Kean Gibson's Racist and Anti-Hindu Booklet

Please scroll down for articles:

1. Dr. Gibson’s book is unscholarly, apparently unedited and a work of propaganda (Parts 1-3) - Frederick Kisson
2. This tract is buttressed by rumors unworthy of the National Enquirer - Swami Aksharananda
3. Criticisms of Ms. Gibson is based on the poor quality of her work - W. Griffith
4. The book is no more than a diatribe - W. Griffith
5. GIHA says it did speak out on Ms. Gibson's book - Parma Saywack
6. Indians in Guyana did not oppress anyone - Juven Bachan
7. This book should be treated as a propaganda pamphlet - Rakesh Rampertab
8. The danger of this kind of book - Joy Johnson
9. Dr. Gibson recorded spontaneous talk of the people - Ras Tom Dalgety
10. Dr. Gibson's methodology is unacceptable - Allahdat Baksh
11. Ms. Gibson ignores anti-Indian violence - Frederick Kissoon
12. This book can only spread fear - Rudolph Mahadeo
13. Gibson's book seeks to grapple with labelling, racism - Roger More (local news coverage)
14. India's caste system does not exist here - Mootoo (local news coverage)
15. Gibson's book can create racial suspicion - Hackett (local news coverage)
16. Gibson's book misinterprets caste system - Misir (local news coverage)
17. Gibson's book exposing, not spreading racisim - says UK group (local news coverage)
18. Gibson should be prosecuted for race hate book - IAC (local news coverage)
19. Gibson's book serves no purpose in multicultural Guyana - Dharmic Sabha (local news coverage) 

Dr. Gibson’s book is unscholarly, apparently unedited and a work of propaganda (Part 1)

Author: Frederick Kisson
Source: Stabroek News, 9/28/03

Dear Editor,
There are two types of publishing houses - general and scholarly. When a company specialises in printing only academic works, it forwards submitted manuscripts to specialists to determine if the book has intellectual worth. This is standard practice. The same policy obtains with houses that publish all types of books. When an academic text is given to such a company, the editor of the non-fiction department solicits the valuation of a specialist in the area that the intended book deals with.
In the case of Dr. Kean Gibson’s booklet, The Cycle Of Racial Oppression in Guyana, the editors of University Press of America should not have issued the book without first sending the manuscript to either the University of the West Indies or the University of Guyana. Even if the UPA wanted to print the book, the smallness of the manuscript did not allow for it given the arguments, which Dr. Gibson said the book would encapsulate. The editors must have known that the thesis she sets out to polemicize on could not have held into seventy-two pages. I don’t know if UPA sent the book for peer review. But I doubt it. I hold strongly to the view that no sociologist or political scientist or historian who has a background in studying and writing about Guyana would have approved of the publication of this brief, little book.
Dr. Gibson on reading the critiques of her little dissertation must feel embarrassed. Her text is not texualized, is disjointed, lacking in every conceivable approved research methodology, and is based entirely on hearsay rather than on scholarly materials. Ms. Gibson’s book is pure fantasy and extreme propaganda. There is a political purpose in writing her booklet and I believe she printed her little pamphlet to assist political forces of an extremist brand to which she belongs in their political activities in Guyana.
Briefly, she is saying that Hinduism is a religion that embodies a vicious caste system where people of black hue are seen by the religion as not being human beings. She likens this to the Nazi era in Germany. The intellectual reason for the Holocaust from several splendid accounts I have read is that the Nazi leadership tampered with the psychology of the armed forces and in their perspective, Nazi officials saw the Jews as vulturous sub-humans that must be killed like animals. In the first half of the book, she argues for an identical affinity between Nazism and Hinduism. In the second half of her pamphlet, she applies Hinduism to Guyana and says that Hinduism wants to “holocaust” the Africans in Guyana and this is being done through the PPP.
The weakness of this book is tremendous and the mediocrity sometimes flows into propaganda that even inexperienced youths imbued with ideological fervour would do better if they had written it. I would like to offer a series of rebuttals but each point will have to be truncated because of time constraint. What are contained in these paragraphs are mere pointers. My critique of Kean Gibson’s book will be done as a full-fledged academic conference paper.
First, the caste system of Hinduism in India was never transported whole scale to British Guiana. The diluted version appeared in the form of an obsessive quest for light complexion. The Hindu caste system in British Guiana, and later Guyana, is mainly in the form of colour difference. The practice of the caste system in Guyana begins and ends with this. And it has taken only one form - preference in the area of marriage. Colour discrimination among Hindus does not cross into the territory of friendship and employment. In fact, the European dominated commercial sector in British Guiana placed more emphasis on light complexion than areas of employment controlled by Indians. Important to note too is the fact that Muslim Indians in British Guiana and Guyana placed equal emphasis on light skin.
Secondly, Ms. Gibson’s account of the caste system is methodologically flawed and it is this weakness that shows the incompetence of her editors at UPA. Ms. Gibson argues for a rigid caste system in India without using any scholarly materials on the subject. Not even a first year student in sociology would have gotten away with this at any university. For the editors at UPA to have accepted this manuscript without asking Ms. Gibson for her sources on the Indian caste system is incompetence beyond comprehension. Thirdly, the type of caste structures she makes reference to did not even exist in 19th century India. British colonialism, the influence of the Indian diaspora and the anti-colonial struggle in India made monumental dents into the ancient culture of India.
Fourthly, Ms. Gibson dug herself in a hole from which she can never recover when she opined that Hinduism and Nazism are closely related and desire to kill unwanted people. Nazism found a home in Italy and Germany where millions were slaughtered based on the inner tenets of the ideology. In comparison, no Hindu country has practiced genocide, and with the exception of Suriname, Fiji and Guyana, all other Hindu countries have been stable democracies with India being the country in the world community regarded as having the best workable judicial system. In the case of the exceptionable three, the descent into authoritarianism occurred in Suriname through a military coup, in Guyana under a non-Hindu government and in Fiji through a coup as in Suriname.
If, as Ms. Gibson argues Hinduism is cast in fascist tones with a sadistic caste system, then why does India continue to be one of the world’s great democracies while its non-Hindu neighbours, Pakistan and China, are permanent boiling cauldrons? Ms. Gibson may want to tell us why there are always dark-skinned cricketers in a country where, according to her, the caste system creates a pathological hatred for people with black hue while non-Hindu Pakistan is yet to record its first sapodilla brown test player.
In part two of this letter on this poorly argued thesis of Kean Gibson, I will focus on the appalling flaws in the chapters when she applies fascist Hinduism to Guyana’s history and contemporary society. Just a little insight into part two. Nowhere in her seventy-page booklet did Ms. Gibson interview any Hindu leader or any well known practicing Hindu politician or any intellectual with a Hindu name. Nowhere in her published text is there any interview with any leader or analyst or commentator or editor at all. Dr. Gibson is the only academic in the world that came to a country she is writing a sociological dissertation on and sought no interview. So where did she get her information on the practice of racism by the state in Guyana? You are going to be shocked to know who were her sources. And when you find her sources, then you will find out the reason why she wrote what she wrote.
Yours faithfully,
Frederick Kissoon

Dr. Gibson’s book is unscholarly, apparently unedited and a work of propaganda (Part 2)
Author: Frederick Kissoon
Source: Stabroek News, 10/5/03

