Despite heavy rain, over 300 people from across the country participated in the Justice Institute Guyana’s ‘Walk for Equality’ on Sunday advocating for justice and equal rights for all.
“The purpose of the walk was to bring people together and to celebrate our common humanity and dignity by saying no to violence,” the group said in a press statement. Melinda Janki, executive director of the Justice Institute and Joel Simpson of SASOD led the walkers as they chanted “No more violence; no to silence” and waved to spectators to join in.
When the walkers congregated at Parade Ground for the closing, Janki said the walk celebrated “our dignity as a people –
the people of Guyana. Today we also celebrate our dignity as individuals. Each of us is unique. Each of us has our own gifts. Each of us has equal dignity and worth. That is why we are walking today. To say no to the violence that takes away our dignity. We know that violence robs the victim of his or her dignity. But violence also destroys the dignity of the perpetrator.”
Janki also called for justice for Colwyn Harding and other victims of police brutality but she also asked the crowd to remember the police officers killed in the line of duty.
“Let us remember the police officers who have died as a result of violence in our society, Let us remember three recent victims. Lance Corporal Sherwin Pantlitz: shot and killed…on Middle Street. Lance Corporal Michael Forde also shot and killed in the same incident. Corporal Romain Cleto: gunned down. We also have to say no to violence against our police officers,” she said.
Wintress White of Red Thread and a survivor of domestic violence read the names of 29 women who were killed by their partners in 2013. Participants also remembered Tiffany, a transgendered individual who was murdered in 2012.
Janki asserted that the people of Guyana are imbued with the power to create the society that they want.
“We have the power to create a society that is just. We can create a society that is equal. We are one people. We are one nation. We have one destiny. Let us make it a destiny of peace and justice for everyone. Let us say No to violence today. Let us say no to violence every day,” she said.
According to the press release, persons from as far away as New Amsterdam, Moraikobai and Parika, joined “an impressive turnout from the Catholic Church” including Bishop Francis Alleyne, OSB; Father Paul Martin, SJ, the Regional Superior for the Society of Jesus, priests, nuns and parishioners to march against violence in all its forms. Mexican Ambassador to Guyana Francisco Olguin and Mrs Olguin, Derek Lambe of the European Commission and Mrs Lambe and Khadija Musa, head of the United National Develop-ment Programme office here also participated in the walk. Walks in solidarity were also held in Ottawa, Canada and another one was held by parishioners from Hopetown.
The ‘Walk for Equality’ is an event of the Guyana Equality Forum, a group of organisations that works for equal rights and justice for all. Members include the Justice Institute Guy-ana, Family Awareness Consciousness Together, Guyana Organisation of Indigenous Peoples, Soc-iety Against Sexual Orien-tation Discrimina-tion, Red Thread, Guyana Trans United, Child Link, the S4 Foundation and Artistes in Direct Support.
The Coalition for the 1823 Monument, Phoenix Recovery and individuals from Conservation International and Iwokrama also participated.
