By Celestine Chacon
November 18, 2024
Today marks the 46th anniversary of the Jonestown Massacre, one of the most devastating events in Guyana’s history.
Over 900 people lost their lives in the People’s Temple settlement on November 18, 1978, leaving an indelible mark on the country and the world.
Charles Leung, now 72 years old and a former laborer for the People’s Temple, recounted the traumatic events during an interview with NCN News.
At the time of the massacre, Leung was 26 and living near the settlement with his family in Port Kaituma.
Leung recalled the moment he first became aware of the tragedy. He and his wife were at home when the sound of gunfire shattered the quiet afternoon.
His two children, who had ventured near the airstrip, came running back in panic, shouting that “white people” were shooting.
Despite the fear, Leung approached the airstrip, only to discover five lifeless bodies on the ground amid the chaos of screams and shouting.
As news spread, the scale of the horror became evident: hundreds of People’s Temple members had died after consuming cyanide-laced drinks on the orders of their leader, Jim Jones.
The massacre transformed the People’s Temple into a graveyard and left an enduring legacy of tragedy in Guyana’s history.