11 shot with rubber bullets during protest

Dec 07, 2011 News

– Former army chief among victims

By Jenelle Carter

Some eleven persons were shot and injured with rubber bullets by ranks of the Guyana Police Force yesterday morning during a peaceful march between Winter Place and Louisa Row.
Among those injured are 75 year-old Sarah Johnson, Joan Baveghems who is a former People’s National Congress Reform Parliamentarian, former Army Chief Brigadier Edward Collins, APNU’s Youth Leader James Bond, Brentnol Holder, Neil Mattis and his 10 year-old son Johnny Mattis, Lurlene Nestor and Laurine Mingo. These persons were all treated for pellet shots about their bodies at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and sent away.
According to reports, they were among a group which had earlier assembled at the Square of the Revolution.
Prior to the shooting, the group was awaiting word from APNU member James Bond about permission for a march through the streets of Georgetown. While the group was waiting there was a confrontation with police and APNU supporters who wanted to take part in a peaceful march, calling on the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) for a verification of the Statements of Poll in the recent elections.
The ranks on the ground were advising the APNU supporters that no permission was granted for the march or any assembly. At some point the crowd became agitated after ranks began threatening to arrest persons if they did not disperse and go home. However, APNU member Dr. David Hinds sought to intervene while advising his supporters to remain calm and urging the police to desist from threatening the crowd.
Hinds advised that Mr. Bond was at the time meeting with the Divisional Commander. Not long after Bond arrived and advised the crowd that permission was not granted for assembling. The crowd, most of whom had white pieces of cloth tied around their arms, then proceeded to peacefully march along Brickdam. While at the junction of Brickdam and Winter Place, the protestors were met by armed policemen who tried dispersing them.
The group which was being led by Bond, Collins and social activist Tacuma Ogunseye decided to divert into Winter Place heading to Hadfield Street where they began to head west, but were again blocked by armed police ranks. There was an exchange of words as the crowd attempted to get past the police.
Ranks were reportedly heard telling each other to “arrest Collins” who was immediately surrounded by a group of female supporters. This publication was told that while the women surrounded Collins a rank reportedly struck a woman with his gun which angered the crowd. Nevertheless, the persons leading the march restrained the crowd which suddenly came under fire. Soon after, the crowd dispersed, and Collins and Bond were arrested while on their way to Congress Place. The injured were rushed to the GPHC where they were treated and sent away.
The injured persons all expressed concern over the incident, asserting that they are not being given an opportunity to exercise their democratic rights.
Mrs. Baveghems who was shot at least three times said all she was trying to do was avoid a confrontation with ranks who were seen grabbing at other females.
“We have a right to protest if we feel that our rights are being trampled on…we did nothing wrong”.
Mattis who also received several pellets shot along with his ten year-old son said he decided to join the march in support of APNU since he felt that results in the recent election were not fair.
Meanwhile, the police have since issued their own statement on the issue saying that at about 9:00 hours yesterday a crowd of persons gathered at the Square of the Revolution purportedly to be part of a march organized by the Youth Coalition For Transformation, an organisation headed by Attorney-at-Law James Bond and is reportedly the youth arm of APNU.
This group, the police said, “had previously applied for permission to use a noisy instrument at the Square of the Revolution on 4th and 5th December, 2011, with timings”. In addition, the police stated, “on December 05, 2011, at about 14:50 hours another application was made for a Youth March for Change around the city. No date or time was stated”.
According to the police, the group later informed the police that they wanted to march from yesterday. This, the lawmen stressed, was “in breach of the statutory 48 hours notice and no permission was granted to the organisation. This was communicated to Mr. James Bond.The persons gathered at the Square of the Revolution were warned that they should disperse as no permission had been granted for any march.
Subsequently a group of persons headed by retired Brigadier Edward Collins was seen formed up on Brickdam facing west and, despite being warned, about 300 persons marched off west along Brickdam. The police then engaged them and they turned south into Winter Place and then west along Hadfield Street and continued despite being warned again, and the police fired rubber bullets at them.
Another section of the crowd turned north into Winter Place and several persons were arrested. A number of persons sustained minor cuts and bruises. Shortly after, at about 10:55 hours another crowd was seen heading east along Duncan Street headed by retired Brigadier Edward Collins and James Bond. The police engaged the crowd and arrested Edward Collins and James Bond. It appeared that they had injuries from an earlier engagement with the police.
All the arrested persons were taken to the Brickdam Police Station from where those persons who were injured were escorted for medical treatment,” the statement concluded.