Dear Editor,
Please permit me a few lines of succinct but hopefully effective reply.
On April 22, 2021, a letter from the family of Sash Sawh was published in various media outlets, acknowledging 15 years since his killing, and imploring an independent inquiry into his death. Later the same day, His Excellency President Ali released a statement lauding Sash Sawh on the 15th anniversary of his killing. The statement did not mention the words ‘justice’, ‘investigation’, ‘inquiry’, or anything remotely synonymous once. Not once. Even later that day, the People’s Progres-sive Party released a statement that hailed Sash Sawh’s contributions, but went on to speak of an era characterized by elements that sought to destabilize the state, and to reference race-baiting and the killings of the Henry Boys. The statement did not mention the words ‘justice’, ‘investigation’, ‘inquiry’, or anything remotely synonymous once. Not once.
At the risk of sounding obvious, oblivious, or both, if there is such lament over the death of Sash Sawh, how is it possible to release complete statements and not mention the words ‘justice’, ‘investigation’, ‘inquiry’, or anything remotely synonymous once? Not once? Sash Sawh’s contributions were undoubtedly laudable, and we genuinely appreciate every kind thought expressed about our beloved husband and father – but there is absolutely no sugar-coating the fact that his execution is a blight on the history of modern Guyana. Our family remains steadfast in imploring action in pursuit of justice via an independent inquiry into the events of April 22, 2006.
Sincerely,
Roger Sawh
On behalf of the family of the
late Satyadeow Sawh