Guyana Anti Corruption Network

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Guyana Anti-Corruption Network (GACN) Calls for Immediate End to Intimidation and Suppression of Free Speech in Marudi and the South Rupununi

Georgetown, Guyana – The Guyana Anti-Corruption Network (GACN) is issuing an urgent call to Toshaos of the South Rupununi District Council (SRDC), government officials, and all parties with mining interests in the Marudi Mountains to cease and desist from any actions that trample on the fundamental rights of Indigenous peoples to speak freely to the press on matters concerning their communities.

Recent events in the South Rupununi, particularly surrounding the Marudi mining area, have revealed a disturbing pattern of intimidation and retaliation against individuals who have exercised their constitutional right to communicate with the public and the media. GACN has received credible reports that following the disclosure of information regarding meetings with government ministers and conditions at Marudi, SRDC staff and community members have been interrogated and threatened on suspicion of speaking to the press.

Constitutional Rights Are Non-Negotiable

Section 146 (1) of the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana guarantees every citizen the right to freedom of expression, including the “freedom to hold opinions without interference, freedom to receive ideas and information without interference, and freedom to communicate ideas and information without interference” . These rights extend fully to every Amerindian village, every Toshao, every councillor, and every community member across the length and breadth of this country.

No official, no council, and no mining interest has the authority to suspend or abridge these constitutional protections. When a Toshao or a villager speaks to the press about conditions in their community—whether concerning mining operations, environmental impacts, or engagements with government—they are not merely exercising a privilege; they are asserting a right that is foundational to democracy and accountable governance .

The Amerindian Act and Community Rights

The Amerindian Act of 2006 provides specific protections for Indigenous communities in their dealings with mining and other extractive activities. Sections 48 through 55 of the Act require that any miner wishing to operate on village lands must attend consultations with the Village Council and obtain the consent of at least two-thirds of those present and entitled to vote at a Village general meeting . This framework recognizes that Indigenous communities are not passive recipients of decisions made elsewhere, but active participants in determining what happens on their lands.

Crucially, the Act also vests Village Councils with the authority to negotiate agreements that include provisions for employment of community members, social services, and compensation for the use of village resources . This authority carries with it a corresponding responsibility to be transparent with community members about mining activities, government engagements, and the terms under which external interests operate on village lands.

Suppressing information about these matters—or punishing those who seek to share such information with the broader public—strikes at the very heart of the governance structures the Amerindian Act was designed to protect.

A Troubling Pattern of Intimidation

GACN’s ongoing investigation into corruption and rights violations in the Marudi mining area has uncovered evidence that the public disclosure of information has been met with retaliation rather than accountability. Staff members have been summoned to meetings not to address the substance of the concerns raised, but to identify and punish those who spoke out. Individuals have been removed from official communication channels based solely on suspicion, creating an atmosphere of fear and self-censorship .

This behavior mirrors past efforts to insulate Indigenous leaders from independent media and suppress diverse viewpoints. As documented in previous National Toshaos Council meetings, there have been instances where Indigenous representatives were effectively prevented from speaking freely to the press, and where those who voiced concerns were publicly denounced while state media platforms were reserved exclusively for positive messaging . Such practices treat Amerindian peoples not as adults with constitutional rights, but as individuals whose speech must be monitored and controlled—a position that is both unconstitutional and deeply disrespectful.

Demands and Warnings

GACN hereby demands the following:

1. To the SRDC Executive: Immediately cease all interrogation of staff and community members regarding their communications with the press. The removal of individuals from official communication platforms based on suspected contact with media must be reversed, and a clear policy affirming the right of all staff and council members to speak freely must be adopted and publicized.
2. To Government Officials: Refrain from any direct or indirect pressure on Toshaos, Village Councils, or community members designed to discourage or punish communication with the media. The constitutional right to freedom of expression applies with equal force in the hinterland as it does on the coastland, and government officials at all levels are bound to uphold, not undermine, these rights.
3. To Mining Interests Operating in Marudi and Surrounding Areas: Recognize that community members have the right to speak about your operations, your environmental practices, your employment of Indigenous workers, and your engagements with village leadership. Attempts to silence critics through influence over council leadership or by leveraging relationships with government officials will not be tolerated and will be documented and exposed.
4. To All Toshaos and Village Councillors: Your primary duty is to your communities, not to any external interest. The transparency with which you conduct village business—including negotiations with miners and engagements with government—is essential to maintaining the trust of those you represent. Attempts to suppress information or punish those who seek to keep the community informed betray that trust and violate the very constitutional and statutory frameworks that establish your offices.

The Stakes

The Marudi situation has already drawn significant attention, including international concern over corruption, environmental degradation, and the treatment of Indigenous peoples. The sanctions imposed against Guyanese officials and business interests by the United States Department of the Treasury under the Global Magnitsky Act demonstrate that the international community is watching and prepared to act against those who engage in or enable corruption and rights abuses .

GACN will continue its investigation and reporting on conditions in Marudi and across the South Rupununi. We will document all instances of intimidation, retaliation, or suppression of free speech and bring them to the attention of national and international authorities. The days when information about what happens in Indigenous communities could be controlled by a few individuals—whether in government, in district councils, or in the mining industry—are over.

We call on all right-thinking Guyanese to stand with the people of Marudi and the South Rupununi in defense of their fundamental rights. The freedom to speak, to know, and to communicate is not a gift to be granted or withheld by those in power. It is a right inherent in every citizen, and it must be respected.

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