While all Guyana’s Presidents and Opposition Leaders have promoted religious harmony, Presidents Bharrat Jagdeo and Irfaan Ali have been champions and cheerleaders for religious harmony and for religion to be a part of the social and economic progress of our people. President Jagdeo and President Ali have, not only in words but also by deeds, given visibility to religion as a platform for social and economic development in Guyana.
Azruddin Mohamed, Guyana’s present Leader of the Opposition, who is fighting to avoid extradition to answer serious criminal charges in America, has become the first political leader to seek division in our country based on religion. The Guyanese people have already resoundingly rejected this reprehensible attempt to sow division among our people.
Religious diversity is a central element of Guyana’s national identity. Religious tolerance and religious harmony are very much part of Guyana’s rich multiculturalism. Guyana is globally admired for how religious harmony is woven into Guyana’s national identity. Any political party which promotes or any political leader who embraces religious intolerance is being disrespectful and, in fact, is violating the laws of Guyana. The Ethnic Relations Commission has been tasked with the responsibility of ensuring this does not happen.
Guyanese recently celebrated, together, the Hindu festival of Phagwah. This week we will join our Muslim sisters and brothers to celebrate Eid. Tomorrow, March 19, we will join our Bahai sisters and brothers as they celebrate their holy day, bringing their fasting period to an end. Easter is rapidly approaching, and Guyanese from across the country, regardless of religious affiliation, will join in its celebration.
Guyana has for most of our modern history been a beacon for religious harmony. We generally not only respect each other’s religion, but we also join in celebrating each other’s faith and celebration of that faith. Guyana’s constitution and our holiday laws guarantee high levels of religious tolerance, harmony, and multiculturalism. The diverse population, largely composed of Christian (64 per cent), Hindu (25 per cent), and Muslim (seven per cent) faiths, frequently celebrates festivities together, promoting a peaceful, respectful atmosphere.
Recently, Azruddin Mohamed, as Leader of the Opposition, expressed bewilderment that there are persons who are gays and lesbians allowed to enter mosques. It was no problem for a man who is wanted by America for serious crimes, but not for persons who he believes should be an outcast. At the time, he became the chief spokesperson for homophobia in Guyana. He later explained that he was referring to only two Ministers of Government. He did not explain why an openly gay Minister was singled out, nor did he explain why he deemed another as gay. Whether it is one gay person, or two gay persons, or an unknown number of gay persons, it is reprehensible for the Leader of the Opposition to declare that any person, based on religion, culture, ethnicity or sexual preference, is barred from a mosque or any public place. That is not our Guyana.
Now some of Azruddin Mohamed’s supporters and party members have jumped on the bandwagon of religious intolerance and hate. Social media is now being bombarded with postings from Azruddin’s supporters and party members bemoaning the fact that non-Muslims participate in the service in many mosques around the country. In particular, the attacks are targeting non-Muslim Ministers from the PPP. This is despicable, and this is not Guyana.
When Bharat Jagdeo became President in 1999, he ensured that interfaith celebration became part of governance in Guyana. He held annual interfaith services at State House and held frequent consultations with religious groups both separately with each religion and together in interfaith discussions. This has remained largely part of the governance style of the PPP. President Irfaan Ali has continued and elevated that policy-based practice to ensure the strong presence of religion in our society. Previous Presidents, such as President Forbes Burnham, President Desmond Hoyte, President Cheddi Jagan, President Sam Hinds, President Janet Jagan, President Donald Ramotar, and President David Granger, have similarly promoted religious harmony.
On a visit to the Saraswati Vidya Niketan Hindu School in West Demerara in early 2017, when all political parties were represented, President David Granger stated, “Guyana is a model of interfaith harmony. The religious diversity which we enjoy has never degenerated into violent and murderous conflict… A culture of cooperation in a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-religious society can be sustained only by ensuring that there are guarantees of religious freedom, of policies which protect against religious discrimination and of programmes which promote social cohesion.”
In May 2024, President Ali accepted an invitation and attended an event hosted by the Assemblies of God Church. Some members of the PNC utilised the letter columns in two newspapers to criticise President Ali for attending a Christian church event. That attack was based on the claim by the PNC that the largely Christian Afro-Guyanese population belongs to the PNC. Their narrative was that the PPP was Hindu and, therefore, should not attempt to participate in Christian events.
Fortunately, at that time, Christians in general and those who belonged to the Assemblies of God rejected the reckless attempt to spew religious division and hate. In the aftermath of Azruddin Mohamed’s homophobic attack and his attempt to use Muslims and the mosques as a platform for hate-mongering, Muslims and Guyanese in general have vehemently rejected this call, and the call faces an ignominious end. Guyanese believe that this kind of behaviour is not for Guyana. This is not our Guyana.