Arsonists this morning attacked the Guyana Human Rights Centre, the latest of a spate of such attacks in recent weeks.
A statement tonight from the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) said that the Centre on Hadfield & Austin Place, Georgetown, suffered “significant physical damage in the early hours of Sunday morning. Thirteen windows were smashed and the front door badly burnt before public-spirited neighbours were able to extinguish the fire. Access to the building was not achieved, but whether this was intended is unclear.
“Neighbours were awoken by the sound of broken glass. Their shouts were sufficient for the perpetrator(s) to flee. Later, neighbours were again alerted by security guards at nearby buildings that a fire was in progress at the front door. They organized a bucket-brigade to staunch the fire which left the front door badly burnt. A tyre had been set alight to burn the front door. All that remained of the tyre were the fine metal wires used in its construction”.
The GHRA said that police officials visited the scene, took reports and photographed the damage.
Officers from the Alberttown Fire and Police Stations also visited the scene and took photographs. Investigations are on-going.
The Centre houses the offices of the GHRA which commemorated its 40th Anniversary last year. Over the past four years the Centre has provided office space for Policy Forum Guyana, the GHRA added.
The building was erected via local fund-raising efforts of the GHRA membership and was opened in 1997.
