Put an end to these acts by our security forces

Nov 09, 2009 Letters

Dear Editor,

The recent torture of a 14-year-old lad who was in custody at the Leonora Police Station, has created quite a stir, and, justifiable so too.

Guyana has once again made the international scene and for an offence that is so prevalent among persons arrested on mere allegations. What is so horrific is that this offence has allegedly been committed by uniformed upholders of the law. Persons who have sworn to uphold the laws of our country. Persons whose motto is, “Serve and Protect”, and it is not the first time.

I have taken time to add my few lines and to be a part of the long list of persons who have offered comments. My call is the same as those echoed by the masses — have the perpetrators of this heinous act feel the full extent of the law – no policeman has the right to torture or beat any person in custody. Once arrested the law should take its course. The Minister spoke of “psychological pressure” being applied. How many of his uniformed thugs even know the meaning of the phrase? They are versed in beating and torturing persons arrested and if the Honourable Minister is saying that he does not know of the pain and torture his police have inflicted on persons, then he ought to resign.

Here are some instances of torture that have been brought to the media and the Minister did nothing about them.

I wish to point out that in the torture of 10-year-old Ranvanlee Chan – an incident that occurred at Sisters Police Station on the East Bank of Berbice, where a corporal and Constable admitted to me that they did beat that 10-year-old, who was hospitalised for 11 days, but refused to offer any compensation. Private criminal action was brought against them but the charges were dismissed “for want of prosecution”. That dismissal happened on a day when I was not in court!

Note also that there was an internal police investigation and both these policemen were transferred to Mara Police Station (a sort of remote area) but a few months later both were sent to Reliance Police Station (where they still are), a bigger station that is on the coast. Now is that how the long arm of the law works?

I have noticed with some humour that the Honourable Minister of Home Affairs has also come out with ‘clenched fist’ against the perpetrators. He is looking to have those of the West Coast interdicted. Wow! Don’t let anyone ever say that our ministers do not have a sense of humour. The Minister is looking to pin the blame on the Divisional Commander.

Is he trying to say that he did not know that there are many uniformed thugs in his police force? He said nothing when Ranvanlee Chan was hospitalised for 11 days as a result of the beating (I have the medical) with brands and scars all over his tiny body. He did not think to make a comment on the hanging of a young man at the Enmore Outpost. I wrote letters describing the beatings of several persons and he turned a deaf ear.

In fact he did not even bat an eyelid. The Honourable Minister is directly responsible for the loss of lives in the Corentyne River when people died crossing the river illegally. He allowed and continues to allow the operation of that illegal crossing (and now he has the support of Minister Robert Persaud on the illegal crossing – and who knows who else?) why is he still a minister? Why is he not held liable for the atrocities and brutality inflicted on persons who are in custody. He is the Minister – it not the coach who gets the credit or blame for the team’s performance?

Now the Minister is waking up to the sick behaviour of members of the police force? I will once again call on this Minister to resign! Or if the President is in the country, as Minister Rohee’s boss should ask him to resign and do not let him shift the blame on the Commander – maybe they should both resign.

If he needs another reason to resign I will tell him that the pirates are on the rampage again and they continue to escape. And (I hope he remembers) when he was at Belvedere about a little over a year ago, and I asked him why he does not give all the fishermen licences to own and use firearms because his armed forces can’t or do not want to protect the fishermen, his response was “you just can’t give people guns” – no Mr. Rohee don’t give them guns let them be robbed and killed! And you continue to feel that you need a pat on the shoulder for a job well done.

Minister Rohee must do the honourable thing – resign now!

Charrandass Persaud