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Upper Takutu-Essequibo Region, Guyana

Region 9

Last modified: 2021-03-13 by rob raeside
Keywords: guyana | upper takutu-essequibo | rupununi |
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image located by Jason Saber, 7 June 2019



See also:


Overview

From "Emblems, Flags and Colours of the Regions of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana", apparently published by the Government of Guyana.

Upper Takutu-Essequibo - Region No. 9
The Kanuku and Kamoa highlands and the vast Rupununi savannahs make up the Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo region. The forested Kanuku Mountains divide this Region in two. The north savannahs are about 2,000 square miles in area, and the south savannahs are 2,500 square miles. The population of 15,087 lives in scattered Amerindian villages and land settlement schemes.

Because of the grassy savannahs, the Rupununi is considered to be 'cattle country'. Most of the cattle are farmed to produce beef, and a few are kept for milk. There are large ranches at Aishalton, Annai, Dadanawa and Karanambo. Much of the beef produced here is sold in neighbouring Brazil, because transportation to the other regions of Guyana, especially Region Four, is very expensive.

The people of this region also mine semiprecious stones among the foothills of the Kamoa Mountains and among the Marundi Mountains. A wide variety of craft is produced in many of the seventeen Amerindian villages, and sold mainly to Brazil.

In Region Nine, you can see the Giant River Otter, the Arapaima (the largest freshwater fish in the world) and the black Cayman.
Jason Saber, 7 June 2019


Flag Concept

The symbol is proposed to be the national bird, the Harpy Eagle in flight and the colours; green for forest wealth, red for zeal of the people and white for the water resources.
Jason Saber, 7 June 2019


Tricolor flag

image located by Jens Pattke, 9 June 2019
Source: https://demerarawaves.com


Rupununi

image by Olivier Touzeau, 1 February 2021

Rupununi is an informal region within Guyana's Region 9. It has its own flag, for the first time displayed in October 2017. Proposal and design of the flag was made by Charlo Melville and Yimochi Melville, local inhabitants https://www.facebook.com/visitrupununi/photos/499734283700837

Vanja Poposki, 26 February 2021

Rupununi Uprising, 1969

The Rupununi Uprising was a secessionist insurrection in Guyana in January 1969. It was recognized as the largest threat to Guyana's national security when Venezuela disputed territorial control of the Guayana Essequiba, amounting to two-thirds of Guyana's territory.

(summing up from Wikipedia):
Five months after Guyana's independence from the United Kingdom, Venezuelan troops began their occupation of Ankoko Island in October 1966. Subsequently, Forbes Burnham, as Prime Minister and Minister of External Affairs of Guyana, dispatched a protest to the Foreign Minister of Venezuela, demanding the withdrawal of Venezuelan troops. Venezuelan minister Ignacio Iribarren Borges replied stating "the Government of Venezuela rejects the aforementioned protest, because Anacoco Island is Venezuelan territory in its entirety and the Republic of Venezuela has always been in possession of it".
At the time, Venezuela used diplomatic, economic and military pressure against Guyana in order to acquire the Essequibo territory. Venezuelan actions to acquire Guyanese territory intensified in 1968, with militarization occurring on the Guyana-Venezuela border at the time. President Leoni declared an annexation of 9 miles of coastline in the Essequibo on 9 July 1968, stating that the Venezuelan Navy would enforce the area.
Following the 1968 Guyanese general election, Valerie Hart declared herself president of the "Republic of the Rupununi", claiming control of the Rupununi region of Guyana. The rebels were primarily ranch owners of European descent that were supported by Amerindians, who were mainly ranch employees. Venezuela supported and sponsored the Rupununi rebels and their secession movement. In an effort to receive support from Venezuela, Hart and her rebels stated that they would grant Venezuela control of Guyana's disputed Guayana Esequiba territory in exchange for assistance.
On 2 January 1969, rebels flew in a Douglas C-47 Skytrain operated by Venezuelan personnel to Pirara, Guyana, north of Lethem. Valerie Hart, the rebel leader, flew to Caracas aboard the Douglas C-47 Skytrain's returning flight. Rebels began their attacks on Lethem in the morning, killing five police officers and two civilians while also destroying buildings belonging to the Guyanese government with bazooka fire. The rebels locked citizens in their homes and blocked airfields in Lethem, Annai Good Hope, Karanambo and Karasabai, attempting to block staging areas for Guyanese troops.
As the Guyana Defence Force approached Lethem, the rebels quickly fled and the uprising ended. About thirty of the rebels were arrested following the uprising. Members of the failed uprising fled to Venezuela for protection, with Hart and her rebels being granted Venezuelan citizenship by birth since, according to the Venezuelan government, they were recognized as being born in what Venezuela described as "the Reclamation Zone".
When it was apparent that the uprising movement had failed, the Venezuelan government refused to further assist with the uprising and all support ended with the inauguration of Rafael Caldera on 11 March 1969. After the uprising, Venezuela President Rafael Caldera and Burnham were concerned with the reclamation of Guayana Esequiba. Their concern led to the Port of Spain Protocol in 1970.

Olivier Touzeau, 1 February 2021

image by Olivier Touzeau, 1 February 2021

According to this blog (maintained by supporters of Venezuelan sovereignty on the Essequibo region) :
http://esequibonuestro.blogspot.com/2012/02/simbolos-de-soberania.html
here is some information about the possible flag of the Rupununi.
"Its origin comes from the symbol of the Guyanese Amerindian Party (Guyana Amerindian Party), who in 1966 [....] rebelled on January 2, 1969 by taking the Lethem airport and declaring its annexation to Venezuela. [...] The white flag has a bow and arrow symbolizing the Amerindian race and the commitment to defend their land and customs."

Olivier Touzeau, 1 February 2021