Dear Editor,
This is the second part of my letter on Keane Gibson’s book, The Cycle of Racial Oppression in Guyana (SN, Sep. 28). Ms. Gibson makes a bold claim in revisionist history - that a vicious caste system in Hindu religion makes for an unmitigated racist hatred of other people and the African Guyanese are seen as the lowest common denominator by this caste system. Historically, the Hindu community with its Brahmin anthropological superiority wanted to rid British Guiana and subsequently, Guyana of the presence of the lower caste, and that caste is the African Guyanese perceived by the Hindu religion as the personification of evil.
The race riots of the sixties, according to this linguistics scholar at UWI, was the first major attempt at the fascistization and nazification of Guyana on the part of Hindus whose main vehicle is the People’s Progressive Party. Since that time, Africans have been visited by violence perpetrated by this party, and the African-Guyanese is now literally facing extinction at the hands of the state in Guyana. Two forces have been set upon the African community - the PPP and the police force.
Twentieth century revisionist history began with AJP Taylor’s classical and spectacular masterpiece, The Origin of the Second World War. Since then, revisionist history in the academic world has picked up momentum and is now standard methodology in the social science investigation of historical and social phenomena. A group of Indian intellectuals in the diaspora is working on a revisionist interpretation of Cheddi Jagan’s role in history. The West On Trial is coming under intensive probe for its personalistic and subjective account of people and events in Guyanese history. For example, a reliance on the West On Trial leads you to the condemnation of many important figures who may have been portrayed by Cheddi Jagan in his book as unpatriotic and anti-democratic because they opposed his communist zealotry.
Keane Gibson’s book is an extremely poor, and is in fact a propagandistic attempt at revisionist history. In adopting an iconoclastic style, one naturally puts a radical and unique interpretation to past events. In the case of Gibson, there is simply no radical analysis but a highly-charged, emotional opinion-making process of events in the sixties. It goes something like this. African people were killed in the sixties because the Hindu caste system didn’t like them. Another example should drive home the point. She says Jagan held a victory rally in Georgetown because he wanted to kill the African losers of the election, that is, Burnham’s supporters. Ms. Gibson is writing about the sixties at a time when Kwayana’s booklet, No Guilty Race is available to the public. Ms. Gibson rejects the core argument of Kwayana and vehemently asserts that in the sixties, the Hindus were the guilty race.
There is absolutely no serious attempt or any attempt at all to dissect important, crucial events and give them a scholarly assessment. It is for this reason that, I believe, Ms. Gibson may not have been the only composer of this little book or may have been incited to write this emotional appeal as part of an extremist, racist fringe group to which she belongs. Her booklet is an unapologetic regurgitation of racist diatribes for which she may well get herself into trouble with the law. We are thus coming to answer the crucial question why she wrote the book. I will leave that for the third section of this. But for now readers should be introduced to samples of her fictional account of Guyanese history.
It is generally accepted throughout the scholarly world that Guyana’s problem began with the split in the PPP with the emergence of a Burnham stratum and Jagan faction. The rest all Guyanese know about. Since that schism in the nationalist movement, racial insecurity and race based politics together with the PPP’s communist proclivities have been the root causes for over fifty years of social stagnation. In penning these lines here one feels self- insulted doing so in a review of a book written by a Guyanese scholar who teaches at a university. These lines in this letter should be written for high school students who are now entering preparatory work for CXC. Which Guyanese doesn’t know about the role of the PNC and its African base and the PPP and its Indian base? Which Guyanese doesn’t know about the competition for power by these two leviathans that are hopelessly trapped in the politics of ethnic insecurity. The sociologist calls it Guyana’s ethnic problematic.
Up comes Ms. Gibson and tells us that the key to understanding the mistrust between the races, the reason for the killings in the sixties, the political dilemma throughout the ages, and the fragile stage we are at in this moment in time is because the Hindu caste system with its dual belief of good and evil is the real determinant of Guyana’s social history. And to crown it all, not one single item of evidence is cited to support this sensationalistic, fictional, irascible exclamation. To add insult to injury is the childish descent into description by Ms. Gibson. For example, all laws passed by the PPP in the sixties, the PPP budgets, programs etc are all manifestations of the invocations of the Bhagavad Gita with the caste system being the driving force.
What is appalling is that Ms. Gibson violates all the elementary requirements of research. In research, when theory is developed, it is then applied to actual phenomena to show the correctness of theory. This is simple. If a breakdown in the national economy is the cause of crime, then what the researcher does if he/she accepts that in Yellow Range village, the high incidence of rape was due to unemployment, is to study the demography of the area and look at the unemployment statistics before making that didactic conclusion. The demographic study of Yellow Range village must be done because the researcher stands to face permanent condemnation if it is proven a neighbouring village has a higher percentage of unemployment and less economic activities but a non-existent crime rate. This brings to mind the false argument of some politicians that the crime madness in Buxton was due to economic deprivation. Some of us argued that Buxton was a social paradise compared to hundreds of ravaged villages all over Guyana, yet no one was blowing off businessmen’s heads in those depressed enclaves. Buxton was a terror zone because politics and not economics sought a marriage with crime
Finally, it is obvious that in writing her booklet, Keane Gibson didn’t consult any of the endless research materials on Guyanese politics from the split in the fifties to the final days of the Hoyte regime. If she had done that she would have known that throughout this period, the Hindu politicians she called Brahmins first sided with Burnham after the break-up. Then formed the United Force with D’Aguiar, then built up a relation with the Burnham regime, and sought and got a close patron-client relationship with the Hoyte government. Now if you accept Gibson’s theory of the fascist, racist nature of the Hindu caste system, then these “Brahmins” would not have touched African leaders even with a ten foot pole. And as true devotees of the Bhagavad Gita, they would have zealously become Papa Cheddi’s foot soldiers. Ms. Gibson has to learn more about the importance of profits over religious sentiments. My conclusion is forthcoming.
Yours faithfully,
Frederick Kissoon 

 Dr. Gibson’s book is unscholarly, apparently unedited and a work of propaganda (Part 3)

Author: Frederick Kissoon
Source: Stabroek News, 10/19/03

This is my final instalment on Ms. Gibson’s book. I hope to complete two tasks here; explain why she wrote the book, and secondly expose her conversion of reality into fiction.
There is a tendency among researchers to get emotionally close to their subject of investigation. If you are doing a book on the sherpas of the Himalayas, chances are you will make lasting friendship with some of them. The same goes for tribes of the Amazons. Ms. Gibson’s academic interests are African art forms. In Guyana, she encountered African-Guyanese who felt strongly about the nature of the PPP regime and the supposed political domination of its East Indian constituencies. Ms. Gibson, accepting these sentiments, became a convert to the cause of an extremist, racist group. Her contribution to its cause was to put a respectable, academic cover on the far-fetched, zany allegations this frenzied cabal is accustomed to propagating on Channel 9. In doing so, Ms. Gibson has espoused a political cause. Nothing wrong with that; but everything is wrong when scholarship is used for the purpose of propaganda. Even spinning is more acceptable than this type of political behaviour.
Ms. Gibson’s book is an invidious, insidious, conspiratorial, vicious apology for the perpetrators of a post-1997 regime of violence. You can argue that there are many forms of violence and that governmental oppression is equivalent to mayhem others in society create. But to deny the pain and brutality heaped upon innocent citizens because of their ethnic make-up is offensive when coming from the halls of academia. She is guilty of turning the victim into the criminal and transforming the criminal into an innocent, oppressed being. In this sense, Ms. Gibson is guilty of embracing the call to violence. Her book is replete with examples of denying the traumas of the victims of race-crime and making them out to be the perpetrators. Some examples will be hard for the average reader to digest, but they prove the point that everything is wrong about this booklet.
During the 1997 and 2001 election campaign, she said the PNC campaigned on a multi-racial ticket, the PPP did not. It was the open endorsement of a race-based election program that caused Indian people to beat African citizens during post-election violence. And then she gives us the episodes. The Indian village of Enterprise attacked the African enclave of Bachelor’s Adventure. An African woman watching a fire in Robb Street was shot dead by PPP activists. But here is where dishonesty creeps into Ms. Gibson’s description. She simply said the woman was watching a fire. What the woman was watching was an inferno in Georgetown in which Indian businesses were being burnt. I was there and two incidents saddened me when I saw a modern Western nation like Guyana descending to the level of barbarity. At the GAWU head office on Regent Street, a mob began to chase my cousin and his GAWU colleagues back into the burning building as they ran from the flames. The only way out was to drive crazily out of the compound in a 4X4; that saved them.
Then next to Jerome Khan’s business in Robb Street, upstairs of an electrical store, as the family fled the flames, the crowd were pelting them with huge stones. The crowd then worked itself up into a frenzy and began cutting the hose of the fire engines. If according to Ms. Gibson, as she said on page 39, the 2001 election victory was a triumph for the Hindu caste system and its hatred for Africans, then I can tell her that on that fateful night when Regent and Robb Streets were on fire, the Hindu caste system was standing like a coward desperately trying to get out of a burning city. And it wasn’t Hindus who were rallying around the bonfires of hate that evening.
Ms. Gibson goes on to tell us about the acts of Indians killing Africans because the PPP had won the 2001 poll. She described an African pedestrian being beaten to death on a village road, then an Indian mob lynched an African labourer at his workplace. In doing this review, I failed to find any evidence of this even though I went through the newspapers with a fine tooth comb. It is interesting for the researcher to juxtapose two manuscripts – Ms. Gibson’s booklet and the GIHA dossier on the violence. Here is where the researcher gets confused. Ms. Gibson documents the killing of African people after the 2001 election which she said was engendered by the reckless rhetoric of PPP supporters, like “we deh pon top now.”
On the other, the GIHA study paints a morbid picture of bestial attacks on Indians. So what actually happened? It is like reading the scorecard on a one-day cricket match. One paper has the West Indies making 99 for 9 in fifty overs. Another newspaper has West Indies chalking up 350 for two in 50 overs with Lara and Sarwan plundering a century each. One paper has to be right, the other wrong. But not to worry, this writer witnessed the violence in both 1997 and 2001 and the burning materials and shooting flames in the photograph on page 8 in the Sunday Mirror of January 18, 1998 was right outside our little shop. The fire engine came in the nick of time. I saw who lit that fire. Simply put; Ms. Gibson is yet to discover the truth.
If you come from Mars and you read the Cycle of Racial Oppression in Guyana you cannot fail to understand that here is a country named Guyana in which a minority tribe is being crucified by a racist, fascist, violence-prone ideology of Hindu Dharma. From pages 39 to 73, Ms. Gibson uses the most emotionally structured language to describe the extermination of Africans by this Hindu ideology. She uses terms like, “extermination,” “genocide,” mass killings, “Nazi-like methods” quite often. In fact, it would be true to say that not since Benschop has someone come so close to inciting ethnic anger by the use of inflammatory connotations. There are parts in chapters three and four in which Ms. Gibson exceeds the insane sermonising of the talk-show hosts.
What the visitor from Mars would soon find out as he/she walks around Guyana is that there is no tribal warfare and that the coming extermination that Ms. Gibson describes is all in her imagination. Any objective analyst would tell the Mars visitor that large areas of life in Guyana are controlled by African Guyanese and these include the birth certificate and passport agencies which are priceless documents for the average Indians. The security forces, the judiciary and the public sector have a strong African presence.
Ms. Gibson said that it was the Hindu caste system that saw the victimization of the Globe Trust Bank, omitting to state it went bankrupt because of loans to non-Hindus. She also failed to mention that it was a Hindu judge who ruled against its liquidation. No word is devoted to the acquittal of Shawn Brown’s brother-in-law for killing a leading Hindu businessman in Unity village by a well-known practicing Hindu judge. There is no discussion at all on the judicial system in which Indian judges with Hindu names make decisions in favour of African Guyanese.
Ms. Gibson goes on and on about the planned Nazi-like assault on African-Guyanese while at the University of Guyana Indian lecturers are crying out against victimization and UG does not have a Hindu administrator, on the contrary, the Chairman of the PNC is third in charge. Important to note is the condescending language Gibson uses to describe African-Guyanese. If anyone should take offence at this book it should be African Guyanese who are portrayed as lost, passive people who are unable to understand their lot (see page 68).
Finally, I have been informed that University Press of America invites writers to publish their books once the books are paid for. This explains why Gibson’s book was not edited. This book should be withdrawn immediately from circulation. It is simply bad news.
Yours faithfully,
Frederick Kissoon 

