No. 7
The Embassy of the United States of America presents its compliments to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Guyana and wishes to express its concern about the status in Guyana of Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Stoen.
Timothy and Grace Stoen came to Guyana January 5 for the purpose of regaining custody of their child, John Stoen. They are seeking to do this under due process of the Guyanese legal system.
They have in their passports permits to stay in Guyana for a two week period ending January 19. They understood at the time they were issued those permits that if the litigation in which they were involved was not completed by January 19 they could apply for an extension of their stay. On January 11, however, an immigration officer came to their hotel and informed them that they would have to leave Guyana on Saturday, January 14. They were given no reason for this curtailment of their permission to stay in Guyana.
The Embassy believes it to be a matter of humanitarian concern that the Stoens be permitted to remain in Guyana until the judicial proceedings they have initiated to regain custody of their son have been completed and a decision by the court made public. Accordingly, as a matter of urgency, the Embassy would appreciate that the
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Ministry of Foreign Affairs inquire into this matter and use its good offices to obtain permission for the Stoens to remain in Guyana for the time necessary to complete their litigation.
The Embassy of the United States avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs the assurances of its highest consideration.
Embassy of the United States of America,
Georgetown, January 14, 1978.