Posted June 8th. 2009

This article first appeared in the July 2, 1995 edition of the Caribbean Daylight newspaper

The report that Guyana's Attorney General has formally recommended to his government that an inquiry into the murder of Walter Rodney be held within the next few months represents a big step closer to justice for the slain hero. This development also represents a victory for those forces that have fought bravely and tirelessly these past fifteen years for such an inquiry. That the PPP government is moving forward with the inquiry is no sign of that party's sudden respect for Walter Rodney. Rather, it is a result of intense pressure by Rodneyites including the hunger strike by Rodney's son, Shaka, in December, 1993.

The PPP has been willing to play games with this Rodney inquiry. Many of us are certain that the PPP has made a deal with the PNC on this issue in order to guarantee itself a chance to rule without disruption by the former ruling party. It's no secret that the PNC is guilty of Rodney's murder and that the intellectual authors still occupy high positions in the party. Such a situation is unacceptable. How can Guyanese in all conscience continue to embrace as leaders the murderers? of a hero? Sure, not all PNC leaders are guilty, but insofar as the party remains silent on the issue, they must all bear the responsibility.

Some people continue to ask what good will an inquiry do. Well, if it does nothing else, it would confirm the PNC's guilt and put to rest the lies that party has pedaled for fifteen years in its quest to cover up the truth. We know that Gregory Smith made and delivered the bomb. But who gave the orders? Those men are still at large and can strike again. Remember the saying: those who forget the lessons of the past are condemned to repeat them. Any society that does not purge itself of "assassins of conversation" to quote Martin Carter, will forever be haunted. The intellectual authors of Rodney's murder must be put before the court of law.

Every Guyanese is responsible for Walter's murder. We did not do enough to protect him from the evildoers. We gave comfort to his murderers. As recent as October 1992, we gave them our votes. Even some of us who mourned his death have not done enough to ensure he gets the honor he deserves. Whenever I meet people form all parts of the world who express respect for Walter Rodney, I am reminded of how much we Guyanese have taken his contributions for granted.

Walter Rodney died fighting for the liberation of his country from the shackles of dictatorship. He could have sat in the halls of universities, written books and theorize on the struggle. He could have left Guyana when it became obvious that his life was in danger. Worst yet, he could have collaborated with the PNC in the name of African solidarity. He could have joined the PPP as an "Honorary African" or a "Civic" and be Cheddi's deputy. But he did not. He instead immersed himself in the ranks of his people, the working poor, and in so doing became an instant target of those on the left and right.

Guyanese do not fully appreciate the treasure Walter Rodney is. His works continue to influence black, brown and white minds all over the world. While others soak themselves in Rodneyism and use it as a tool to express and develop themselves and their societies, some Guyanese continue to babble foolishness about "He was a good intellectual but a bad politician." Shame!

Any man or woman who fights on the side of the downpressed and is willing to give his or her life for their cause is a good politician. Any man or woman who stands up against evil is a good politician. It's those who oppress and murder people and make deals to preserve their personal power that are bad politicians. It's those who dirty the name of politics that are bad politicians. It's time we stop this ignorant talk. Every time I hear Guyanese, in particular African Guyanese, asking whether Rodney was "smart enough", I want to vomit. Such people are ungrateful. They are what the Rastas call "Crazy Baldheads."

At the risk of vexing some historians, I say that Walter Rodney is unique. He is the only Guyanese leader since Emancipation that has been able to inspire booth major races together in one struggle. He is the only, I repeat only, leader who symbolizes that potential united front. Not even Jagan during the 1947-53 did that. Jagan was an integral part of a united front, but he did not symbolize that unity. This is not a comparison of Rodney and Jagan. It is an affirmation of the uniqueness of Rodney.

Let me say something else. One of Rodney's shining legacies is the party he belonged to: the Working People's Alliance (WPA). The WPA, despite its inadequacies, is the only political party in our history that has demonstrated a capacity to lead the struggle to heal our racial wounds. The PPP of 1953? That party represented a giant step forward at that time, but history has shown that it was an uneasy alliance. The WPA is more than that. It is carrying forward the unfinished agenda of the 1953 PPP and it has been doing so for sixteen years without a split in its leadership. The building block and mortar is Rodneyism.

Guyanese are slow to realize the potential in their midst for we are too easily swayed by racial considerations. Any society in 1995 that has a Clive Thomas running for public office is lucky. The best brains have long given up on "the people" and "the struggle" and are busy making money. But when the society does not, and cannot bring itself to use the skills of a Clive Thomas at the level of a government, it is in serious trouble. This is not about academics; it's about the necessary skills needed in this ever-changing world. So long as we continue to put our destiny in the hands of crooks, deal makers, assassins and power grabbers, we will continue as a to degenerate into irrelevance.

Guyanese wake up! Look at Dominica and Grenada. They use elections to put new blood in the seat of power. And St. Kitts will soon follow. We are probably the only country in the world today that boasts of having the anti-colonial leader of 40 years ago as our leader in this information age.

The struggle for a Rodney inquest is instructive in another important way. There is no progress without struggle. Walter himself constantly invoked that sentiment, expressed so eloquently by the African American freedom fighter, Frederick Douglas. Those who wonder why we spend so much time and space on Rodney must understand that if we sat on our laurels and didn't keep the issue alive there would have been no movement by the government. We owe no apologies for fighting to make Walter Rodney officially recognized in his own country. We owe no apologies for seeking to educate our young people about one of the intellectual and revolutionary geniuses of the 20th century and letting them know that they are the offsprings of that genius. If our Caribbean is to produce more Walter Rodneys, then our people, especially the children, MUST know Walter Rodney like the palm of their hands.

If the example of Rodney is held up before more of our young people, then less of them will turn to drug abuse, drug dealing, prostitution, and hustling. There is a link between a society's history and awareness of its treasures and its social condition. That's why this struggle for the soul of Rodney is a struggle for the soul of Guyana and the Caribbean. We all must become involved. If each person who reads this column simply sends a letter to the Guyana embassies and to the President expressing a desire for justice for Rodney, then the government will know that they have to get up and get. What is at stake here is the dignity of Guyanese. Some people may not like to hear this, but it is the truth: Non Guyanese have done more to honor the name and life of Walter Rodney then Guyanese. But it's not too late to join the battle.

What we want is a clean, impartial inquiry into Walter Rodney's murder. We MUST ensure that the government does not continue to drag its feet. We also want Rodney's books and other works to be used in Guyana's school system. We want a public holiday in Rodney's honor so that our people will know that they have heroes too. Some people have already taken up the challenge to put a Rodney book in their homes. Now is your turn to join. We will not rest until his murderers are appropriately dealt with.

David Hinds lectures in Caribbean and African Diaspora Studies at Arizona State University in the USA. His writings on Politics in Guyana and the Caribbean can be found on his GuyanaCaribbeanPolitics.com website.