This tract is buttressed by rumours unworthy of the National Enquirer

Author: Swami Aksharananda
Source: Stabroek News, 10/23/03

Dear Editor,
With reference to Ras Tom Dalgetty’s letter captioned “Dr Gibson’s book should be discussed, not banned” (SN10/9/2003) let me state that I consider Dr. Gibson’s “A Cycle of Racial Oppression in Guyana,” to be one of the most blatant cases of race hate I have ever encountered in Guyana. The premise of her tract is baseless, her method buttressed by hearsay and rumours unworthy of even the National Enquirer, and her conclusion perverted to the extreme. Scholarship and research which imply rigorousness have been given a bad name. Yet I have never called for the book to be banned.
Till now I have not written anything about the book. Prior to this along with Pandit Crishna Persaud of the Maha Sabha, I discussed some of Ms. Gibson’s sensationalist anti-Hindu pronouncements in it on my TV programme “Explaining Hindu Dharma” on CNS 6. Again on the same programme on September 17, last I demonstrated the fallacy and race-baiting danger when I did call on all Hindu organizations and their leaders, including Pandit Reepu Daman Persaud to come out with a statement, as I found their silence then, and now, to be disturbing. I still urge the Hindu religious organizations, particularly Pandit Reepu Daman Persaud’s Hindu Dharmic Sabha. A tape of the September 17 programme was replayed two Wednesdays later on October 1. At no time have I called for the book to be banned. I plan a detailed response to “A Cycle of Racial Oppression in Guyana.”
For now suffice it to say that Dr. Gibson’s characterisation of Hinduism is so shallow that it is difficult for me to reconcile it with the information that she actually holds a PhD, this obviously deliberate simple-minded approach being surpassed only by her fervour to demonise. It is also clear that having spoken about the evils of linguistic and other forms of demonisation, she now considers herself morally excused and authorised to engage in demonisation of her own. This has been amply demonstrated in Ravi Dev’s analysis. Freddie Kissoon too has exposed the true nature of this blatant hate tract.
There is an amazing amount of ignorance Africans in general of this society have of Hindus and Hinduism, and far from contracting this area of darkness is expanding and being compensated for by ridicule, fantasy and myth-making, a fact that Mr. Dalgetty renowned for his own inveterate animosity towards Indians never fails to confirm. Ignorance produces myths which can have devastating and lethal effects as we have seen in Guyana especially since January 12, 1998.
Ms. Gibson’s case is different. She dons the robes of a PhD, sanctifying her “A Cycle of Racial Oppression...” with the aura of scholarship and research. Her myth-making cannot go unchallenged, for it not only excuses but invites further ethnic violence against Indians.
Both Ms. Gibson and Mr. Dalgetty refer to Hindu/ Indian dualism as though they cracked the code of some kind of deep and dark mystery buried in the recesses of the Hindu/Indian mind, which according to them explains Hindu attitudes towards Africans. If the dualism they speak of has to do with the binary of good and evil then every known culture has some notions of it with the exception that in Hinduism good and evil are not so much irreconcilable opposites as they are manifestations in a single continuum.
Further, regarding the meaning and relevance of the Hindu/Indian colour schemes, I direct both Ms. Gibson and Mr. Dalgetty to the Ndembu of northwestern Zambia and their detailed and fascinating colour schemes where black and white are the proverbial opposites, black being evil and white good. We are also informed that in ancient Egyptian art a four-colour scheme was often used. Here Egyptians show themselves as red, Asians as yellow, northerners as white, and Africans as black. All autochthonous, nothing foreign, and what’s more, nothing Hindu.
Why do we need to go to India to see how fair-skinned Indians oppress their “mattie” black-skinned Indians? Let us look at African life here in Guyana and the Caribbean, and we will see that it is not exactly bliss and harmony among the “red-skinned” Blacks and “jet-black” Blacks. Mr. Dalgetty should look at the bevies of beauty queens that the many Black Beauty Contests are churning out. What standard of Blackness do they emulate? Guyana is still waiting for that broad and flat-nosed, thick lipped, rounded and well contoured Black beauty. All that we have so far are poor imitations of whiteness. After all, they still have to fit their bodies and aspirations in a white man’s world.
In conclusion let me make these points. If Amerindians, Africans, Chinese, and Europeans exercise their right not to worship in Hindu temples, is it because they are invisible to Hindus, or it’s the Hindus who are invisible to them?
Since when one may ask has proselytisation become a virtue to Mr. Dalgetty? Is it not a demonstration of singular magnanimity on the part of Hindus that they have never sought to tamper with the faiths of others in the society by seeking to convert them? Is it not enough that Hindus have always recognized the inherent worth and divinity of others and that we have never demonized them as sinners, heathens, pagans, infidels, and unbelievers, the kind of labels that serve as precursors to violence?
India is a vast land of continental proportions, a diversity and a unity all wrapped together. It is a land of diverse cultures, languages, and religions that are thousands of years old and its population is now beyond a billion. Is it fair for a man who visited India twice in his lifetime, as Mr. Dalgetty claims to have done to make such sweeping and, at the same time, dogmatic statements on India? Those who have chosen to make the study of India a life’s work have always cautioned against the precipitous judgments such as Mr Dalgetty’s freely indulges in.
I am told that there are many in the African community who are outraged and offended by Ms. Gibson’s book. If this is indeed so, then we need to hear their voices. As it has been the case when it took a long time for a few to stir against the prolonged violence against Indians, silence and neutrality are not options.
If Ms. Gibson’s book is a symbol of African intellectual heritage then I would have been tempted to say: “God help the African people in Guyana.” But I know differently. I know that her work cannot in any way be considered even a reflection of African intellectual heritage. All the same, let’s discuss the book.
Yours faithfully,
Swami Aksharananda 

Criticism of Ms Gibson is based on the poor quality of her work

Author: W. Griffith
Source: Stabroek News, 10/22/03

Dear Editor,
I refer to Mr. Keith Williams’ letter captioned “Africans are seen through the prism of the culture responsible for their enslavement” (11.10.03).
Mr. Williams makes the claim that those who critiqued Ms. Gibson’s booklet “Cycle of racial oppression” are attacking her personally, attacking the messenger rather than the message. Mr. Williams is quite incorrect in his assumption.
Ms. Gibson puts forward a number of statements and bases which are non-factual and then draws conclusions from them, forgetting that if your bases are faulty or wrong your conclusions will be faulty or wrong. Ms. Gibson also claims that her publication is as a result of research. When her “research” methods and methodology are examined, they are found to be shallow and the result of poor scholarship.
Ms. Gibson’s booklet has been critiqued on (i) the unfactualness of some of her statements and assumptions, (ii) her subjective conclusions and statements such as that one set of Guyanese are carrying out genocide against another, and other such vicious and preposterous statements and (iii) her shallow scholarship and poor research methodology. There is nothing personal in this.
Yours faithfully,
W.Griffith

The book is no more than a diatribe

Dear Editor,

I refer to Mr. Henry Skerret's letter captioned "Dr. Gibson is not pro- PNC" (10.11.2003).

The main criticisms of Dr. Gibson's book have been the following: (a) That its research methodology is poor and the so-called facts on which her thesis is based are often non-existent. Accord-ingly her scholarship is extremely poor. (b) She bases her thesis on what she considers the Hindu religion in Guyana to be. She however shows a woeful ignorance of that religion in both its philosophical and practical manifestations. (c) She makes purely personalised and subjective statements which she believes would be accepted as factual. (d) That her book is no more than a diatribe of the genre of The protocols of the Elders of Zion and The Jewish Conspiracy, two books used by the Nazis and other anti-Semites in building a case to persecute the Jews.

There have been no critiques of Ms. Gibson's book which links it or her with the PNC. One or two persons have written that Ms. Gibson reflects the position of a small extreme racist and anarchist group and that is clearly not the PNC. So there was no need for Mr Skerret to make this point.

