Last Wednesday’s attack on Mango Landing, which left two miners nursing gunshot wounds and others counting their losses, has renewed calls for improved immigration and security along the Guyana/Venezuela border.
At it stands now, there are army and police officers at Kaikan and army officers at Eteringbang. The communities in the middle, including Mango Landing, which is a part of the Arau Settlement, have neither, making then easy targets for bandits. Kaikan and Eteringbang are more than 200 miles apart and at times communication between villages in this area could be a challenge.
The rugged terrain along the Guyana/Venezuela border also represents a challenge to a quick response to radio reports of attacks.
A source who has communication links with communities along the Wenamu River, said there was need for an immigration booth at Kaikan and a permanent security presence at Arau.
Stabroek News was informed that the police stationed at Kaikan would sometimes perform the duties of immigration officer but stressed that this was not a regular activity.
Further, the source said, Mango Landing, which is a popular hangout spot for the miners who work in Arau was always vulnerable.
This newspaper was told that persons at Arau would use radio transmission to get in touch with the police at Kaikan but sometimes there would be no response until the following day.
The source explained that if the Wenamu River was high the police would have no choice but to walk along the trails, adding that there was no road to facilitate a vehicle.
Residents of Kaikan and Arau have reported seeing Venezuelan helicopters and the source explained to this newspaper that miners in Arau would charter these very aircraft to bring fuel and other supplies for them, which they bought at a reduced cost.
The source pointed out that while it was cheaper for the miners, this arrangement was not legal and should be stopped.
Around 6:30 pm on Wednesday, a large band of gunmen suspected to be Venezuelans descended on Mango Landing, located where the Wenamu and Arau rivers meet, wounding two miners — 23-year-old Robert Wilson of Eteringbang and 22-year-old Damian Harris of the Lamaha Embankment. They beat several more, while demanding gold. The two who were shot in the upper left leg and upper right leg and groin respectively, managed to hide in nearby bushes.
Police said a Spanish-speaking gunman held Harris at gunpoint while he was on his way to a shop and demanded gold and he handed over seven grammes. The bandit demanded more and when the demand was not met, he shot Harris. Wilson was shot shortly after but the gunman got nothing from him.
On the morning of the attack, it was reported that three men approached the village captain of Kaikan, Claude Anselmo, and inquired about hiring a boat to travel to Mango Landing to conduct some business. Villagers later spotted four other men on Venezuela’s side of the river holding guns. The three men, one of whom spoke English, later left after they failed to hire a boat. It is suspected that these seven men were part of the group that carried out the attack on Mango Landing later that day.
It is suspected too that the armed bandits after failing to get a boat in Guyana walked along a trail on Venezuela’s side of the river to Mango Landing, which is about eight hours away and crossed over to Mango Landing shortly before the attack.
Sources had told this newspaper that some parts of the Wenamu River are shallow and others dry so the men could have found a suitable place to cross. Also this newspaper was told that it would take less than five minutes to cross the river by boat.
On Friday, this newspaper was told that Venezuelan authorities had arrested seven men in connection with the incident and that local police were in Arau conducting their investigations.
