Dear Editor,

Please permit me to respond to these statements-"A recent letter by Khem Harrinarine in the Stabroek News said that Guyanese everywhere are proud of Minister Ronald Gajraj. Well, we are certainly not. In fact we are alarmed and ashamed at the Guyana government". -Alan Zaakir/Toronto 06/02/04.

First of all I never said that "Guyanese everywhere are proud of Minister Ronald Gajraj". What I did say is that he is being hailed as a hero (by those who have been victims of crime) at home and abroad. Mr. Zaakir must realise that the "allegations" being made against the Minister are mere "allegations". Foreign government should not intervene in the internal affairs of a nation.

The Americans can be very hypocritical when they are deal with nations. Currently in China there has been on going human rights violations. Why are the Americans silent on this issue since they are supposed to be "guardians of democracy". They are still doing an enormous amount of business with the Chinese. Who speaks for (1) 

40year old Aiquing Zhu, arrested and jailed for 20 years, just for preaching the gospel in 2000, 

(2)

Baishun Bao, arrested and jailed for 4 years, his crime preaching the gospel, 

(3) 

Daoxing Shen, 61 year old arrested in 2002, jailed for 5 years for preaching the gospel 

(4) Jiang Mao Chen, 70 year old arrested and jailed for 4 years for preaching the gospel. Isn't it terrible that you can't talk about God to people in China, Zaakir!

I have only mention four individual here but the list is endless and everyday this is happening in China, the second largest trading partner of America. Why are they so silent when innocent citizens are being violated every day. The Americans do have blood on their hands for being a silent partner of crimes against Christians in China.

The Canadian government stood idly by and allowed Talisman International a Canadian own company to operate in Sudan for many years funding a war against Christians in Southern Sudan. After 20 years and over a million dead, Talisman finally left Sudan. Why was the Canadian government so silent? What crimes did the innocent people of Southern Sudan commit?

The Minister of Home Affairs have only been accused and the American, British and Canadian embassies jumped right into the "fray". No one has been charged. No one have come forward to make any statement to the police. All mere allegations and already they have acted. Yet still in nations where they are doing business they are prepared to look the other way and do business, however in Guyana they all appear to have a different standard. This disturbs me and it should disturb all Guyanese citizens. The fact that a known criminal can come and make "allegations" and these embassies would not hesitate to act in such a presumptous manner.

The Canadian government was silent for many years on the Talisman issue despite pleas from the southern Sudanese not  to not fund the war. The Americans have a large amount of business dealing in China despite being aware that innocent people are being killed and jailed every day.  In the Gajraj affair they were prepared to act and to act quickly on mere allegations. You cannot convict a man on mere allegations, you must bring forward hard evidence, you must show that the Minister's conversation was incriminating. In most of these cases it is usually "he say, she say" and that's all it is, Baccuhus can say anything but can his allegations be proven in a court of law. Was the Minister's conversations recorded?? Having knowledge of criminal activities does not make you a criminal, Zaakir. If that was so then most of the people in Buxton should be in jail.

Thanks,

Khem Harrinarine.