Hundreds turned out yesterday for the separate funeral services of three men brutally slaughtered at Bartica last Sunday.
At Good Hope and Montrose on the East Coast Demerara and in Georgetown, mourners paid their last respects to Abdool Yasseen, Baldeo Singh and policeman, Shane Fredricks.
Sympathy poured in from persons every few minutes at the East Coast homes of Yasseen and Singh, while at the Brickdam Cathedral, Fredricks’s family, friends and countless members of the Guyana Police Force sat grieving, some weeping openly.
Though the question of why the brutal end to the lives of the three men was only quietly raised at every service, it seemed imprinted on every face. Teary eyes and lowered heads symbolized the pain that was everywhere, and the occasional screams that pierced the quiet told the story of how hard it was for some.
The slaughter was strongly denounced in some speeches while others spoke of justice being served, and as they reflected on the lives of their loved ones, many also remembered those murdered at Lusignan three weeks earlier.
From 10 am yesterday Yasseen’s body was at his Good Hope home for viewing and within two hours a large gathering had congregated. His mother called, ‘Mamzie’ sat quietly beside his grandmother over his body and received comforting words as persons turned up. Both women remained calm as the hours passed and more persons turned up, many weeping for Yasseen, a young man with much promise.
A little after 1 pm Yasseen’s close friends from the University of Guyana arrived and they struggled to stay composed. They later broke down and many cried bitterly as they watched their friend lying lifeless before them. Some took a while before they actually went to see him. Later in the day, the group bid him an emotional farewell while reflecting on his attributes.
Several government ministers were also at the home comforting the family, among them Manzoor Nadir and Priya Manickchand. Manickchand arrived while Stabroek News was there. She spent some time comforting the family and encouraged them to be strong. She was also at the funeral service of Fredricks shortly after.
At Montrose, a small group of persons gathered to say goodbye to Baldeo Singh, many others trickled in and out during the service.
Chairman of the Ethnic Relations Commission, Bishop Juan Edghill spoke at the service and reminded relatives that Singh’s death was a sacrifice for the nation. Edghill said God will judge those who pulled the trigger and that it is God who will avenge. He told those gathered not to bow to division and to unite at this most difficult time in the country.
Nadir also spoke at the service and he stressed that the whole country has been wounded by the incident and was feeling the pain. He said that the men were massacred and that their memories will live on forever. Nadir said the nation will not forget them.
Over at the Brickdam Cathedral emotional tributes were paid to Fredricks by his family, friends and members of the force. Commissioner of Police (ag) Henry Greene and Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee, among other high ranking police and prison officials sat among the capacity crowd at the church. Fredricks, who was buried with honours, was remembered as a good father, son and friend and someone who gave years of dedicated service to the force. The policeman had spent many of his years serving at Bartica where his life ended brutally.
Fredrick’s wife, Indira sat with his children teary throughout the service and as it neared the end, a relative wailed for several minutes. As his body was leaving the church his mother broke down and repeatedly asked, “Why me son, why they kill Shane?”