Yours faithfully,
W. Griffith

GIHA says it did speak out on Ms Gibson’s book, persons inciting racial hostility should be charged

Author: Parma Saywack
Source: Stabroek News, 9/29/03

Dear Editor,
Gina Singh, the “Dougla” from the safety of her home in London, can afford to be fed-up and bored with the debate about Kean Gibson and Roger Moore—Stabroek News—23rd Sept. She is Dougla so she would never understand the aprehension of a Hindu at this point in time.
It is even more disturbing that Gina Singh thinks that this issue is so frivolous that it is something to joke about. Why did Ms Gibson come out with this book at this time, why did she go to Channel 9 to peddle her lunatic assumptions? The only other show that she appeared on was MFK’s Big ? and we all know where he stands.
A Hindu is an Indian—period! Muslims and Christians are all races - it’s only Hindus that that are basically Indians—Gibson herself has made reference to this in her ramblings. So when Gibson and her cohorts start raving that Hindus are the main cause of all the troubles to the Afro Guyanese in Guyana, they are telling their kith and kin that well—here are the people who have caused all your troubles—go take your revenge on them. This is what was basically done before but then they only used the word Indians. Its a known fact that Muslims stick to their brotherhood and these days many Afro Guyanese have become Muslims so one can realise why they have now singled out Hindus. Hindus are Indians, the power base of the PPP—they are the ones who wholly vote for them. So Hindus must now have to pay!
So it is disturbing that GIHA and its President Ryhaan Shah have been so silent on Gibson’s book. Shah was so outraged at Sarwan because he chickened out at the end— such a trival issue in comparison and so much fuss—yet this deafening silence on this major issue. What is even more disturbing is that Hindus have been their main supporters—that is, Hindus have been the ones to come out and openly support GIHA so why is she ignoring them?
Yours faithfully,
Parma Saywack

Editor’s note:
We sent a copy of this letter to Ms Ryhaan Shah, the President of GIHA, for her comments and received the following response:
“We wish to point out that GIHA was the very first organization to take up this issue - and since early July.
It is now September, three months later, and the issue is now, and laudably, receiving attention from other quarters. Mr Saywack can perhaps be forgiven for paying attention to an issue only when it becomes “popular”.
Since July 4, 2003, in the GIHA Perspective column captioned “Hate Crime law must be enacted”, published in Kaieteur News, GIHA wrote: “In Guyana, Indians are targets for hate crimes for their ethnicity and with the recent surfacing of anti-Hindu views broadcast on Channel 9 by Dr Kean Gibson in the company of Roger Moore and Ras Dalgety, for their religious beliefs.”
Since this initial condemnation in July, GIHA has made further references to Gibson’s naked and dangerous racism in other columns and forums.
IAC, through Evan Persaud on a GTV Close-Up on Gibson’s racism, aired on September 23, 2003, also stated, and erroneously, that GIHA has never made a statement on this issue. Mr Saywack mentioned in his letter that IAC has condemned Gibson’s racism, but how does he, and others, reconcile this “condemnation” with IAC’s condemnation of GIHA as racist for our programmes and events that give pride and dignity to the Indian community?
GIHA is a fully constituted body under the laws of Guyana, which guarantee the peoples of Guyana their rights to their ethnic and cultural identity. Is IAC condemning Guyana’s Constitution as a racist document?
Since IAC sees GIHA’s promotion and support of Indian interests, strength, pride and values as racist and divisive, what then is their quarrel with Gibson? Essentially, IAC agrees with Gibson, and fully, that Indians have no rights or status in Guyana.
Through our work and programmes, GIHA’s position on the issue of racism and racist atrocities is clear and, besides dealing with Gibson’s racism, GIHA has had to challenge more recent attacks on Indians from other quarters. One such attack was led by IAC over our Jahaji Cricket Championship and it, again, begs the question as to why IAC pretends to be upset with Gibson when she gives full support to their views and objectives vis-a-vis the Indian community?
Gibson’s and IAC’s racism are all part of the many-pronged attack on Indians in Guyana and GIHA will continue to challenge these attacks. Since Gibson’s racism is directed at Hindus in particular - though GIHA from the first recognized it as an attack on all Indians - and through a booklet that seeks to discredit the religion, it is imperative that the Hindu community not only discount the book’s research which, we understand, is unworthy of academia but to work to change the environment in Guyana where such racist dogma can be peddled as creditable knowledge.
Very few Hindu leaders have come forward to challenge Gibson; the most vociferous has been Swami Aksharananda.
Why, for instance, has Pandit Reepu Daman Persaud, head of the Dharmic Sabha, the largest Hindu organization in Guyana, been silent on this issue?
While Mr Saywack would have been content with a statement of condemnation of Gibson’s racism, GIHA went further from the very first instance and offered a solution: the enactment of Hate Crime legislation.
There is no place for racism in Guyana - not Gibson’, IAC’s, or any other - and GIHA will continue to lobby for legislation that will deter racism, prejudice and discrimination of every kind. Such legislation will ensure that those who promote racism and racist dogma can be brought before the courts to answer for their crimes. This legislation is urgently needed.”
Some legislation already exists. The Racial Hostility Act which was amended in 1997 provides that a person shall be guilty of an offence if he wilfully excites or attempts to excite hostility or ill will against any section of the public or against any person on the grounds of his race by words spoken in a public place or broadcast or published in printed matter.
A person is liable on summary conviction to a fine of $65,000 and imprisonment for two years. This is one of several laws that has been a dead letter from the outset, no one has been charged under it. 

The Indians in Guyana did not oppress anyone
Author: Huven Bachan
Source: Stabroek News, 9/30/03

Dear Editor,
I must congratulate Freddie Kissoon on his damning critique of that infernal book written by Dr Gibson. Everyone can see that this book was written from a political agenda and mirrors the hate and absurdity of Roger Moore’s rantings.
Dr Gibson’s attack on the Hindu religion is not unique since there are others waiting in the wings to spew their poison.
Mr Kissoon’s letter essays the fact that some Afro- Guyanese still have contempt for the Hindu and religious culture in Guyana, but I don’t blame them for this since the former colonial power has left such a legacy of hate and distrust and Dr Gibson, for all the intelligence she possesses, has fallen for this.
Any child could see that her book is politically motivated and racially directed against the Indo-Guyanese whom she believes practise the caste system against Afro-Guyanese. But I think I can read the mind of Dr Gibson. Educated she may be, but her intellect retains the remnants of a colonial past and this colours her judgment of the Hindu religion and so she buys into the hatred of her political beliefs.
She must be the most ostracized writer in Guyana today for equating Hinduism with Nazism. Other than herself she must also blame those who perverted her mind with a concept that never existed in Guyana among Indians.
The Indians in Guyana never oppressed anyone and therein lies the fatal flaw of Dr Gibson’s book.
Yours faithfully,
Juven Bachan 

This book should be treated as a propaganda pamphlet
Source: Stabroek News, Sunday, December 21st 2003
Author: Rakesh Rampertab

Dear Editor,

In a letter (8.12.2003) R. Soobrian asked in reference to widespread racial violence; "Are the talk show hosts, the lunatic fringe racists and their supporting cast using Dr. Gibson's book to take Guyana down this fiery road? Is Dr. Gibson's book, The Cycle of Racial Oppression in Guyana, intended to be the spark?"

The answer is, arguably, yes. In itself, this book was written to prepare and provoke a particular section of the Black community into action against Indian interests, from the supposed "Indian" government to impoverished Indian estate villagers. Con-niving and corrupt, it was not done to demonstrate research skills or to enlighten Blacks. It is not about Hinduism. Every book begins with an invention, just as every type of blasphemy has an audience. Dr. Gibson knew she needed a limb on which to stand to trumpet her blasphemies, and this was found in the Hin-duism-PPP idea that already existed in the Black community before her advent into our landscape.

A good student of literature would recognize that this "book" shares characteristics of a pamphlet. Whether it's 18C British or early 20C Russian pamphlets, pamphleteers usually have one message and will use anything to deliver it. Gibson's book is the same, only more colourful and carrying an ISBN barcode meant for international circulation. Pamphlets need no real testimonies because pamphleteers can invent dialogues, and dialogues are mere words that can be reshaped at will. This differs from fiction (e.g, novel) or dramatic (e.g., play) writing because these have dialogues created especially for characters. What Dickens makes young Oliver Twist say is specific to who Oliver is. In Gibson, the "who" saying things is not important, "What" is being said is. This makes it acceptable in Gibson's view to reference an imaginary "Ghandi" instead of the historical Gandhi.

Because pamphlets differ from even manifestos (which share elements of a pamphlet) and do not work under the rules of either technical or literary writing, facts are not necessary. If facts are used, it's a bonus. In Gibson's case, it's a disguise that deceived many reviewers from Mr. Frederick Kissoon to Mr. Al Creighton, both of whom did similiarly painstaking and thorough reviews. The flaw of the Cycle of Racial Oppres-sion in Guyana is not that it lacks facts, but that it has some. She never intended for her work to be another Groundings with My Broth-ers, because her primary audience is one with clenched fists that will open only when it's time to light fuses, not to read. All one needs to light a fuse is a matchstick and a book of blasphemies marketed on TV is a great flame thrower.

Here is an incident that makes Dr. Gibson very relevant. After Ms Donna McKinnon was killed in the vicinity of Freedom House in April of 2001 during post-elections unrest, an individual E-mailed Guyanese worldwide saying that an "an Afro-Guyanese woman" was "murdered" by an "Indo-Guyanese male." As with Dr. Gibson, we're told, "witnesses say" this. Interestingly, this person is now a founder-member of the newly formed Guyana Institute for Democracy in Brooklyn, a supposedly "non-partisan" group. While the strange transition from rabble-rousing to democracy championing is suspicious, it is obvious that this person wanted to incite a violent reaction by Blacks against Indians, not only in Guyana but also in cyberspace.

This readiness among Black voices in opposition to the PPP to manufacture news and opinions out of lies or half-truths, borders on barbed-wire propaganda that is detrimental and self-destructive-for misinformation only keeps a community out of focus with what is really happening. On May 27, 2001, the late Mr. Hoyte accused the PPP of many things that were false in a letter to the press, such as the diversion of water from Buxton to Indian villages. That an ex-president would indulge in such false claims is evidence of the desperation of Black leaders to indulge in a degeneracy of ideas. Black voters have to put an end to this because it is dead wrong, and it serves no benefit so great that it requires the exchange of their conscience as decent people. Since the decline of the PNC from office, the Black community of Guyana has failed to demand this from the PNC, that is, the trading of the Black conscience for a right for PNC members to speak (or not to speak) in parliament.

