National Toshaos’ Council want charges dropped against miners found illegally mining in Kaieteur National Park

"We ask that His Excellency take a close look at the dynamics that put this issue on the fore and to have it resolved not only from a humanitarian perspective, but also for the very survival of the Patamona Peoples of the Upper Potaro. We also call on His Excellency to have all charges dropped and to work with the Indigenous Peoples to finding solutions to these and other problems affecting the Indigenous Peoples of Guyana as he had promised", the Toshaos Council said in a statement.

National Toshaos’ Council want charges dropped against miners found illegally mining in Kaieteur National Park

The National Toshaos council wants the government to drop all charges against those miners who were nabbed mining illegally in the Kaieteur National park area.

In a statement last evening, the body of indigenous leaders, made a direct appeal to the President for the charges to be dismissed.

“We ask that His Excellency take a close look at the dynamics that put this issue on the fore and to have it resolved not only from a humanitarian perspective, but also for the very survival of the Patamona Peoples of the Upper Potaro. We also call on His Excellency to have all charges dropped and to work with the Indigenous Peoples to finding solutions to these and other problems affecting the Indigenous Peoples of Guyana as he had promised”, the Toshaos Council said in a statement.

 The request came after a meeting between the Natural Resources Minister and a group representing the miners.

Representatives of the miners believe they were not given enough time to explain their position during that meeting. 

Some of the miners and their relatives have been protesting outside the President’s office over the arrest of 21 miners and charges being filed against them.

The miners were found mining illegally in the Kaieteur National Park which is a protected area.  They were warned repeatedly about mining in the area.  

The National Toshaos’ Council reminded that under the PPP Administration, led by the late HE Janet Jagan, the Kaieteur National Park was established.

According to the Council, back in 1999, the Kaieteur National Park was extended and all of that was done without consultation based on information from the Village of Chinapou.

“There is only one set of peoples whose human rights are tied to their land rights and those are the Indigenous Peoples, Globally. This is not isolated to Guyana”, the statement said.

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