Dear Editor,
It is with great regret that I am penning this letter, as it seems that some are championing ‘human rights issues’ selectively calling it a breakthrough, violation of constitutional rights, etc. One newspaper has been carrying aspects of the story of a boy tortured by the police for the past few days and has forgotten that someone was brutally killed in the comfort of his home. Let me remind them of the tragic end to the life of my uncle, Ramenaught Bisram of Canal No 2 Polder, West Bank Demerara, murdered at the hands of people still unknown. He died from multiple stab wounds to his body.
Some persons were hauled in by the police for questioning in connection with this gruesome crime. Subsequently, some of them alleged they were tortured by investigators to admit to committing a crime they knew nothing about and one of them was later awarded a substantial sum by the court.
Those who had been held were released without charge and internal police investigations about the allegations of torture by some policemen led to the filing of criminal charges against some of them, which were dismissed because the witnesses did not appear.
Suffice it to say that some print media, some opposition politicians and human rights activists, who were so concerned about the allegations by one of those held are seeking maximum political mileage by claiming to be championing the cause of the poor and downtrodden. But while all of this is going on, it would appear as if the investigation into the murder of my uncle has come to a dead end. The closure of the case of alleged police brutality and torture has appeared to bring an end to the case involving the gruesome and barbaric murder of someone who has contributed significantly to Guyana.
The family and relatives of my late uncle are the victims of a crime in which a loved one was lost forever, but yet it seems there has been no new information, contrary to expectations, in any ongoing investigations in cases of homicides and other crimes. So, it may be that the police are now waiting for someone to call them with information which would lead to the arrest and conviction of the killer/s. No wonder the files of unsolved crimes in our country keep piling up.
I would greatly appreciate it if the Police Commissioner could publicly advise us on the exact status of the investigations into this murder. Is this another cold case?
As for those politicians and human rights activists to whom I referred above, they have been very selective in their support for those perceived to be victims of the establishment. They see this support as a means of widening their political base from which they can derive more votes at the next elections. To them, I say, we are not the fools you think we are.
Yours faithfully,
J Singh
