ANTS DOES BITE HOT

Mar 04, 2009 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

I do not know how that gentleman whose picture appeared in the newspapers got his injuries. What I do know is what I see, and what I see is injuries consistent with someone being bitten repeatedly by red ants.
The allegation, which is being made and which is being corroborated, is that the person was made to sit on an ant nest by the Joint Services which were conducting an anti- narcotics exercise in the area.
What I saw would amount to inhuman treatment and torture. What I saw cannot be classified as a “roughing up”.
Anyone who has ever been stung by a single red ant will know the severity of the pain. Long after the ant has gone, the pain lasts. If one bite can hurt so much, imagine the pain that comes with being bitten by hundreds of ants at the same time.
If this version turns out to be so, then it means that primitive practices are still being carried out by the Disciplined Services in their crime–fighting activities.
And however laudable has been the achievements of the Joint Services in its crime-fighting mission, this latest incident is a serious indictment against it, for which person or persons must not only be held accountable but must be charged and made to face the full consequences of the law.
I expect that just as in the case of the men of Buxton who had alleged that they were taken to a location on the Soesdyke/Linden Highway and tortured, that in this instance there will be an investigation into the allegations and that the report will be made public and that the appropriate action would be taken against those responsible.
I have always said that one of the mistakes often made is to allow persons to get away with wrongdoing. Once this happens, the right signals are repressed and this leads to more and more abuses. If condign action was taken against persons found guilty of an offence, it would prove to be a deterrent to those involved.
As I said, I am not as yet pointing fingers at anyone. But there is an accusation being made that the Joint Services engaged in conduct unbecoming. And there is evidence to substantiate that someone was indeed bitten repeatedly by ants.
Torture is now an international offence and countries known to engage in torture can face international sanctions. In addition, there is now extra-jurisdictional legislation which allows the perpetrators of torture to be charged in countries outside of where the torture took place.
Thus, someone can be charged in the United States of America for crimes of torture committed in Guyana.
The call, therefore, is for the government to act and to demonstrate its abhorrence of torture by launching an immediate investigation into this matter.
Unless this is done, Guyana is likely to face sanctions because respect for human rights is now an integral part of the foreign policy of a number of countries, and governments which are not acting to shore up their human rights efforts can find themselves being sanctioned.
I urge the Guyana Human Rights Association, one of the bodies whose opinion is highly valued by the embassies and international organisations, to investigate this matter thoroughly and to make known not only its findings but also its positions.
I call on the foreign embassies, particularly the ABC countries, to monitor closely what is taking place and to make the necessary recommendations to their foreign governments. A great deal of those countries’ monies have been invested into reforming the security services and what is therefore expected is that there should be civilized and not primitive means of extracting information from suspects.
I am sure that those funding the reform of the security services would wish to have an investigation into the allegations which have been leveled in this case since they would wish to have their countries’ reputations besmirched by their funding for the conduct of practices which are against human rights.
If within two days of the publication of this column, there is no official announcement of an investigation into the allegations of torture, this column will make a call for the withholding of international funds for the reform of the security services.
While the ABC countries have an interest in the fight against the narcotics trade, I do not expect that they would wish this to come at the expense of values which they have long promoted as being the backbone of democracy.

Latest News

ANTS DOES BITE HOT

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | February, 3rd, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

BCA, GCB to attend CWI meeting on February 9

Bolstered Harpy Eagles eyeing perfect home record...

Hockey PAHF Junior Challenge schedule released

Mash Street Football Super-16 Showdown in Mocha...

Govt’s unified approach will see significant...

Camille’s Academy unites with GGA Nexgen...

Features/Columnists

Democracy is a long-term commitment

OAS Secretary General Election and renewed OAS Consensus

Renegotiation-speaking only for me

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

ANTS DOES BITE HOT

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | February, 3rd, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]