This publication has been made aware of three Tiktok videos which show a child of about 4 or 5 years old being forcefully taken away from her maternal family. Court orders were served to the relatives on the mother’s side ordering them to hand over the child to the father. The child’s maternal family say they did not have an opportunity to contest the matter in court.
It is highly evident from the videos that an injustice was served here from Guyana’s “justice system.” The contents of the video provide strong evidence that the young girl is already in good care with her mother.
Further, the child explicitly stated that she “does not want to go” with the father. This child has been traumatized and this trauma was inflicted on her by her father backed by the state security apparatus. There is a saying that goes, “when a child tells you that they are not comfortable around an adult, listen!” Here, a child’s desperate cries fell on deaf ears.
This father should understand that, despite the differences between him and the mother of his child, a child’s biological mother is generally (with rare exceptions) the best person to raise that child and should be allowed to do so unless they prove incapable in some shape or form. He would do himself, the child, and the mother of his child a favor by returning that child and by giving the child’s mother full support in the upbringing of their daughter.
Team Guyana, South America calls on the Rights of the Child Commission, the President of Guyana, Dr. Irfaan Ali, First Lady Arya Ali, and all other relevant and capable offices/organizations, to investigate this matter thoroughly and help to roll back the injustice meted out here.
