PRESS RELEASE

Expansion of Kaieteur National Park is a National Disgrace

We, the people of Chenapou Village, Region 8, hereby declare our total opposition to the Government’s extension of the Kaieteur National Park. Extension of the Park has violated our rights and out ability to live well. This is unacceptable to us.

On April 30, we learned tthat the President has signed an Order on March 9, extending the Kaieteur National Park from 5 square miles. This Order was signed without our knowledge and without any meaningful consultation with us. The area covered by the extended park is part of our ancestral lands to which we have rights in Guyanese and International Law. This area is our only source of food from hunting and fishing and our only source of clean water as miners have destroyed most of the river and creeks in our area.

The present regulations applying to the Park are so restrictive that they deny us the right to feed ourselves and our children. These regulations states that "It shall not be lawful for any person to enter into, travel or encampwithin the parkor to build any structure therein, or to hunt, chase, catch, shootat, kill or otherwise disturb any animal or cut,pluck or gather any of the flora or interfere with or disturb the soil by mining or any other operation within the park or to remove any whatsoever from the park except in accordance with regulations made under this Act." If we do continue to hunt and fish in this area, which has been ours since time immemorial, we can be fined $1500. This is a national disgrace and must be stopped.

Kaieteur is an important cultural site for the Patamona people. Kaieteur is a Patamona word, that tells the story of a Kai, a great leader, who had a recurring dream that strange people would invade his land and destroy his people. He prayed to Makonaima for guidance but did not receive any. Kai’s dream is now a reality for us. We feel hurt and betrayed, as the government promised that we would be consulted before the park was extended and that this would not affect our rights.

We are not opposed to protected areas and we are not opposed to sharing Kaieteur with all Guyanese, but we will not stand for our right being violated in this process. Our rights can be respected and the environment protected at the same time, there need not be any conflict between the two. However, the Government has shown by this latest action that it is not concerned about our rights and well being. We ask that all Guyanese join us in demanding that the government revoke the Order extending the Park and respect our rights. We also ask that the government sit down with us to discuss in a serious way how to address our legal and traditional rights to our lands and how we are to participate in determining the size of and regulations pertaining to the National Park.

Chenapou Village Council
May 10, 1999