GROWING INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE ON GOVERNMENT OF GUYANA
Nelson Mandela’s Widow, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Three Nobel Peace Prize Winners, Norway
Among Latest to Call for Legal Completion of Region 4 Count News of Guyana’s alleged electoral fraud continues to gain the attention of the international community.
On Thursday, 6 March, the Elders – a group established by Nelson Mandela to work for peace and human rights – joined fast-growing calls for GECOM to return to following Guyana’s laws in counting the votes from Monday’s election.
In a statement on Twitter, the Elders said “[we] join the international community in calling on all sides in the Guyana General Election to respect the rule of law and allow the electoral process to be
completed without interference. Nothing but the will of Guyana’s voters should determine the
country’s future.”
The Elders statement was issued on behalf of Nelson Mandela’s widow, Graca Machel; Nobel Peace Prize Winners Desmond Tutu, Ellen Sirleaf-Johnson, Juan Manuel Santos; the former President of Ireland and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson; former
Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban ki-Moon and other global leaders.
Norway – Guyana’s largest bilateral funder – also joined with others from the international
community. Norway’s Ambassador to Guyana, Nils Martin Genneng, said “Norway shares concerns
expressed regarding recent electoral developments in Guyana. The final election results needs to be
credible and transparent.” The Norwegian Government supported the statement issued by the observers from the OAS, Commonwealth, CARICOM, European Union and the Carter Center.
Norway’s US$250 million bilateral agreement with Guyana contains provisions to seek the return of
this money from the Government of Guyana if Guyana’s Government becomes illegitimate.
