Iwokrama decries use of its forest for trafficking of persons
The Iwokrama International Centre for Rain Forest Conservation and Development (Iwokrama) has expressed concern regarding the use of its Forest and trails to engage in the trafficking of persons.
In a release yesterday, Iwokrama stated that it has been reliably informed that there are transport operators who are conducting illegal activities within the Iwokrama Forest. It mentioned an incident on June 13 where it was reported that two buses drove past “groups of aliens who most likely came from Brazil.”
In another incident on July 6, the police at the Centre’s ranger station at Corkwood discovered 3 illegal Brazilians on a bus. According to the information received, the bus was turned back and the illegals dropped off at a restaurant. The bus reportedly then turned around continued its way to Georgetown.
Iwokrama also disclosed that its staffers had “unearthed” yet another “disturbing” development within the Iwokrama Forest, a secret way of bypassing the monitoring stations and getting illegals past the police at Corkwood and Kurupukari. The Centre stated that a few days later, two persons where caught coming out of one of these trails - one Brazilian and one Guyanese. They were handed over to police and the Brazilian has since been deported. Investiga-tions are continuing on the detained Guyanese to assess whether or not he is a trafficker or guide.
The management of Iwokrama wishes it to be known that it views this situation seriously as it notes that trafficking of persons is not only criminal, but poses a serious health risk to community residents as well as residents of Georgetown and further afield.
The Centre reminds that the COVID-19 health situation is very serious and its management is requesting that transport providers exercise caution and pay attention to the situation at hand. There is currently an upsurge of cases in the Rupununi and most of these are linked to persons crossing the border.
Iwokrama management, in collaboration with the Guyana Police Force and the Ministry of Health, says it will now be closely monitoring all vehicles passing through the forest, adding, “If we find any road users complicit in acts of bringing illegal persons through the Iwokrama Forest or engaging in any other illegal activity, we will be working with these authorities to ban these vehicles from passing through the Iwokrama Forest for at least THREE months in the first instance.”
It also informed that the Ministries of Health and Citizenship will also be taking action as well so that those passengers and traffickers will be dealt with to the full extent of the law. “Further infractions will lead to more draconian action including a permanent ban of such vehicles from entering the Iwokrama Forest,” the release also stated.