A week after three men were slain in Linden during protests against an increase in electricity tariffs, the main opposition APNU drew over a thousand persons in demonstrations of solidarity in the capital city and to push for the resignation of Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee.
In what was dubbed a ‘Day of Mourning,’ protestors assembled at the Square of the Revolution and later marched towards the Public Buildings, where a candlelight vigil was held last evening in memory of Ron Somerset, Allan Lewis and Shemroy Bouyea.
The protesters, who were mostly clad in black, chanted “Rohee must go” and “no justice, no peace” and they sang gospel songs, as they made their way towards the Public Buildings. Although they met police barricades set up along Brickdam, members of the procession, some shouting, “they think we can’t pass through,” forced their way through and assembled in front of the Public Buildings.
As Members of Parliament (MPs) arrived for yesterday’s sitting of the National Assembly, they were greeted by chants of “murder” and the wailing of some of the demonstrators. Some protesters even held on to the vehicles that were transporting the MPs and vented their feelings. While some MPs stopped to speak with them, others drove or walked by.
Leader of the Opposition and APNU Chairman David Granger said his message to the residents of Linden was one of immense solidarity and he vowed to ensure that “justice is served.”
“We back them [the people of Linden] on the demands that the increased electricity tariff not be imposed and for a proper economic recovery program to be introduced,” he said.
He also mentioned the motion of no confidence moved against Rohee and said that the opposition believes that the minister must take full responsibility for the atrocity that occurred last Wednesday at Linden. “…We want President (Donald) Ramotar to revoke the appointment of Rohee,” he declared.
APNU MP and Deputy Chairman Dr Rupert Roopnaraine added that the lack of confidence in Rohee was based on his poor track record. “Rohee has presided over a disaster, not only here in Linden but in other places such as the Lindo Creek and Bartica massacres and that is to show that he is not of capable of managing the police force and he must go,” he said.
Granger added that yesterday’s demonstration showed that the people of Georgetown and by extension the entire country stood with Lindeners in their call for justice. Region 10 Chairman Sharma Solomon also noted the national scope of the demonstration. He said that members of the police force firing at protesters sent the message to the whole country that if you choose to protest you could be shot. He also contrasted the police’s treatment of the protesters in Linden with the treatment of the striking sugar workers at Albion. “I think there is one law that applies to the people of Linden and one that applies to Albion because I’ve seen persons blocking roads in Albion, which impedes the flow of traffic, and nobody has been killed so far,” he said.
Since the civilian deaths, Solomon said, the dynamics of the discussions with President Ramotar has significantly changed. He also maintained that international involvement in an inquiry into the killings remains crucial.
Lindeners have fed the nation for decades, said WPA Executive Member David Hinds, who added that it is the people of the mining town who are the ones doing the subsidising. “We must not say that we are subsidising Linden… we do not want Linden to pay what we are paying, we want to pay what Linden is paying,” he said.
Guiding yesterday’s demonstrations was PNCR Executive Lurlene Nestor, who stated that the protests were aimed at securing justice for the three men who were killed in Linden. She added that while the Minister of Home Affairs is not prepared to demit office, the protesters would stand their ground in calling for his resignation and their leaders will ensure that that is achieved.
“We are saying Minister Rohee must take responsibility and he must go he should not wait for the people to call on him to go, he should have gone,” Nestor stated.
As the protesters continued to express their disappointment with the government’s actions so far following the deaths, Kota Thornhill, one of the protesters, said that she was showing her solidarity with Guyana while sounding her disappointment at the government’s action towards Lindeners. “We have a president who cannot come forward with nothing positive,” she said.
Another protester, Wanda Huntley, who is from the East Coast, said she was showing her support for the Lindeners who were killed. “I want the whole of PPP to be removed because this is not the first time something like this is happening, even domestic murder these people can’t cure look how much people getting murder,” she lamented.
One of the protesters who is related to one of the dead men condemned the government, who he accused of partisanship, while pointing out that “not a soul” from the administration has gone to address the people of Linden. As tears came to the man’s eyes, he said, “Ramotar is not the president of this country, he’s a bluff.”
