Buried Voices
Blood runs in the street
Silent voices of my brothers sound
Wailing mothers do weep
Guns sing triumphant songs
For the law no regard
Justice, why do you sleep?
Death snatches, sons, fathers
Innocent, guilty
Time of mourning, how long shall you tarry?
Blood dries in the street
Silent voices of my brothers are buried
Grief lingers
Unceasing.
It was in March of 2015 when a lone activist was silenced. He challenged the system and called for justice. Despair, dread and loss filled the souls of many as his blood dried in the street. A hero had fallen and there were many moments of silence, as his bullhorn no longer sounded. Those who knew him and who knew of him sat drenched in the tears and feared what was to come to this nation. Those in denial could no longer pretend that this society was whole. They could no longer stay clear of the evidence, which proved that a person could have their life snuffed out for simply using their right of free speech. A nation, long broken and dragged on the backs of void souls, had reached a point of transformation.
For me, the death of Courtney Crum-Ewing meant two possibilities: the beginning of a new era where the countless opportunities for a well-to-do nation would finally take hold or the doom of a nation already broken. Who would benefit from the shedding of his blood? Would it be the ones who for twenty-three years were marching us to a Zion that was beautiful for some but not for the majority? Or would it be the ones who gave us new hope with the shouts of change, unity and shared governance?
No election was ever so important in my voting years. The time had come. The revolution was live and undisguised. We all were involved in some way or the other and would all use our voices to the death or life of this nation.
On May 11, 2015, the sun shone brightly. In silence and with enthusiasm, votes were cast. We made eye contact and there was a glimmer in the eyes of many that somehow said we knew that change had come. When I cast my vote, I did so in the memory of Courtney Crum-Ewing and the many others who were innocent and had their lives snuffed out senselessly as a result of a society where violence has long been accepted as the norm.
A year later, after the victory of those who offered us hope for a unified Guyana, we are waiting on justice for Courtney Crum-Ewing and the blood continues to splatter across the land. Some are bewildered and fatigued; they are disappointed by the patterns they see being repeated by the ones they looked to as the saviours. While there are positive changes in some areas, the blood has not stopped trickling and gushing in this land. We have to ask ourselves: Why? Why are the ones with their fingers on the triggers so eager to take the lives of others? Why are we seeing happy dances with knives as the respect for humanity is being trampled upon?
The recent tragedy involving the five teenagers and the professor they are accused of murdering reminds us that wretchedness knows no class, profession or personality. It reminds us that man’s desperation could, at any time, trample good relationships, common sense and compassion and that misfortune could meet any of us at any age.
Moving around Georgetown lately, seeing all the flags decorating the many buildings and observing the many events being rolled out for the golden jubilee is bittersweet because in the midst of it all people are hurting. There are many moments when I have had to stop and ask myself: Why and what are we celebrating when we are not restored? When our healing is somewhere far in the distance or impossible to imagine at this point?
There is an air of uneasiness and many questions. Will bandits looking for their salvation disturb your sleep? Will you leave your vehicle and return to find it in the same condition or even there? Is your business a target? Are they going to ride up alongside you in the street, point a gun at you and demand that you release all your belongings to them? Who will be next?
We have heard recently that the crime rate has dropped and some seem to think that we should take comfort in that. But what is the significance of that when daily our news is still plastered with images of the victims and instigators? Does that comfort the parents who have lost their sons and daughters? Does it ease the pain of the children who are fatherless or motherless? Does it make those who are living in fear less afraid to go to sleep at night?
No, the government cannot be blamed for all the crime. We know that there are plots by the wicked to disturb the nation. Nevertheless the government must create and maintain an environment where opportunities for learning and earning are accessible to all. And yes, regardless of how many opportunities there are, some people will turn to crime because it is the choice they want, misguided as that may be. But it is my belief that once people can earn decent wages and salaries on a larger scale, less will see the need to turn to crime.
For many people, the general spirit of enthusiasm and hope has dwindled. Young men walk aimlessly in the street with no prospects. Desperate and void of empathy, they hurt and cause permanent damage because they need to live.
Has the trust not been broken? Doesn’t it sometimes seem like we all are at risk for some devilish scheme by the desperate criminals or those who have been criminalised?
Today, we wait on justice for Courtney Crum-Ewing and the many others whose blood was shed for this land. We wait for the government to listen to the people– to hear that many of them have lost faith. We wait for them to see the people’s frustrations, to feel the tensions they feel, to take note of their tears, to create an environment where they do not have to fear that they could be the next victim of a crime, either by chance or orchestration. We know that there probably will never be a time when man-to-man cruelty will cease to exist. We know that in Guyana we have seen efforts to capture those involved in criminal activities and that more people are being charged. The efforts are noted but there is still too much bloodshed in this land.
When will Courtney Crum-Ewing’s spirit smile wherever his heaven is? When will he and the many others who died for this land rest in peace? We can keep their memories alive by chanting their names, but even greater still we can hold those in power accountable and see that they make every effort to ensure those involved in erasing them physically from this earth face their fate.
