Just to make sure you don’t miss it, this Friday’s gonna be “International Day of Indigenous Peoples”. (IDIP). Now, don’t confuse this with “Amerindian Heritage Month” – that’s a local commemoration that we observe. On the other hand, the UN has declared that the world commemorates IDIP every year on Aug 9. And if nothing else, it should make you think a little outside of the box – here, our little Guyana box – about Indigenous Peoples the world over. And that’s the point, isn’t it?? You have to THINK about Indigenous Peoples – even though they were the first peoples EVERYWHERE – because they aren’t dominant enough ANYWHERE to have them on your mind unprompted.
Sadly, in the consciousness of most folks here, they’re like the forest, in which most of them live – just there. But think about it: the world was theirs until the rest of us moved in!! So, today, you have 500 million of them pushed to the periphery of whichever society you think about – and 7.5 billion “others” dominating them. But hold it!! Didn’t the rest of US come from somewhere?? Weren’t we “indigenous” there??
Ultimately, all of us came out of Africa, right?? So, we’re all indigenous to Africa! But that’s not how the powers-that-be classify us, do they?? From where your Eyewitness sits, it seems like “Indigenous” refers to those who remained in the forests or whatever parts of the world that no one else wants to live!! So, by definition, being “indigenous” simply means “underdeveloped” by all that “development” means today.
And that’s something else, ain’t it?? Did you realise that, even in Europe, there’s an “Indigenous” group?? That’s right – the Laplanders or Sami people, who’ve been pushed to the very top of Northern Europe. There are less than 80,000 of them left, but, believe it or not, they have the same gripes that the Aboriginals of Australia have against those descendants of British convicts who took over THAT continent.
Over in India, Indigenous Peoples were elated when one of their 100 million was elected President. But they’re still the poorest of the poor, and are scorned as, say, the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas, or Africa, or anywhere else are!! In Africa, we’ve heard about the Pygmies, haven’t we?? Or, in Canada, the Innuits? Or the Incas of Peru or the Aztecs of Mexico.
Shouldn’t we begin to think of them every day of the year?? Just think if the Venezies take us over, and then maybe we’ll earn the moral right to complain about the injustices on “us”??
…that Deep Water Harbour
That Deep Water Harbour (DWH) in the mouth of the Berbice River has to be rivalling that Highway from Linden to Lethem in terms of how long we’ve been waiting for them to become reality. But, at long last, the bids are out for the Linden to Mabura leg of the Highway!! Sadly, CGX – which had stepped up to the crease as part of the development of their oil concessions off the Berbice coast – seem to’ve lost the plot!
They were killing two birds with one stone – using it as a shore base and also for shipping rice etc. – and charging fees for the service. But it appears that after going as far as clearing the land and building a road, etc…the project just can’t get off the ground. (Forgive the pun!!)
The VP has said they’ve given up on CGX and all their promises, but your Eyewitness had been wondering whether the location of the Deep Water Harbour wasn’t ill-conceived from the beginning. Crab Island is INSIDE the Bar on the Berbice River – and large ships were never gonna be able to dock at that dock they built!!
The VP pointed out we may need a causeway into the ocean!!
…Bangladesh
For decades, Bangladesh was the poster child for poverty and hunger. But recently, things have been improving – under the leadership of Sheik Hasina. But facing protests for her “iron rule”, she’s had to flee. Army rule over “iron rule”??