This book is just a photo essay of violent street protests that are commonplace now. When Black protesters-turned-arsonists light Indian-owned stores afire, they do not hum "we shall overcome" but holler "mo fyah!" instead. The PNC cannot deny that almost every violent protest since 1992 has been done in their favour. This is because Black leadership is the only one that offers violent rhetoric (whether at rallies or in newspaper interviews) as political solution.

Fortunately, this book will not survive the test of time. This is not due to the sheer horror of its content, but because its primary admirers cannot learn anything new from it. They did not need this book to stir their wits beyond the grab of their imagination, or give their sunken views arms and legs. At most, they may anticipate that the Black middle class of Guyana which may afford this book at $3,500 (US$25.00) will read and be incensed into action by it. It's difficult to foresee this occurring-this book is an immaculate throwback on decades of serious, intelligent writing to originate from the Black community across the West Indies from Garvey to James to Rodney. Ultimately, the Black community will have to dismiss this book, even if subtly, for it is a terrible and short-sighted examination of the complex Afro-Guyanese personality today.

Still, until then, it must be taken seriously because there is orchestration against Guyanese interest. I say "Guyanese" interest because one cannot act against Indian or Black interest in Guyana without damaging national interest. No one should dismiss, as R. Soobrian did, those who plot behind TV screens and E-mails as "lunatic fringe racists." These individuals are neither insane nor do they exist on the "fringe." Instead, they are adequately financed, well connected, and committed civilians who dwell intimately among us. And even if they were indeed "lunatics," we still have to be attentive for madness cannot be easily measured, only monitored constantly at best.

Finally, I would discourage people from buying this expensive book. Borrow it if one must read it, but it's not worth paying for because it's not worth reading.

Yours faithfully, Rakesh Rampertab

The danger of this kind of book
Stabroek News, Thursday, December 4th 2003
Author: Joy Johnson

Dear Editor,

I had not said a word in this debate on Dr. Gibson's book Cycle of racial oppression in Guyana because I didn't think Dr. Gibson's assumptions about caste among Indo- Guyanese people had any validity, and as such Dr. Gibson's thesis fell on its face.

But there is another serious danger awful racist writings could generate. Someone could easily follow Dr. Gibson's facile model and claim that Afro-Guyanese who had descended from various West African tribes, in time now make up a unison by the concept of "mattie", and their inter-tribal hostilities are now projected upon their Indian neighbours. And since inter-tribal hostilities can turn into genocidal attacks such as those between Hutus and Tutsis, Africans could carry out genocide against Indians. A whole thesis a la Gibson could thus be produced with the fabrication of the type of "evidence" she employs.

I do hope Messrs Ellis, Dalgetty and others could clearly see how such baseless racist writings could re-bound.

Yours faithfully,
Joy Johnson

Dr Gibson recorded spontaneous talk of the people
Stabroek News, Tuesday, November 18th 2003
Author: Ras Tom Dalgety

Dear Editor,

In 1954, a curriculum earthquake took place at Queen's College - most pupils changed principally from learning notes; (learning from books) to practical investigation in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology laboratories. Pupils were urged to learn the power of nature and how to handle the environment. Students enjoyed it. Natural Science became alive during "double periods". Seeing how 'sunlight made food' printed an indelible memory in our young minds.

In 1961, Kean Gibson arrived in London, UK as a nine year old. The primary and secondary schools she attended introduced her to the "discovery method of learning". On her return to Guyana in 1966 she became disoriented. The method of learning used by the secondary schools in Guyana was "rote learning". The discovery method of learning did not re-enter Kean Gibson's life until about 1974 when she met Dr. John Rickford and Dr. Ian Robertson who were then lecturers in linguistics at the University of Guyana. With them, she relearned to record spontaneous talk -"observations" - in the field, and then return to UG for analysis and inference. She enjoyed the discovery method of education.

In 1971, I began lecturing in natural science at the Government Technical Institute, Georgetown, and was alarmed that nearly all my students (some had passed an "O" level subject either in physics, chemistry, or Biology) had never done a practical investigation.

The secondary schools were delivering natural science education via blackboard learning instead of discovery learning. Students in these schools were learning about science instead of learning science.

I mention the above 1954 to 1974 scenario because so many critics of Dr. Gibson's book, The cycle of racial oppression in Guyana said that they were "disappointed by her method, her conclusions and her tone" (Kampta Karan, SN 10.28.2003). And you echoed similar criticism in your editorial: "Dr. Gibson's book" (Stabroek News, 11.6.2003).

Your editorial stated, "In Dr. Gibson's booklet there is no evidence of research based on hundreds of interviews, a survey of all the relevant literature, and a careful weighing of all conflicting opinion."

However, academics and researchers acknowledge that there are different ways to do research. Some use questionnaires, and interviews with direct questions, which produce directed or blinkered answers. Dr. Gibson used a recorder to record spontaneous talk of the populace -"observation". She then analysed what she recorded before she made an inference.

Stabroek News also mentioned in its editorial that, "the PPP has been accepted historically as a Marxist party." By whom? Not me. In Cultural Pluralism and National Politics in British Guiana Professor Leo Despres showed that the PPP mouthed Marxist phraseology but encouraged caste. Why should Stabroek News write that Dr. Gibson "should have sought interviews with senior PPP spokesmen for their reaction to her theories?" Clarence F Ellis wrote in his recent letter to you that Dr. Cheddi Jagan and Mrs. Jagan "were shouting 'left' but practicing 'right."

Dr. Gibson's research findings are published. Her findings include: (1) the PPP used caste - colour-coded racism - to achieve power; (2) the caste system is all about greed; (3) Manu wrote the earliest law book of Hinduism; (4) the Brahmins (priestly caste) are teaching caste in Guyana to oppress other people of dark/black colour; (5) Hinduism justifies ideas of selfishness (6) the PPP/C is using caste to legitimise the oppression of Africans in Guyana; (7) caste has a relationship to moral qualities - good and evil. Dr Gibson published her book using research methodology that is standard for linguists.

That Dr. Gibson has taken the intellectual lead cannot be denied. If her research findings are inaccurate then other intellectuals should indicate where the inaccuracies lie.

Let's see: did the operation of the caste system put Moses Nagamootoo on the outside?

Yours faithfully,

Dr. Gibson's methodology is unacceptable
Stabroek News, Friday, November 28th 2003
Author: Allahdat Baksh

Dear Editor,

I refer to Ras Dalgetty's letter captioned, "Dr. Gibson recorded spontaneous talk of the people" (18.11.2003).

There are a large number of statements in Dalgetty's letter which are highly debatable. For example, the Stabroek News wrote that "the PPP had been accepted historically as a Marxist party." Ras Dalgetty said that he did not accept that statement and that Stabroek News is wrong.

On this issue, may I remind Ras Dalgetty that all the political parties and politicians of Guyana from the 1950's accept the PPP as a Marxist party. The evidence is overwhelming, but Dalgetty, like Dr. Gibson, seem to think that their subjective view negates overwhelming evidence.

Dalgetty speaks of Leo Despres' book which was written over 30 years ago before most Guyanese were born. Nowhere in Despres' book, absolutely nowhere, did Despres say the PPP encourages caste and I am surprised that Dalgetty would be putting forward this falsehood. Further, Despres' book has long been discredited because he took a few old-time stereotypes of Blacks and Indians and tried to find countrywide justification for them from a very narrow sample. In any case, Despres' stereotypes of Blacks are far more unflattering than those of Indians and I am sure, Dalgetty, or any self-respecting Guyanese, would not wish Despres' Black stereotype to be used to describe Afro-Guyanese.

Dalgetty says that academics acknowledge that there are different ways to do research. That is true, but there are certain defined cannons of research methodology which transcend all research efforts, whatever method is used. No recognised and respected academic has ever claimed that Dr. Gibson's book is a work of worthy research.

Dalgetty says that "Ms. Gibson used a tape recorder to record spontaneous talk by the populace, analysed such talk and made inferences." Dr. Gibson did not say this about her research method or material. She never claimed that she recorded the Hindu populace. Dalgetty is again engaging in fantasy. Indeed Dr. Gibson herself described her methodology on the MFK talk-show of 3rd September, 2003.

In a discussion with MFK, MFK said he visited Hindu temples and was often asked to speak, and there he neither saw nor heard any of the negative things Dr. Gibson is attributing to the Hindu religion. Dr. Gibson then remarked that the congregation at the various Hindu temples at which MFK spoke were putting on an act to fool MFK.

MFK then asked Dr. Gibson how she did her research for the book and she said: "By listening, by talking to Hindus, by reading original texts and by seeing what is done in the community." MFK then asked her what percentage of weighing she gave to each of her four elements. She did not answer MFK's question but merely said she put it all together. MFK implied that if the temple congregations were putting on an act to fool him as Dr. Gibson said, why did the Hindus who spoke in her presence not put on a similar act to fool and mislead her? MFK thus politely exposed the silliness of Dr. Gibson's claim of temple congregations putting on acts to fool MFK and not her.

Dalgetty mentioned that Mr. Ellis said the Jagans shouted "left" but practised "right" and that he accepted Ellis' cursory remark as conclusive proof that the Jagans were "rightists". Dalgetty and Dr. Gibson seem to have the same approach in evaluating evidence, or what is evidence. Ellis wrote many things on many occasions.

