Dear Editor,
There have been many calls for peace during this election. The media has reported on a not peaceful incident at Neville Wray’s house. PPP candidate Odinga Lumumba reportedly “pushed aside“ a polling agent, Ms Onika Beckles, and his continued abusive behaviour required the intervention of the Gecom staff.
Late on Monday evening, the Assistant Chief Elections Officer, Mr Lowenfield, reported that “Odinga [Lumumba] did, in the presence of Mr Gerry Gouveia, admit that ‘well, it may have been just a touch and it’s not a shove’… and he was very apologetic for what happened.”
To all intents and purposes, story done.
The PPP candidate’s behaviour is not to be tolerated. Minister Manickchand has spoken about her government’s “zero tolerance“ for violence against women. To hear that the men who settled this matter refer to what to many of us is an assault by saying “It may have been a touch and not a shove,” is a travesty of justice. There are many women who have to put up with unwanted touching, shoving, groping and beating, and have been asked to make it up and not follow through on ensuring that the abusive behaviour is stopped.
Those who voted for Mr Lumumba, because they did not want to go back to the days of no roti and bread, must decide whether they are going to eat that roti and bread in peace knowing that there is hypocrisy as it surrounds the use of violence, especially by those we want to lead us. It would be futile to believe that there can be peace without justice. While there is space for forgiveness and restorative justice, we should be consistent in our messages of zero tolerance for violence.
The issue is not the replacement of the phone which was damaged , or the apology and conciliation which has not been reported by Mr Lumumba or the PPP. The issue is about sending a clear message, that those who seek to abuse their power, should have that power removed since they cannot seem to handle it well. Minister Manickchand and the PPP could help Mr Lumumba by removing the powers they have given him. Let him know the peace which comes from not having to feel the need to be violent towards any woman or other human so as to preserve the power which has been given to him.
Those who have voted for Mr Lumumba and his party, as part of their desire for peace should be condemning Mr Lumumba’s behaviour and ensuring that the messages of zero tolerance for violence are accompanied with action. Those others – political parties, Hindu, Muslim, Christian organisations, youth groups, donor groups, Private Sector Commission – who have been instructing us through their messages, prayers and wishes to be peaceful, should be condemning the abusive behaviour. The peace-makers should ensure that those who have been affected
by Mr Lumumba’s behaviour get justice.
Yours faithfully,
Vidyaratha Kissoon
