• Text size  | | |
• Email this document
• Printable version

Guyana: Whether supporters of the People's National Congress/Reform (PNC/R) are targeted for their political opinion (May - October 2004)

Information on whether supporters of the PNC/R are targeted for their political opinion could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. Previous Research Directorate Responses about the PNC/R published in 2004, include GUY42376.E of 27 January 2004 on the treatment of Afro-Guyanese persons who have connections to the PNC/R, GUY42624.E of 3 May 2004 on the links between Afro-Guyanese criminals and the PNC/R, and GUY42608.E of 10 May 2004 about whether the PNC/R members target People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) supporters.

Nevertheless, the following sources provide information from August and September 2004 about the political situation between the opposition PNC/R and the ruling PPP/C (Carter Center 19 Aug. 2004; FBIS Report 22-23 Sept. 2004; ibid. 15-16 Sept. 2004; ibid. 26 Aug. 2004). In August 2004, Stabroek News published findings from a public opinion poll that demonstrated "widespread dissatisfaction" with both the PNC/R party and the PPP/C (ibid.). Conducted by the North American Caribbean Teachers Association, the survey also found that 79 per cent of Afro-Guyanese respondents blamed the PPP/C for the country's predicaments, while 82 per cent of Indo-Guyanese respondents stated that the PNC/R was responsible for the country's "crime problem with many saying that elements of the PNC have links to criminals" (FBIS Report 26 Aug. 2004).

After an August 2004 visit by the Carter Center, former United States president Jimmy Carter reported that "unless there is a truce in the political wars" Guyana's social and economic progress would continue to suffer (19 Aug. 2004). Moreover, Carter explained that the hostile political situation has deep historical roots and cannot be blamed on just one party (Carter Center 19 Aug. 2004).

In September 2004, news sources reported that the PPP/C had invited the PNC/R to a meeting in order to "address issues left unresolved after the PNCR broke off regular bipartisan dialogue" in April 2004 (FBIS Report 15-16 Sept. 2004; ibid. 22-23 Sept. 2004). On 23 September 2004, while the PPP/C stated that they were still waiting for a response to their invitation to dialogue, PNC/R leader Robert Corbin had apparently called for a national meeting to discuss urgent issues that would include other parliamentary parties and civil society groups (ibid.).

With regard to electoral politics, on 3 September 2004, PNC/R leader Robert Corbin stated that his party would boycott the next national elections until the Guyana Elections Commission's database of registered voters was discarded and a new list was created (FBIS Report 2-3 Sept. 2004). At the end of September 2004, the national government reportedly blamed the PNC/R for its decision to postpone local government elections for the third consecutive year because of that party's "deliberate and consistent foot dragging" with respect to local election reform (ibid. 29-30 Sept. 2004).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Carter Center. 19 August 2004. Jimmy Carter. "President Carter Visits Guyana, Aug. 11-13, 2004." <http://www.cartercenter.org/printdoc.asp?docID=1802&submenu=news> [Accessed 12 Oct. 2004]

FBIS Report. 29-30 September 2004. Guyana Chronicle, Georgetown. "Cabinet Postpones Local Government Elections." (FBIS-LAT-2004-0930 30 Sept. 2004/Dialog)
_____. 22-23 September 2004. Stabroek News, Georgetown. "PPP/C Waits on PNCR." (FBIS-LAT-2004-0923 27 Sept. 2004/Dialog)
_____. 15-16 September 2004. Guyana Chronicle, Georgetown. "PPP/C Invites PNCR to Dialogue." (FBIS-LAT-2004-0916 20 Sept. 2004/Dialog)
_____. 2-3 September 2004. Guyana Chronicle, Georgetown. "PNCR Repeats Election Boycott Threat." (FBIS-LAT-2004-0903 6 Sept. 2004/Dialog)
_____. 26 August 2004. Stabroek News, Georgetown. "Poll Finds 'Widespread Dissatisfaction' With Both Major Parties." (FBIS-LAT-2004-0826 27 Aug. 2004/Dialog)

Additional Sources Consulted

Internet sites, including: Amnesty International, Country Reports 2003, Freedom House, Human Rights Watch, Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC), Resource Center of the Americas.

Topics: Persecution based on political opinion,