Dear Editor,
Guyana scholar Dr. Rupert Roopnarine, brilliant academic and orator, was a towering figure in post-independence politics. Rupert’s writings and his contributions against authoritarianism allowed him to gain much popularity in Guyana and the diaspora. For his struggle, he suffered decades of abuse as did several others who were involved in the struggle. A dark spot was his silence during the 2020 attempted rigging. The country owes Rupert a debt of gratitude for his contributions to restoring democracy in 1992, deserving of the nation’s highest honors.
As I learn, he battled illness with fortitude, dignity, and bravery just as he lived. No amount of mental and physical torture deterred him, and several of us, from the relentless struggle to restore democracy to the homeland which eventually came in 1992 after 24 years of authoritarian rule. Rupert and several of us joined Cheddi Jagan in that struggle.
Rupert, as we called him, was a man of impeccable integrity. His honesty was (is) in the same league as Cheddi and Janet Jagan, Boysie Ramkaran, Eusi Kwayana, Omowale, Fenton Ramsahoye, Ravi Dev, Baytoram Ramharack, Vassan Ramracha, among others.
He contributed immensely to the struggle for democracy, combating electoral rigging and being physically abused like several of us although in last couple years as a Minister (2018-2020), he was silent when people were victimized on account of race and political affiliation and when attempts were made to rig the election. Nevertheless, Rupert was a tall figure.
My first encounter with Dr. Roopnarine was on the Corentyne during student protests. He rendered invaluable support to us during the October 1976 student protest that I co-led at Corentyne High School and the student uprising in January and February 1977 that I also co-led at CHS and that spread across the Corentyne. Dr. Roopnarine, Walter Rodney, Kwayana, Omowale, Moses Bhagwan, and others joined our protests in solidarity and offered much encouragement for our resilience against a violation of rights of students to form student societies or clubs. Faculty who supported our struggle were victimized resulting in the students two months protest.
In my several encounters, I found Rupert to be a repository of wisdom and knowledge. Ravi Dev and I engaged him jointly and I alone several times at Rodney House on Croal Street during the 1980s when we flew down from NY during our academic breaks. It was a period of widespread fear and activists avoided public protests. We discussed various issues. We also talked about strategies on how to combat the dictatorship and restore democracy. Baytoram Ramharack also had engagements with Rupert for his studies and for polling; Baytoram and a few of us founded TRPI which was attacked by the non-accomplished Kissoon. Rupert praised our activism and contributions to the struggle against the dictatorship and for free and fair elections. Although he objected to findings of our polls, he respected our independence and professionalism. We joined Rupert at several protests holding picket signs with a number of opposition figures, including Cheddi. I interviewed Rupert, as I did Kwayana and Cheddi, among others, for my academic research. Rupert made accessible several WPA’s literature that I still possess. I still have Contact publications with his photo emblazoned following his arrest for arson.
Through the work of Rupert, Kwayana, and others, I was motivated to make financial contributions to the WPA as I did also to PPP, URP, DLM, and others. Dev and I also engaged Kwayana, Ameer and Wazir Mohamed and Moses Bhagwan, all of whom played very important role in the struggle. Tacuma Ogunseye and David Hinds were also seen working closely with Rupert and the others. Tacuma and David were also brutalized and locked up for an extended period for opposing authoritarian rule.
It is well known that Rupert’s vehicle was routinely vandalized as was that of Dr Clive Thomas and other activists. He, Rodney, and Omowale, were arrested, charged, and spent time in jail by the dictatorship for arson although they were subsequently found not guilty on trial.
Rupert was a champion of gender equality and racial unity. The country will always remember Rupert for his very simple personality. May his belief in unity, inclusiveness, and the power of knowledge continue to guide us, and may his memory continue to inspire us to strive for decency and uphold the democratic values he cherished prior to 2018 no confidence vote.