From: charan@crchh448.BNR.CA (Cliff Shivcharan)
Subject: Guyana: Angolans enter Guyana ILLEGALLY.
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1993 19:42:41 GMT
Reply-To: charan@crchh448.BNR.CA (Cliff Shivcharan)
Organization: Bell-Northern Research Ltd.

Latest news indicate that at least 7 Angolans have entered Guyana 
illegaly. Some entered via the Brasil-Guyana border while 3 were flown
in from Caracas at the REQUEST of the Guyana Gov't. These people are
CLAIMING to be "political" refugees and are former UNITA members. They 
claim that they "fear" for their lives if they were returned to Angola.
A representative of the UN High Commission for Refugees will be going to
Guyana shortly to interview the "refugees". None of the 7 speak English,
according to the report.

To ALL Guyanese out there in NETLand, how do you feel on this issue? 
Should these people be given asylum in Guyana? Are they REAL political 
refugees? Etc etc...

Let me start the discussion by saying that I OPPOSE the granting of 
asylum to them and I do so for the following reasons:

1. I question the judgement of the Angolans for choosing Guyana to seek
   asylum. Anyone who knows anything about Guyana, knows that the country 
   is desperately POOR after 28 years of PNC Gov't. They would have been 
   better off in Brasil. They will find that instead of political
   retribution, they will face a climate of poor housing, a health care 
   system that turn out more corpses that healthy individuals and 
   all others that are the result of bad management - legacy of the PNC.
   The point is - Guyana has enough problems of its own to take on the 
   additional problems of asylum for refugees.

2. UNITA was a CREATION of the USA, created to combat the then Socialist
   Gov't of the MPLA. As a taxpayer, MY tax dollars went to the liberation
   struggle in Africa including the civil war in Angola, compliments of 
   the PNC (support went to the MPLA). The PPP had tacitly supported the MPLA,
   having come from the same Socialist/Communist ideology. In recently held
   elections, the UNITA was SOUNDLY beaten by the MPLA. However, despite 
   the declarations of the observers that the elections were FREE and FAIR,
   Jonas Savimbi, head of UNITA, refused to accept the results claiming 
   electorial fraud. This was after the MPLA OFFERED to share power with
   UNITA. However, he adopted an ALL OR NOTHING attitude and went into the 
   jungle to continue the civil war.
    The point here is - willingly or unwillingly, I supported the MPLA.
   So did the PPP!! To now turn around and grant asylum to UNITA supporters
   is a BETRAYAL of that support to the MPLA and Angola. 

3. In light of Guyana's problems, to give these people asylum would 
   most likely create a dangerous precedent and could probably open the
   flood gates. Guyana has its OWN political refugees. I say get those 
   Guyanese, who fled Burnham's tyrannical rule, home first before looking 
   to help others. CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME. If you don't believe me, just
   look where Bush is now and why Clinton is President of the US.

In conclusion, I feel that since UNITA was a creation of the USA, then the
Guyana Gov't should send the Angolans to the USA or return them to Brasil.
After Brasil was also a former Portuguese colony. They would feel at home 
there.

I would really like to hear the comments of ALL GUYANESE on the NET.

Regards,
Cliff.
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Cliff B. Shivcharan
Bell Northern Resaearch Inc.
R&D Subsidiary of Northern Telecom Ltd.
Richardson TX 75083

All opinions are soley mine and DO NOT reflect those of my employer.
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