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FM
Former Member

France provides Covid-19 relief to indigenous communities in Guyana

https://i2.wp.com/www.inewsguyana.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/indigenous.jpg?resize=696%2C464&ssl=1Guyana’s Minister of Education Priya Manickchand during an outreach to an indigenous community in Region One (Barima-Waini)

In the global pandemic, the indigenous communities living in the Amazon Forest are particularly vulnerable to Covid-19 which spreads severely fast in the region.

In response to a request for emergency aid to support indigenous peoples in the Amazon, France contributed US$2 million (1.8 million euros) to the β€œAmazon Emergency Fund”.

This donation went to COICA, Coordinator of Indigenous Organizations of the Amazon River Basin, an indigenous organization that focuses its efforts on the promotion, protection and security of indigenous peoples and territories through the defense of their ways of life,  principles, social, spiritual and cultural values.

The amount of the French donation was divided by COICA among eight states covered by the Amazonian Forest.

Therefore, Guyana received US$200,000 in financial help.

When the Covid-19 crisis hit Guyana, the NGO Amerindian Peoples Association (APA) raised concerns for indigenous communities that are isolated and experience limited access to health care services.

During July and August 2020, three regions which carry the majority population of indigenous peoples have been severely affected by the pandemic.

In addition to the disease, the villages suffer from shortage of food and medical supplies.

The Amerindian Peoples Association which promotes and defends the rights of indigenous peoples in Guyana for almost 30 years, has been chosen by COICA to coordinate and efficiently implement the French financial assistance.

Working hand in hand with local leaders, APA is focused on achieving self-sufficient food supply and improving health care systems. The immediate objectives are to provide humanitarian support, food relief, medication, sanitization supplies and to reinforce awareness on preventing the spread of the virus.

France’s support will provide immediate and necessary assistance for the benefits of 88 indigenous communities from all over Guyana, suffering from the disease and the negative impacts of the global pandemic.

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@cain posted:

Maybe it is thought the PPP are quite useless with assisting their people, the PPP instead assist the poor by flooding them out.

The PPP is very thoughtful about helping the Amerinds. It was Jagan's dream to modernize them. The PPP is now giving house lots to those who applied for them.  They will make available 10,000 house lots each year.

Cain, stop being dogmatic.

R

France gives Guyana US$200,000 in emergency aid for Indigenous communities

Oct 18, 2020 News, Source - https://www.kaieteurnewsonline...igenous-communities/

https://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/images/2020/10/ameri--1536x1024.jpgA group of Indigenous people from Deep South Rupununi (Photo Credit: Ministry of Amerindian Affairs)

Kaieteur News – The French government has given Guyana US$200,000 in emergency aid for Indigenous communities in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The French government stated that the immediate objectives of the fund are to provide access to humanitarian support, sufficient food, medication and sanitization supplies to prevent the spread of the virus within the communities. It was also stated that some amount of money will be used to boost the spread of awareness as it relates to COVID-19.

An example of this would be tackling language barriers which have been a prominent issue in Indigenous communities since the onset of the pandemic. Many of these communities are uneducated about the virus and its severity mainly because most guidelines and regulations are not published in Indigenous languages.

Guyana faced this issue, when Wapichan communities in the South Rupununi found themselves being in grave danger with an influx of COVID-19 cases. Guidelines were not being published in the Wapichan language so many of the communities were unfortunately ignorant about COVID-19 and its deadly effects.

The French government noted that they noticed the struggle these communities were facing, saying, β€œDuring July and August 2020, three regions which carry the majority population of indigenous peoples have been severely affected by the pandemic. In addition to the disease, the villages suffer from shortage of food and medical supplies.”

A source at the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs explained that the allocation was a part of a larger sum of US$2 million which was divided among eight states with Amazonian forests. The money was first given to the Coordinator of Indigenous Organizations of the Amazon River Basin (COICA) and they later distributed to those countries in need. The COICA functions as a body that protects Indigenous people and their territories, ensuring that they live a sustainable life.

The Amerindian People’s Association (APA) was selected by the organization to manage and implement the funds in 88 indigenous communities in Guyana. Over the past few months, the APA had been stressing how endangered these communities are amid a global pandemic and had called for more to be done for their protection.

The Ministry source stated that the APA will be working hand in hand with the Ministry and government to ensure the money is utilized wisely and, now that they have the funding, handling the spread of COVID-19 within Indigenous communities has become significantly easier.

FM
@Ramakant-P posted:

Now, why would a government encourage people to squat on lands that belong to GuySuko? Where were these people living before they invade the sugar lands at Success?

The PPP wanted to embarrass the PNC for toppling them. The PPP encouraged them to do that in Topu, Gangaram, Rose Hall Canje, Enmore , Lenora etc. ect. ect. Look at the inhuman way those poor people being punished. Shame on the PPP for flooding and endangering children lives during the pandemic. PPP = Punishing Poor People.

Mitwah
@Mitwah posted:

The PPP wanted to embarrass the PNC for toppling them. The PPP encouraged them to do that in Topu, Gangaram, Rose Hall Canje, Enmore , Lenora etc. ect. ect. Look at the inhuman way those poor people being punished. Shame on the PPP for flooding and endangering children lives during the pandemic. PPP = Punishing Poor People.

What proof do you have that the PPP did those awful things to their supporters?

R

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