Chinese Landing residents block mining machinery in land rights standoff

Residents of Chinese Landing in Guyana are engaged in a standoff against mining interests attempting to enter disputed, titled Indigenous lands. Led by Toshao Nikita Miller, the community has established a 24-hour blockade at the Tassawini access point to prevent heavy machinery associated with miner Wayne Vieira from entering the area.

The Village Council reports that at least nine excavators, two bulldozers, and several dredge engines were brought into the vicinity without prior knowledge or permission. While operators claimed the equipment was intended for road and airstrip maintenance, residents identified the move as an attempt to expand mining operations. Following the blockade at Tassawini, villagers observed equipment being moved toward Kariako in an apparent attempt to bypass the resistance via another route.

The Amerindian Peoples Association (APA) has expressed solidarity with the village, condemning the incursion and calling for intervention by the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission. The APA stated that such developments reflect a concerning trend of mining operations disregarding the property rights of Indigenous Peoples. Miller has declined to participate in government-led mediation in Georgetown, arguing that a fair outcome is impossible while a power imbalance exists and equipment remains positioned for entry.