President Donald Ramotar says the nation must reject attempts at division and condemn the violence attached to recent protest action, in his address at the Lusignan mandir where a memorial was held for the 11 victims of the 2008 Lusignan massacre.
“The best homage we can pay to their memories is to ensure that this never happens again and, the best way to do that is for us to speak out; make our voices heard, reject division; let everyone know that we disapprove of this kind of behaviour,” Ramotar told the gathering at the Pitr Paksh function, a period set aside to honour the dead.
On Saturday, January 26, 2008 gunmen had stormed into Lusignan and murdered a number of villagers including five children, during a 20-minute rampage, a press release from the Government Information Agency (GINA) said. Clarence Thomas, 48; Vanessa Thomas, 12; Ron Thomas, 11; Mohandan Goordat, 32; Seegopaul Harilall, 10; Seegobin Harilall, 4; Dhanwajie Ramsingh, 52; Seecharran Rooplall, 56; Raywattie Ramsingh, 11; Shazam Mohammed, 22; and Shaleem Baksh, 52 lost their lives. Arjune Bhim, Roberto Thomas and Howard Thomas survived the attack though they sustained life-threatening injuries.
Ramotar said they had been cut down in their prime and as such, “We must constantly learn to look for the fingerprint and modus operandi and reflect.”
On Thursday October 11, 2012, the political opposition “which had constantly beleaguered the Guyana Police for lack of professionalism called for the removal of the Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee.” The opposition had laid a no-confidence motion laid in Parliament against Rohee which was not successful. Thereafter, GINA said, a series of orchestrated protests were staged, each becoming more volatile, culminating in the showdown at Agricola. A number of persons armed with cutlasses, bricks and knives infiltrated the protest and attacked, beat and rob scores of innocent commuters who were left stranded on the East Bank highway when protestors blocked the afternoon peak hour traffic.
In referring to this incident, the president said that there is always the tendency to blame someone else for these attacks as has currently been happening. He observed that members of the political opposition gave an ultimatum to government and started protesting before it had expired “and when the events at Agricola occurred, the opposition blamed Cabinet Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon.
“They are now trying to single him out, forgetting that Moses Nagamootoo and Nigel Hughes sat down at a press conference throwing threats against people and creating ultimatums in our society. We must beware of those who instead of bringing people together to move forward as one nation, try to create division because unity does not serve their purpose. Togetherness does not serve their purpose,” Ramotar said.
He also opined that opposition politicians try to use such events to create division and fulfil another kind of agenda. “Nothing that the police or anyone has done, can justify what we saw Thursday – five hours when children, small babies, and old people had to stand on the highway. Many people were robbed on their way home. I want to reassure you we will work tirelessly to ensure law and order is upheld and respected in this country,” he declared.
Further, he said there seems to be an ongoing and deliberate campaign to demonise the Guyana Police Force and “attack them in every way to make them ineffective, that is why they are coming under so much pressure.” He said government is cognisant that the police do make mistakes and that they need training; however, a commission of inquiry has been convened in some of these incidents. The president then said he admired the resilience and professionalism displayed by the policemen when they are provoked to attack, adding that government will uphold law and order and all decent-minded persons must condemn this sort of violence.
