trusted by proud PNC supporters who see them as traitors to their own people just like how Afros affiliated with the then ruling PPP regime were viewed as traitors by their own. The PNC supporters mock and laugh at Moses, Khemraj and Charandass for being silent to what passes as governance (racism) under the coalition regime.

Is there any hope for Moses, Khemraj and Charandass to regain the adulation people had for them? Will they consider changing course in the coalition and begin to advocate for equity on behalf of their constituents? Will they direct the PNC to pursue power sharing with the various parties including PPP? Will they give thought to demanding the 40% (of resources and appointments) promised to their supporters in exchange for the votes that propelled the PNC into the corridors of power?

Or will they continue to remain silent and allow the continuation of injustices being perpetrated on the population?

Or will they continue to trade their silence for the perks of office?

Yours faithfully,

Vishnu Bisram