Dear Editor,
Let me begin by stating that as I write this letter how emotionally and psychologically distressed I am, that it is beyond comprehension. Thus, as I try to grapple with these emotions and keep them in check in order to relate a series of events which unfolded and resulted in the compilation this letter which I write on behalf of all the aggrieved families of the following incident. On Thursday October 6, 2023, the Stabroek News carried a story about graves being dug up/out and desecrated at the Murphy Dam cemetery, Rosignol Village, West Berbice in Region 5. One of those graves, amongst the many, is that of my late mother! Now this callous and reprehensible act is being executed by a known contractor within the very region. This individual claims he owns the land where this cemetery existed for over seventy years to date. If this person owns this land, answers needed to the following questions:-
Why did he continue to allow residents to continuously bury their loved ones there? Why didn’t he erect a notice that it’s private property? If he owns this land why is the Rosignol NDC selling the burial plots and not him? Why didn’t he inform the residents that he owns the land and it will be dug up and the sand removed/sold? These residents I refer to are from the catchment area of Cotton Tree Village on the northern end which includes the neighbouring villages on both sides as well as those at the Southern end under Blairmont/Gelderland such as Plantain Walk and Shieldstown. Notably, those that reside in this catchment area utilize this burial site and most certainly have loved ones buried there! As such they should have been told to exhume their loved ones who may be in danger of being dug out and have the remains relocated out of his land!
Editor, I would like you and the readers to please note that the burial site that was desecrated is of the Islamic faith, which brings me to the second reason I wrote this letter. Interestingly, ever since this story broke, the silence from the two main Islamic Organizations, namely, CIOG and GIT have been deafening! Neither of the two have come out and condemn this heinous and callous act, nor did they go on the ground to empathize with the families whose graves of their loved ones were desecrated and unaccounted for! Another interesting point to note is none of the Imams nor their representatives from these Masjids – Cotton Tree, D’Edward, Shieldstown and Blairmont Sunnatul have deemed it necessary to visit this burial site either to empathize with the aggrieved or to condemn this reprehensible act! How selfish! I would like to ask Editor: Are their actions or rather lack of, from the Sunnah/Teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (upon whom be peace)? Is this in keeping with “The Brotherhood” of Islam?
Thirdly, and in conclusion, the deafening silence of our President is noted, for neither himself nor the Vice President have considered this situation a priority even though it is continuously highlighted on social media ever since October 5, 2023 to date. They have not been on the ground to empathize with these aggrieved families, even though this may have been the only desecration of mass graves in Guyana. Are these deceased who were desecrated and their families irrelevant? Finally, who will shed some light on this act of cruelty? For there are more questions than answers such as – where are the remains of our loved ones? Where do we go to pay our respects as there are no longer any graves to identify each individual burial spot? How do you go about compensating these aggrieved families for the unnecessary emotional and psychological distress?
Sincerely,
Juliet Dukhi
Social Advocate