The Government has announced that it has taken a decision to stop all mining activities temporarily in the Chinese Landing area in response to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights’ precautionary measures that were issued to Guyana on the 21^st July.

The Ministry of Governance said the decision will allow for a more conducive environment to address the concerns of the indigenous community.

In its report, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights said the people of Chinese Landing in Region One, are at serious risk of suffering irreparable harm to their human rights.

The Indigenous community has been facing a number of issues related to illegal mining and breach of rights of the Indigenous people under the Amerindian Act.  

In its statement last evening, the government noted that its decision to halt all mining activities in the area temporarily is as a direct result of the ongoing communication between the Government of Guyana through the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance and the Chinese Landing Village Council.

The Village Council had also issued a call for a halt to mining activities.

The Government said a team from the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission will be deployed to ensure there is a halt to mining activities at Chinese Landing.

According to the statement from the Ministry of Governance, the Government welcomes the efforts made by the Chinese Landing Village Council and commits to continue working directly with the beneficiaries (the people of Chinese Landing) and their elected representatives (Toshao Orin Fernandes and the Village Council).

The Government has also lashed out at the Amerindian Peoples Association, accusing the organization of being disingenuous in a recent statement on the issue. The Association has accused the Ministry of Governance of not clearly understanding the recommendations as laid out by the Inter American Commission on Human Rights.

The APA has been calling out the Government on a number of rights and other issues related to the Indigenous communities across Guyana.

In response, the Government now wants the APA to make its financial records public and make known how it has been utilizing international funding.

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