A/HRC/10/11/Add.2 page 9 that it is a result of this violence that thousands of people were forced to abandon their homes and possessions and migrated internally, leaving what were ethnically mixed villages, and migrated to those with the majority of their own racial group. 16. In 1964, despite PPP claims of electoral fraud, the PNC under Forbes Burnham joined forces with the Portuguese-led United Force to form a coalition government. Guyana achieved independence on 26 May 1966, and became the Co-operative Republic of Guyana on 23 February 1970. The PNC held power until 1992, amid allegations of vote rigging. Forbes Burnham died in 1985, enabling the accession of Desmond Hoyte to the office of President. International pressure for the re-establishment of free and fair elections increased. In October 1992, in an internationally monitored election again marred by violence, the PPP-Civic alliance was returned to government, with Dr. Jagan as president once again, reversing the long political domination of the Afro-Guyanese PNC party. The PPP-Civic has retained power to the present day despite counter-accusations by the PNC of rigging of elections and subsequent political protests and boycotts. The 2006 election was documented by independent monitors to have been the most peaceful in decades and State and non-State actors were acknowledged for their contribution to its success. 17. The present Government asserts that Guyana emerged from a 28-year dictatorship by the PNC which carried out institutionalized discrimination on the basis of ethnicity and political affiliation. It claims that the PNC government discriminated against all other races, but especially Indo-Guyanese, and all supporters of the then opposition parties. II. POLITICAL PARTICIPATION OF MINORITIES 18. According to the vast majority of those consulted by the independent expert, political polarization and ethnically based political parties in Guyana are corrosive forces in Guyanese society. Criticism of Guyana’s electoral system and calls for the establishment of a constitutionally based shared government were widely expressed. Since Guyana’s political parties are highly ethnicized, the current proportional representation system inevitably creates government dominated by one ethnic group. Most within the Afro-Guyanese community (around 30.2 per cent) felt that the numerical advantage of the Indo-Guyanese, which represent 43.5 per cent of the population with a favourable demographic trend for the near future, effectively excludes the largely Afro-Guyanese PNC from regaining government through the ballot box. 19. Additionally, women in all parties are grossly underrepresented. Notwithstanding constitutional provisions and legislation setting quotas for the number of women on electoral lists9 women’s participation in political processes remains generally well below acceptable levels despite notable senior government appointments of women. 20. Several commentators noted that they have made consistent calls for consideration of shared governance arrangements as an essential component of a more representative government and as an important conflict prevention measure. However, they consider that little progress has 9 There is a requirement for 30 per cent of those on electoral lists to be women.