AFC leader Khemraj Ramjattan has defended the party’s objection to the inquiry into the July 18 Linden protestor shooting being extended to include the mobilisation of the protest, saying that every citizen’s right to peaceful protest is guaranteed in the constitution.
“We would be entering very dangerous territory if we start to apportion blame for the organisation of an activity expressly guaranteed by the constitution,” Ramjattan said on Monday during a visit to Linden along with other party officials, including General Secretary David Patterson. “Let it be stated now and up front that whoever organised the protest on the 18th July, 2012, had a guaranteed constitutional right to do,” he was quoted as saying, while adding that the people of Linden should not be made to feel guilty or culpable for attending a protest they had a right to attend irrespective of who organised it.
In a statement, the AFC said that during the visit the party team urged residents of the beleaguered community to guard against any further destruction of property, noting that it made it clear that it does not support such acts.
It added that Ramjattan, speaking with residents, noted that the real reason the government wants to have the organisation of the protest be part of the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the Commission of Inquiry is to discourage citizens from attending protests which are anti-government, thereby effectively restricting the exercise of their constitutional right.
Ramjattan added that it is an insult to the intelligence of the community to say that they were misled or led astray by some politicians to protest.
“Perhaps it’s a commentary on the President that he thinks citizens of this Republic are gullible and can be led astray,” he suggested, while pointing out that Lindeners were “organised, courteous and civil enough “to notify the authorities a week in advance of the intended protests.
With the fatal shooting of three men and the injury of up to 20 other persons after police opened fire on protestors, Ramjattan said that the “execution” of citizens in cold blood is a criminal act which requires a criminal investigation irrespective of whether or not there is a Commission of Inquiry. “When will the police identify and charge the killers?” he questioned.
“So let’s not waste any more time over debate on its inclusion in the TORs if we want to pursue truth and justice then let’s find out why three citizens were innocently executed on July 18th,” he added.
Meanwhile, the party said that while in Linden, the AFC team was taken to the site of the burnt out One Mile Primary School, where it was assured by the protesters still on the streets that they would not have set fire to the school, which was the first school for many of them and that their children are now pupils of the school.
The team also met with the mother of a ten year old who reported that her child was on the landing of their home when he was struck by a pellet. The team was shown X-Rays of the child’s head with the pellet embedded.
“According to the mother, the doctors said that it would be dangerous to try to remove the pellet,” the party said.
The AFC team also met with Michael Wills, who was shot through the thigh on Sunday.
The release said that the man contradicted reports on NCN that the Joint Services rendered assistance to injured persons.
There were also reports of the police destroying food supplies donated by persons sympathetic to the Lindeners, the party noted.
