Dear Editor,
The robbery and killing spree by bandits goes on unceasingly. In some communities there is a feeling of hopelessness and helplessness, since the criminals treat the lives of victims with no respect. With almost every home/business invasion someone is killed by the invaders. The bandits now dictate who should live or be killed.
The situation takes on more frightening proportions when ex-soldiers and ex-policemen are part of criminal gangs. Ordinary citizens are up against criminals who are trained to kill, and they do not hesitate to do so.
It puts one to wonder why, when a criminal snuffs out the life of someone whose only crime is to work hard to make a decent living and that criminal meets his end violently, there is a dedicated following which claims that the criminal was an altar boy, an upright member of society; he shouldn’t have died that way.
Is it that criminals have constituents who benefit from the spoils of robberies, etc? Who live on blood money?
Very often criminals profile their victims, case them, then attack, using the element of surprise – day or night. Some are more brazen: they just attack at random. Whichever way, the criminals carry weapons on their person, and they do not hesitate to use them.
Ex-Mayor Giuliani invoked the ire of the inner-city residents when he mapped crimes – geographically and by patterns. Profiling was used to deploy deterrent measures to hot-spots. He also launched a campaign against petty crimes because that is where it all starts. He said that “freedom” did not mean “do as you please, where you please, when you please.”
Giuliani was successful. Crime in New York plummeted.
While I would readily agree that every success has its downside, the greater good for the greater number must take precedence. The majority cannot be held under siege by the few. Can we seriously allow the current crime wave to go unchecked? How many more must die at the hands of these bandits who arrogate to themselves the role of judge, jury and executioner? The victims do not get a chance to defend themselves. They are just killed.
For too long we, as individuals, feel that it is not our fight. It was related to me a few days ago that someone got robbed in the vicinity of the GPO in broad daylight. The victim was pursuing the robber who was brandishing a knife. Scores of people saw what was happening. Not one person intervened! I suppose I can’t argue too much about the reluctance to intervene, because if you do the police may charge you or friends of the criminal may come after you.
But if these marauding criminals continue to roam and rob and kill unchecked, it is only a matter of time before you and I become the next victim.
I therefore appeal to all to support those decent members of our Police Force whose conviction is to stop these criminals – before the criminals stop them, and us. That there are rogue cops I accept. But there are many decent cops too. Let us lean on the side of the positive.
The police cannot be everywhere and know every bandit. They need the active support of the communities. Our communities know who the bandits are. If we are scared to help to drive them out, it is only a matter of time before they turn on us.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has introduced several initiatives to allow the ordinary citizen to pass on information on crimes and criminals without exposing the informant. Sadly, even this avenue is not used sufficiently. One wonders what else must be done to help us help ourselves.
We can either stand up and be counted in the fight against crime (any crime) or sit silently and await our turn to be consumed.
Yours faithfully,
Taajnauth Jadunauth
Chairman
Enmore Police Station Management Committee
