Remembering Jonestown

November 18, 2008 will mark 30 years since the tragedy at Jonestown, Guyana.

I just want to pay my own little tribute to the 913 people who died that day.

I have added links where you can get a lot of information on what happened on that fateful day. There is also a video on Youtube entitled "Jonestown:The Life and Death of Peoples Temple - Trailer". If you wish you can have a look.

According to one website, after Jim Jones moved his People's Temple to Guyana, he rejected the Holy Bible and turned to radical teachings. Probably if he had maintained the teachings of the Bible he would have succeeded in what he was trying to achieve - something closely resembling the Promised Land.

To the families of the victims who died I just want to say to have faith and try to understand that one day you will be united with your families again.

Remember what God tells us in Isaiah 45:5: "I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from me there is no god."

About 730,000 people live in Guyana. About 90 percent of the population inhabits the narrow coastland area. However, the indigenous inhabitants, the Amerindians continue to live in the savannahs and the highland region.

Guyana is often referred to as the land of six peoples, reflecting the multi-ethnic composition of its population. The largest ethnic group is the East Indians (about 51 percent), descendants of indentured laborers from India, followed by the Africans (38 percent). The other ethnic groups are the Chinese, the Europeans (mostly Portuguese) and the Amerindians. The Portuguese came as indentured laborers from Madeira, the Azores and Cape Verde. During the colonial era, they were regarded as a separate group from the other Europeans (mainly British), no doubt because of their origins as indentured laborers. This practice underlines the notion of six peoples. There is also a large racially mixed group.

About one-third of the population lives in towns. Georgetown, the capital, is situated on the coast, on the right bank of the Demerara river, one of the three main rivers flowing into the Atlantic Ocean. Other important towns are Anna Regina, Corriverton, Rose Hall and New Amsterdam, all located along the coastline, and Linden, a bauxite mining town, about 65 miles inland on the Demerara River.

The official language of Guyana is English. Creolese, an English-based creole, is widely used as a language of informal communication. The Amerindians have maintained their many dialects. Hindi and Urdu are used almost exclusively for religious purposes by Hindus and Muslims, respectively. Guyana is a secular state with religious freedom guaranteed to all under the Constitution. The three main religions are Christianity, Hinduism and Islam.

(Information taken from ‘The Guyana Worldwide Web Handbook')