Ras Dalgetty gives seven items which he claims are Dr. Gibson's findings. These "findings" are all based on a grotesque misunderstanding of the principles and practice of the Hindu religion in Guyana. She talks about caste: Had she done even cursory research, she would have realised that caste had long disappeared as an element of social organisation, or even consciousness, among Indians. Indeed, it is like saying that the African population are aware of, or even bother about the tribes from which their ancestors descended. Or she talks about Hindu theology or philosophy without having any understanding of them. Her excursion into Hindu "Dualism" is an example. She glibly talks of the Laws of Manu of which most Hindus in Guyana have never heard and which have no more than an antiquarian interest like the laws of Hammurabi of ancient Mesopotamia. It is very incorrect to say that Guyanese Hindus use the Laws of Manu as their guide, when it is universally known here that the Hindu texts pervasively used in Guyana are the Ramayana and the Bhagwad Gita.

The basis of Dr. Gibson's thesis and findings are thus ignorance of the doctrinal and practical aspects of Hinduism in Guyana. Since her basis is lack of accurate knowledge, and probably misinformation, her findings and conclusions are accordingly flawed and lack credibility. Dr. Gibson's book "The Cycle of racial oppression in Guyana" is no more than an old fashioned racist pamphlet reminiscent of those of the Nazi era and is not an effort at serious academic research.

Yours faithfully,
Allahdat Baksh

Ms. Gibson ignores anti-Indian violence
Stabroek News, Tuesday, November 11th 2003
Author: Frederick Kissoon

Dear Editor,

The Stabroek News editorial on Kean Gibson's book is a well outlined, intellectual dismissal of both the main argument of and methodology used in the book. But there is a wide gap that ought to have been plugged by the editorial and there have been larger editorials than this one so space constraint was not an excuse. Stabroek News missed the motive of Ms. Gibson for writing the book. Ms. Gibson is definitively saying that since 1992, when the PPP came to power, there was a planned regime of anti-African violence. When you read this exclamation there is no anxiety. The worrying moment comes when Gibson denies the other side of the coin, and that is that since 1997, there has been a systematic and relentless regime of anti-Indian violence. And this formation has led to the birth of two Indian rights groups, GIFT and GIHA. Both of these groups have a larger claim to proving anti-Indian violence than Ms. Gibson's record of the existence of anti-African violence.

Her denial of a planned violent anti-Indian platform is best exemplified when she says that ACDA is a body that seeks racial understanding but GIFT is ensconced in an ideology of racial domination. Here is a group that says our people are being killed and we need to speak out against it. Ms. Gibson's reaction to that feeling is to say you are lying, you want to dominate your opposing racial group. Well, allright. But what about the statistics? Who have been beaten, raped and murdered since 1997. This is where Ms. Gibson can be likened to the king and his new clothes, the only difference is that whereas only a solitary little boy saw the king was naked all Guyanese who live in Guyana have seen the nudity of Ms. Gibson's account.

To conclude, I think it is best to see Ms. Gibson's book as a treacherous denial of four and a half years of violence perpetrated against Indians. This doesn't mean that African people are not being killed. The recent mysterious deaths of a number of African Guyanese suggest that there are killers out there who murder people with impunity and the police force must start a high-powered intelligence unit to stem the tide. But whenever one talk about persons who kill and are free to do so, our minds go back to the Buxton madness which was only stopped by the anger of the Americans. I wonder if Mr. Lesniak wasn't kidnapped if we still would not have had the invincible killers of Buxton. Now, it would be nice if Ms. Gibson could answer that question since she just did a booklet on racial violence in Guyana.

My second note relates to a letter by Vishnu Bisram in which he said that Guyana should strive to emulate Singapore and Malaysia. Mr. Bisram himself, his letters in the print media and his endless polls would never have existed if Guyana, even under Forbes Burn-ham, was to emulate these two ossified, authoritarian systems that build up strong economies at the expense of every single dimension of human freedom. Mr. Bisram seems to have a fascination with authoritarian oligarchs. He extols the accomplishments of Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew and Malaysia's Mahathir. Both of these men should be in front of the International Criminal Court of Justice for decades of human rights abuse in their own countries. Imagine the temerity of Mahathir to criticize Israel. Do you think Sharon could tamper with the Israeli judiciary and frame his opponent as a homosexual and have him jailed as Mahathir did to his rival, Anwar? Any Israeli Prime Minister who tries to interfere with the judiciary may find himself behind bars. It would be nice if Mr. Bisram could do a poll to see who the world admire as democratic leaders and this I can tell him, even without doing a survey of my own, Kuan Yew and Mahathir will run close to Hitler in the poll for the most disliked.

Let Guyana remain poor and free but never become like the anti-free countries of Singapore and Malaysia. Final point Mr. Bisram - personally speaking, I prefer freedom to skyscrapers. How about you?

Yours faithfully,
Frederick Kissoon

This book can only spread fear

Dear Editor,

With all the "scholastic" propagation of the evil intentions of Hindus against Guyanese of African descent, as espoused by Dr Kean Gibson, one must cringe with deep fear and suspicion of what is planned for a significant section of Guyanese citizens.

I am neither interested nor bothered by what Dr Gibson has written about my heritage. I am proud to be the descendant of a rich culture, heritage and tradition. I recall the outright attempts by "God parents" to change my Hindu name to one that sounded more modern and acceptable by the society in which I grew up.

However, I am angry that my heritage was attacked and brutally branded as the most evil happening on this planet, and more particularly Guyana. To label me as one who was born under a Dharma that specifically targets a class of God's creation for deliberate extinction, is the ranting of a maniac.

In the present fragile society in which Guyanese live, dangerous and inflammatory promptings, as can emanate from Dr Gibson's book, must be cause for serious concern. By my ethnicity I am already seen by some misguided persons as unwanted. Dr Gibson's book can serve to put me at severe risk of personal harm because I am described by Dr Gibson as one whose birthright is a threat to my brothers and sisters in God.

What must be the great paradox is the embarrassment that Dr Gibson has caused the main opposition party, the PNC/R. With so many Hindus in the party, some of them holding positions in the Central Executive, how must the leadership distinguish Hindus that are supposedly different? Dr Gibson made no exception about good and bad Hindus. It must have been very painful for the PNC/R to send out Diwali greetings to Hindus. Celebrating with those who have an objective of racial cleansing is difficult to understand. At least one television station divorced itself from airing any mention of the Hindu holiday, Diwali. A prominent talk show host, who is on a campaign to have this book adopted by Guyanese of African descent as a mantra, must have been pained when he heard his party joining with other groups and organizations to send out greetings to Hindus. I can recall a talk show host, who was removed from one of the television stations, putting out a daily call to boycott all businesses which have affiliation with the ruling party.

Yours faithfully,
Rudolph D. Mahadeo

Gibson's book seeks to grapple with labelling, racism -Roger Moore
Stabroek News, Saturday, May 1st 2004 (Local news section)

Dr Kean Gibson's book The Cycle of Racial Oppression in Guyana is not a "call to arms and violence" rather it attempts to understand why Indo-Guyanese label Afro-Guyanese "criminals, hooligans and rapists," according to presenter Roger Moore.

Moore, who hosts the locally-produced television show At Home with Roger, presented this view on Thurs-day before the Ethnic Rela-tions Commission at the continuation of its inquiry into the allegation by the Indian Arrival Committee (IAC) that Gibson's book is "peddling and spreading racial hatred between Guyana's principal ethnic groups."

"The book is not a call to arms and violence, as the IAC so maliciously and erroneously is claiming, but a call for self-empowerment, enlightening us to why Blacks were being called criminals, rapists and hooligans," Moore said.

According to Moore, Gibson's book has been in circulation for one year now and there has been no manifestation of any of the fears expressed by the IAC in its complaint.

He demanded that the IAC move beyond merely stating that the book has the potential to incite racial hatred to proving its claims by providing empirical evidence. "The IAC must put forward concrete evidence linking the book to racial hatred and violence. It has not to date done any of this, rather this body has been allowed by Guyanese to sit comfortable in the realm of speculation and emotional outpourings aimed at silencing and denigrating a Black Caribbean academic."

There are many themes contained in the IAC's complaint, Moore told the ERC, which can be deemed as stereotyping Africans, East Indian racism, Hindu propaganda, Hindu nationalism and fundamentalism and marginalisation of Africans among other things.

He concurred with Gibson writing in her book that when Indians at Albion burned tyres, assaulted a magistrate and overturned his car and attempted to set a police station on fire, they were referred to as "protestors and a crowd", while African protestors against the PPP rule were invariably dubbed "mobs, thugs and hooligans."

Gibson, who Moore says he has interviewed several times, has described the experiences of Blacks at the hands of East Indians which the former has refrained from speaking about for fear of being branded racist.

He said Gibson has been quite clear in her description of the caste system, adding that when Dr Prem Misir in his submission to the ERC intimated that the caste system extended beyond structural divisions to accommodate one's character, he had in essence been repeating Gibson's sentiments.

Moore referred to a piece by parliamentarian and Leader of the Rise, Organise and Rebuild Guyana party, Ravi Dev, in the Guyana Indian Heritage Association-produced book Indians Betrayed - page 46, paragraph 3 - as a weak and deceptive attempt to show how violent Africans were against Indians from the time the police force was established in 1839.

Moore alluded to certain incidents that, in his view, represent Black oppression by East Indians in Guyana. He cited the removal of Clem David from the former Guy-ana Broadcasting Corporation by then information minister Moses Nagamootoo, the wrongful dismissal of Comp-troller of Customs, Clarence Chue and the government's apparent refusal to pay the sacked Supreme Court employees despite a Court of Appeal order favouring the latter.

