Ukraine an eastern European country sharing a border with Russia, was once a member
of the Soviet Union until it became an independent nation in 1991. Russian President Vladimir
Putin has always viewed Ukraine as a part of Russia. In 2014, invaded Crimea, in the south of
Ukraine, and continues to occupy it. More than 14,000 people have perished in a confrontation
between Russian-backed separatists and Ukraine's armed forces in the eastern regions of Donetsk
and Luhansk since 2014.
A Ukrainian inter-state case against Russia was largely deemed admissible by the
European Court of Human Rights in January. The court acknowledged that Russia has
maintained "effective authority" over Crimea since 2014, clearing the path for Russian violators
of the European Convention on Human Rights during its annexation of the peninsula to be held
accountable. Human Rights Watch has recorded multiple examples of Russian military forces
violating the rules of war against civilians in Ukraine's seized districts of Chernihiv, Kharkiv,
and Kyiv. Between February 27 and March 14, 2022, there was a case of serial rape; two cases
of summary execution, one of six individuals and the other of one man; and additional
occurrences of unlawful violence and threats against people. Soldiers have also been accused of
stealing food, clothes, and firewood from civilians. The perpetrators of these atrocities are guilty
of human rights violation and war crimes.
The United Nations General Assembly voted to suspend Russia from the Human Rights
Council, citing claims of "gross and systemic breaches and abuses of human rights" as a result of
its troops' invasion of Ukraine. Guyana was among 58 other countries that abstained from the
process. According to a statement made by President Ali to media houses, Guyana remains
opposed to the war and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. However, the choice of abstention was
taken based on the fact that before deciding, the government is awaiting the results of two sets of
interactions, one at the UN and the other at Caricom (iNews, 2022).
While the statement made by President Ali is diplomatic and politically correct. A
discussion can be made that Guyana’s abstention from the voting process was made so as to
remain neutral as a result of their international relations. It can be speculated that the reason for
this stance is due to Guyana’s long-standing relationship with China who voted against Russia
being suspended. Furthermore, China has positioned itself to play a significant role in Guyana's
future that is not limited to the oil and gas industry. While the amount of US firms' grip over
Guyana's GDP is startling, Guyana's close relationship with China has the potential to drive US
dominance out of the area. The need to maintain a cordial partnership with both nations would
dictate that the most prudent option for Guyana, is to remain neutral.
Reference
Ellis, E. (2021, December 3). Chinese engagement in Guyana: An update. Global Americans.
Retrieved April 28, 2022, from https://theglobalamericans.org/2021/11/china-guyanaupdate/
Https://www.inewsguyana.com/president-explains-guyanas-decision-to-abstain-on-vote-toremove-russia-from-un-human-rights-council/. (2022). INews. Retrieved April 28, 2022,
from https://www.inewsguyana.com/president-explains-guyanas-decision-to-abstain-onvote-to-remove-russia-from-un-human-rights-council/.
Ukraine: Apparent war crimes in Russia-controlled areas. Human Rights Watch. (2022, April
18). Retrieved April 28, 2022, from https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/04/03/ukraineapparent-war-crimes-russia-controlled-areas
World Report 2022: Rights trends in Ukraine. Human Rights Watch. (2022, January 13).
Retrieved April 28, 2022, from https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2022/countrychapters/ukraine#:~:text=A%20January%20European%20Court%20of,right%20to%20libe
rty%20and%20security