Dear Editor,
Please permit me to express my view on a certain question in order to have some clarification and some degree of closure if possible. The question is around what I view as deafening silence on the part of Hindu leadership in Guyana with regard to the crime situation which negatively impacts on all Guyanese. However, in my opinion, most of the victims of crime in Guyana are of Hindu background. One just needs to look at the almost daily home invasions and check the background of the victims. I know some Guyanese will say that this is common knowledge, that nothing new is being stated.
The question I would like to pose is : How come Guyanese Hindu leadership/ organizations do not speak to this issue at all? There may be exceptions and I may be wrong. However, most of what I read in the newspapers about these organizations is that they are promoting religious and cultural events but there is hardly any statement about the crime situation and victims. They hardly offer any ideas , plans or programmes on protection from crime or some type of treatment for the victims.
A large number of these victims suffer from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).
Quite simply, this means that their lives have been ruined, that they live in horror as a result of the memory from the incident. They often experience uncontrollable flashbacks causing much anxiety and panic. Their memory, sleeping patterns, and sexual behaviour are often adversely affected. Depression and suicide are common. The list of symptoms also includes other painful conditions.
Before closing, I would like to make two remarks: first, it was Mahatma Gandhi who said that religion cannot be separated from politics. I think he meant that every action affects us, our family and society at large politically. Second, one of the most persuasive letters addressing the issue of violence against, in this case, Indian Guyanese was written by a great African Guyanese (my view) Dennis Wiggins, about a month ago. There was hardly any response to his letter appealing to stop the crime against the Indian Guyanese business class. I wish to nominate him for the post of Presidential advisor/ political mediator to the present government, regardless of his political affiliation. He has done a great service to all Guyanese.
Yours faithfully,
Latchman P. Narain,
Ph.D Anger Manage-
ment Strategist
(Canada)