Persons, Moore claimed, were forced to resign from the then GBC and others, including he, resigned voluntarily in 1995 after observing the situation.

In response to a question posed by ERC Chairman Bis-hop Juan Edghill, Moore said Blacks in Guyana do not generally possess a violent mentality and the Christian faith, to which most of them belong, preaches passive resistance.

However, Edghill pointed out that not all Christians are Africans and not all Indians are Hindus.

Joseph Bishop, representing the Forum for the Libera-tion of African Guyanese (FLAG), said that the IAC's fear that Gibson's book will incite a violent uprising of a racial nature is "unfounded."

Bishop also spoke about Indians Betrayed saying that it completely omits the mass killings of Africans and seeks to promote Indian Guyanese as "gods who are incapable of fighting back an opponent when attacked..."

According to Bishop, Gibson's book exposes "the cunning system of Hindu nationalism employed by certain sections of the East Indian population."

Bishop told the ERC that an application by him for 20,000 acres of land for agricultural use by FLAG has been deliberately stalled. The ERC suggested that he make another check on the application and approach the commission if the situation continues and he perceives that it is the result of prejudice. Bishop also said that public servants are being victimised and are forced to quit their jobs or take industrial action and that GIHA has stereotyped Africans as the originators of crime.

"It is time for [the writers/producers] of Indians Betrayed to come to grips with themselves and understand that Guyana is not theirs and we need to have a better system of morality, therefore whenever Guyanese literature is exhibited there must be better terms of expression. The expletives on certain pages of the book leave one to wonder."

Colin Bascom, on behalf of the Campaign for Justice in Guyana - United Kingdom (JIG-UK) told the ERC that while Dr Gibson's book is a brave work that dares to reflect the pain and anguish of many Afro-Guyanese, Indians Betrayed was not meant for the eyes of Afro-Guyanese and is "a nasty piece of race hate propaganda which could end up inciting both sides to violence."

India's caste system does not exist here -Mootoo tells Kean Gibson book inquiry
Stabroek News, Friday, April 23rd 2004 (Local news section)

The caste system does not exist in Guyana but it has always been an element of Indian culture and religion in India where nationals are classified by virtue of their profession, according to presenter Savithiri Mootoo.

Mootoo, the widow of late government pathologist, Dr Leslie Mootoo and a Malay-sian national of Sri Lankan descent living in Guyana for 47 years now, submitted this view to the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) yesterday.

The ERC is currently conducting an inquiry into the allegation by the Indian Arrival Committee (IAC) that the book The Cycle of Racial Oppression in Guyana, by Dr Kean Gibson, is "peddling and spreading racial hatred between Guyana's principal ethnic groups."

"Every Indian belongs to a caste according to his work, the goldsmith belongs to the goldsmiths' caste and the farmer belongs to the farmers' caste," Mootoo told the ERC.

According to Mootoo, Indians of every existing caste in India came to Guyana during the days of indentured labour and the caste system is still very much alive in India's south where 'pure' Indian culture is still practised to a certain extent today.

Mootoo explained that according to her knowledge of the way the caste system functions in India, one remains in the specific caste into which one is born until one dies and the type of treatment one receives from that society is dependent on the caste into which one is born.

"If you are a fisherman, you are from the low caste [of Indians in India] because fish is rank and you are considered to be unclean... if you are [an undertaker] you are also considered unclean," Mootoo elaborated.

In Guyana, there are inter-religious marriages and these are usually based on wealth and social status, something, Mootoo vows, that would never take place in India where it is necessary for one to marry into one's own caste. She further pointed out that there are inter-racial marriages in Guyana as well and these, she noted, usually take place on the same basis.

Responding to a question posed by Chairman of the ERC, Bishop Juan Edghill, Mootoo observed that Indians in Guyana might object to inter-racial marriage from the perspective that it could result in a disruption of their cultural/religious tradition.

In the Hindu religion, the Brahmins are believed to be the highest caste because they practise a high level of spirituality, in other words, they are seen as deeply religious, Mootoo said, adding that she has a Hindu background but converted to Christianity while attending college.

The commission heard too that the Indians in India who practise the caste system accept the caste to which they belong and do not rebel against it.

Addressing the issue of skin colour, Mootoo told the ERC that there are fair-skinned Brahmins and dark-skinned Brahmins and in the lower castes, there are fair-skinned and dark-skinned persons too.

In a comparative analysis of Levites [Jews/Christian] and Brahmin [Hindu] attitudes toward persons belonging to a caste that is below their own and considered 'unclean', Mootoo told the commission that if a Levite came into contact with a Pharisee, he would have to cleanse himself before entering into God's presence and the same approach would apply if the Brahmin came into contact with for instance, an undertaker.

"An unclean person cannot go into the presence of God...in India, the Hindu mother who has just given birth cannot worship in the temple until the 31st day after she has given birth and the baby's head has been shaved," Mootoo noted.

She alluded to the example provided in the Bible where the "woman who had the issue of blood could not touch Jesus and so she chose to touch the hem of his garment" as an example for comparison.

Gibson's book can create 'racial suspicion' -Hackett -but must be read to be debunked
Stabroek News, Thursday, April 22nd 2004

The Cycle of Racial Oppres-sion in Guyana, Dr Kean Gibson's controversial book, has the potential to create a climate of racial suspicion, however, it should not be banned from circulation if its errors are to be exposed and debunked, presenter Michael Hackett said yesterday.

Hackett offered this opinion to the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) when the inquiry continued into the allegation by the Indian Arrival Committee (IAC) that Gibson's book is "peddling and spreading racial hatred between Guyana's principal ethnic groups."

According to Hackett, while the book is a highly readable page-turner that can be read at one sitting, the unsuspecting layman and unscrupulous media personnel can use its content "to fan the flames of racial hatred and suspicion".

"For all its intellectual poverty and unscientific methodology and its potential for creating social mischief, in the name of freedom of expression, the book cannot and must not be banned or censored," Hackett said.

Among Hackett's criticisms of the book were that it was not peer-reviewed, lacked a publisher's note and provided no information on the author's academic credentials and past publications. Hackett considered these omissions "strange" particularly in view of the fact that Gibson's book addresses the sensitive issues of 'race and ethnic relations' in Guyana. He observed that there were no such omissions in previous publications - including Dr Basdeo Mangru's Indians in Guyana - that have dealt with similar issues.

The comments of both Indo-Guyanese and Afro-Guyanese, in relation to Gibson's book, have exposed the fears, hopes, insecurities and aspirations of both of these groups, Hackett observed. "[Thus Gibson's book] can serve as a safety release for perilous ethnic tensions [but if not properly used] can result in the Amerindian-named, African-built, Indian-maintained, Guyanese-owned house being burnt down from the explosive discharge of ethnic electrostatics."

He opined that the mere implication that Africans oppressed Indians because Indians oppressed Africans, as he believes is articulated by Gibson in her book, is an unsound and circular theory and exposes Gibson's cultural prejudices.

Because of this obvious bias, the title of her book is actually a misnomer. What she describes for the most part is European and Indian oppression. "One is hard pressed to find any cycle of oppression in her writings," Hackett declared.

He said the gist of Gibson's book is encapsulated in the single sentence on page 25 'None would belong to the Shudra caste since this caste is now reserved for African-Guyanese'. According to Hackett, since this line stands alone and un-referenced, it gives rise to a strong suspicion that this is "Dr Gibson's personal opinion, formed by her cultural perception of reality as seen through her own ethnic lenses. Hence her use of unreliable and unverified sources is understandable, she must confirm her theory at any and all costs."

Hackett told the ERC his search for two websites to which Gibson made reference in her book had turned up empty. He deemed the book an embarrassment to Africans and an "academic misadventure" that fails to mention the looting of Regent Street stores and some stores in New Amsterdam on October 5, 1992 and the stoning of polling stations that occurred in various parts of the coastland.

The ERC heard that the conclusion of Chapter 3 of Gibson's book presents a negative stereotype of Indians in the statement "East Indians justify corruption by dividing the practice into 'good thieving' and 'bad thieving.' 'Good thieving' is done by East Indians... 'Bad thieving' is done by Africans."

He advised that the book should not be used as a text or reference material in any educational institution except "as an example of poor research techniques, unscholarly work and literature of potential social mischief."

Television personality, Roger Moore, presenting on behalf of overseas-based Guyanese Clarence Ellis told the ERC that the most important contribution of the book is that "Hindu fundamentalism may be unyielding."

According to Ellis, the behaviour of President Bharrat Jagdeo and Home Affairs Minister, Ronald Gajraj, in refusing to have the latter step down to facilitate an investigation into the death squad allegations against him is not encouraging, and "supports Dr Gibson's worst fears that the rest of the society is not accorded equivalence in status. The inequality in Dr Gibson's model is very much at work."

Ellis intimated that although this point may have been imperfectly expressed in Gibson's thesis and contained scholarly flaws, "it points to a … basic truth that the leaders of the government, imbued with the philosophy of racial domination that drives them, are condescending. It is a frightening situation."

Chairman of the ERC, Bishop Juan Edghill announc-ed that the commission will facilitate a public discussion next Tuesday on the report of the UN Special Rapporteur on Racism at 5 pm.

Gibson book misinterprets caste system - Misir
By Edlyn Benfield
Stabroek News, Wednesday, April 21st 2004 (Local news section)

Dr Kean Gibson's book, The Cycle of Racial Oppression in Guyana, falsely interprets the caste system in Hinduism as a mandatory requirement of that religion, Dr Prem Misir told the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) yesterday.

