Catholics denounce torture of 14-year-old

Nov 03, 2009 News

The Justice and Peace Commission of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Georgetown yesterday said it is deeply shocked and outraged at the recent disclosure of severe and barbaric cruelty meted out to citizens of our country, including a child.

The statement came in light of reports that police at Leonora set alight the genitals of a 14-year-old suspect in a murder investigation.

“Such savage acts undoubtedly fall squarely within the internationally recognised definition of “torture” and have no place in a modern civilised society. We unreservedly condemn these acts of torture,” said the Diocese.

The Roman Catholics said the horrifying image in a daily newspaper (Kaieteur News) that greeted us on Saturday morning “shattered the tranquillity of our lives as Guyanese from all walks of life sought to express anger and shock through different fora and through varying media.”

The Diocese quoted the teachings of Jesus at Mathew 25:40, where it says: “Amen, I tell you, whatever you did to one of these brothers or sisters of mine, even the least of them, you did it to me”.

“As a nation we are all deeply saddened and pained at these brutal acts reminiscent of medieval times. These cruel and inhumane acts of torture affect each and every individual and strike at the very heart of our nation’s psyche. We are all involved,” the Diocese noted.

The Justice of the Peace Commission, moved by its Christian call to witness to truth, love, and justice as fundamental values that serves the common good, called on the Guyana Police Force and the Government of Guyana to act swiftly by taking such steps as are necessary to hold those

responsible for such atrocities and bring them to account.

Every step must be taken to ensure such acts do not re-occur and the victims and their families should be compensated for their suffering, the Commission said.

It added that there is no substitute for good policing. There is no place for torture in any civilised country with a functioning democracy.

“While Guyanese should support the Police in their fight against crime the Police are legally bound to act within the ambit of the law without trampling on the constitutional rights of citizens. They must live up to their motto of “service and protection” and work assiduously in regaining the confidence of the people,” the statement continued.

The Justice of the Peace Commission said it is heartened by the show of solidarity, a Christian virtue, which has been displayed by so many individuals and groups, and we pray that we may work together to prevent such abominations taking place around us in the future.

The Commission said the trauma and wounds of the victims of torture have lasting and sometimes permanent effects, pointing out that victims remain deeply scarred emotionally and psychologically as such wounds are deeply imbedded.

The Justice of the Peace Commission called on civil society, the private sector, the legal fraternity, other religious denominations and all Guyanese to unequivocally condemn these dastardly acts and serious breaches of the fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens as enshrined in the Constitution of Guyana and recognised in international law.