Misir, in his personal capacity, presented this view to the ERC when its inquiry continued into the allegation by the Indian Arrival Commit-tee (IAC) that Gibson's book is "peddling and spreading racial hatred between Guyana's principal ethnic groups."

Gibson, according to Misir, has used the argument that East Indians in Guyana are seeking to oppress Africans in their quest "to secure and sustain power". And she has purported that the East Indians' justification for this oppression lies, "in the dualism of good and evil where Hindus see themselves as good, and perceive Africans as evil because of their black skin colour."

Misir continued that Gibson's thesis stems from her misguided and Westernis-ed perception that 'varna' - meaning different shades of texture or colour - as referred to in Chapter 4, verse 13 of the Gita, sets people apart by their skin colour.

According to Misir, while the four colours of varna distinguish one group of persons from another, the distinction is completely unrelated to skin colour. Rather, it refers to "the mental temperaments" of these persons.

Misir, who quoted his source as one Swami Chin-mayananda, said varna is used in the Gita in the 'Yogic-sense'. "In the Yoga Sastra, they attribute some definite colours to the triple gunas, which mean... 'the mental temperaments'. Thus, Sattwa is considered as white, Rajas as red and Tamas as black," Misir stated, adding that man is essentially the thoughts he entertains.

Misir told the commission that varna is independent of sex, birth or breeding and pointed out that a class determined by temperament and vocation is not a caste determined by birth and heredity. In other words, the class to which one is relegated in the Hindu religion, is dependent on the character that person portrays.

The Indian government, Misir insisted, outlawed the caste system because it eventually took on a western definition that can be viewed as concurrent with the Portuguese term 'casta'. "The caste system in this degenerative form has little or no relevance or application to Guyana today, even among the Hindus themselves…"

Addressing the issue of socio-economic status as related in Dr. Gibson's book, Misir said that the major ethnic groups are well represented at the country's Secondary Schools Entrance Examinations with 40 of the top 140 candidates being Africans.

The commission requested that he supply evidence in relation to his claim of large- scale African representation on existing state boards. Misir told the commission that he has only been able to study 27 of the country's 51-odd state boards.

Asked by ERC Chairman, Bishop Juan Edghill whether he agreed with the IAC complaint, Misir responded: "I would not have come [to the hearing] if I did not feel that Dr Gibson's book has done a disservice to the promotion of racial unity... I agree with the IAC's complaint."

The Pan African Organisa-tion, through its representative Lennox King, told the ERC that Dr Gibson's book has come at a time when the Guyanese society has reached the stage of implosion.

According to King, the Indian perspective of life can be deemed "selfish and avaricious" and seen to exclude the tenet "live and let others live."

King asserted that the book has served to answer several questions that have haunted the African Guyanese for years including why late PNCR leaders and former presidents, Forbes Burnham and Hugh Desmond Hoyte, were so hated by Indian Guyanese despite their best efforts to bring about change in the best interest of all Guyanese. "… It is not the book that is causing or has caused [racial conflict], the book is begging us to turn away from our wicked ways or we will all be consumed."

The book, according to King, is neither a call to arms nor an instrument of incitement of racial hatred. "Those who are peddling the notion that this book is fanning the flames of racial conflict ought to look in the mirror; for...there is a saying thus 'life is but a looking glass/mirror, he who sees mock is mock."

The banking system and tender procedures, King purported, have been used to effectively marginalise Afri-can Guyanese contractors and this coupled with the placement of contract workers of a particular ethnic group in lucrative positions in the Public Service and the method of land distribution by the current government are all designed to disenfranchise African Guyanese. "Not only does the book give us insight as to why things are happening the way they are, but it also allows us to understand what happened in the past and allows us to determine what can happen in the future."

However, King said, he did not agree with everything in Gibson's book and dismissed her reference to Hamilton Green's attainment of the post of Mayor as being associated with his linkages to the PPP and his being used as a tool for the PPP to remove mostly Afro-Guyanese vendors from the sidewalks as "emotional" and a "falsehood."

Asked by the Commission whether he agreed that just as he had found Gibson's references to Green to be erroneous, other persons were entitled to find sections of her book similarly erroneous, King said for the most part Gibson's book "is the unadulterated truth."

King has lodged a formal complaint on behalf of his organisation against the Guyana Indian Heritage Association (GIHA) publication 'Indians Betrayed'.

Gibson book exposing, not spreading racism - says UK-based group
Stabroek News, Tuesday, April 20th 2004 (Local news section)

Dr Kean Gibson's book, The Cycle of Racial Oppression In Guyana, seeks to expose race hate rather than spread race hate, says a member of a UK based Guyanese group.

The Campaign for Justice in Guyana (JIG) - UK, an organisation that comprises Guyanese membership, posited this view to the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) yesterday through its representative, Colin Bascom as the hearing into the controversial book continues.

The ERC is currently hearing presentations relevant to its inquiry into the allegation by the Indian Arrival Committee (IAC) that Gibson's book is "peddling and spreading racial hatred between Guyana's principal ethnic groups."

"...Dr Gibson's book ...is a timely attempt to 'balance' the debate on racial policy and ethnocentrism in Guyana before Afro-Guyanese suffer much more than they are [suffering] currently. The book endeavours to reflect the impact of ...anti-African vilification, re-trace its origins, assess the influence of culture and religion on its proponents' thinking, and put forward an analysis of the motivation driving it," JIG said.

Bascom proceeded to highlight a number of declarations made by predominantly Indo-Guyanese commentators that are considered by the JIG to be "of a racial nature" with specific references to a piece of writing by the Guyana Indian Heritage Association (GIHA) entitled 'Indians Betrayed'.

The commission was presented with copies of two graphs extracted from 'Indians Betrayed', which purported that Indo-Guyanese are the victims of violent attacks by Afro-Guyanese and are carrying out a criminal agenda that has resulted in a transfer of wealth to Afro-Guyanese from Indo-Guyanese.

President Bharrat Jagdeo's recent attendance at the Second Pravasi Bharatiya Divas "...a racially exclusive event for Indians only..." Bascom told the commission, makes a mockery of the principle of a racially diverse multi-cultural society and supports the view that Guyanese live in a racially divided society, burdened by racially polarised politics.

The IAC, Bascom said, never comments when Afro-Guyanese are the victims of violence and crime, for the IAC "it is only an issue for discussion when the victim is an Indo-Guyanese and the perpetrator is an Afro-Guyanese."

Bascom claimed the IAC has ignored the fact that Afro-Guyanese have disproportionately suffered at the hands of rogue elements of the Guyana Police Force.

At the conclusion of Bascom's presentation on JIG's behalf, he clarified that the intention of the submission is not to justify the book's conclusions or attest to its veracity.

However, the commission struck from its record JIG's reference to the alleged existence of a state-sponsored death squad that is allegedly responsible for wiping out Afro-Guyanese males, that was to be submitted as part of Bascom's presentation.

Bascom has also been asked to provide supporting evidence to the commission on JIG's conclusion that the problem of racial hatred as it presents itself in Guyanese society "consists of overt acts which deny equal status or opportunity to people because of their racial, ethnic or religious identity."

Bascom has also been asked to provide supporting information to its claim that Afro-Guyanese have been the major victims of extra-judicial killings.

Previous presenter, Roger Williams has been asked to insert printed versions of his references to Gibson's book into the written copy of his submission to be perused by the commission before he continues presenting. He is expected to do this in a week's time.

Gibson should be prosecuted for 'race hate' book -IAC tells hearing
Stabroek News, Thursday, April 15th 2004 (local news section)

The Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) yesterday began its hearing into an allegation by the Indian Arrival Committee (IAC) that the publication "The Cycle of Racial Oppression in Guyana", written by Dr. Kean Gibson, is peddling and spreading racial hatred between Guyana's principal ethnic groups.

IAC Executive member, Evan Radhay Persaud, testified under oath before the commission about 40 of 48 excerpts selected from Gibson's book which are deemed offensive by the IAC.

Persaud, in opening remarks preceding his testimony, said it was the IAC's suggestion that if the commission's findings at the end of the inquiry correspond with the IAC's arguments, then the commission ought to submit these to the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions for prosecutorial action to be taken against the author.

According to Persaud's testimony, Gibson's portrayal of Africans in Guyana being marginalised by a Hindu regime and her comparison of the treatment of Africans by Hindus/Indo-Guyanese to that of European racism is "historically false, malicious, wicked, race hate propaganda".

"In her obsessive quest to set the stage for race war, Gibson deliberately seeks to equate what she calls racist practices in Guyana with the most odious and contemptible practices that took place during fascist rule in continental Europe during the twentieth century," Persaud charged.

He pointed out that there are Africans in Guyana who hold some of the highest offices in the land including Prime Minister Sam Hinds, Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon, Opposition and PNCR Leader Robert Corbin, Chancellor of the Judiciary, Desiree Bernard and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Dr. James Rose.

He said that contrary to the position in Dr. Gibson's book, Hinduism is not an ideology but a great, ancient religion and further, Gibson's attempts to link Dr. Cheddi Jagan, late President and Leader of the PPP to a philosophy that upheld the principles of Hinduism was among other things "nonsensical" since Dr. Jagan was known to be a Marxist/Socialist follower.

According to Persaud, tension between Guyana's two major ethnic groups started in 1838 with the Europeans and was not instigated by Jagan supporters against Burnham supporters during the pre-independence era as is suggested in Gibson's book.

He noted that evidence suggests that Guyanese of all ethnic groups pursue higher learning at the University of Guyana and that the state endorses the free practice of all major religions in Guyana.

Persaud told the commission that persons from ethnic groups other than Indians practise