Street protest will always be a relevant political tool

Apr 17, 2010 Letters

---

Dear Editor,
Permit us to offer some comments on the much talked about “protest/no protest” debate and the, apparent, position of the AFC regarding same.
We have heard Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan’s, Chairman of the AFC, views on protest, and his rational for certain section of Guyanese not to be, fully, involved in such action. According to him Indo-Guyanese are not likely to be involved in protest action as they do not want to be labeled hooligans, mobsters, criminals, or generally to be degraded, this view was expressed not once.
His last comment to this effect was made at a meeting held, by the Joint Opposition Parties, at the Georgetown City Halls in 2009. These views we believe might have also helped to solidify Ramjattan’s position on any possible alliance with the PNCR, having regard to the reality of who take to the streets to demonstrate.
The fact is Mr. Ramjattan seems to have strongly embraced the PPP/C’s negative position of Guyanese who protest; a position which propagates that: protestors are terrorising the nation when they take to the streets.
The PPP/C has used every derogatory adjective to demean protest action, and claim that such action is tantamount to violence, and hatred. In Guyana this government labels those of us who protest as mobsters, criminals, hooligans, terrorists etc. In 2002 they made Desmond Hoyte head terrorist.
Protest is now deemed, by some as; unwarranted, uncivilized, out-moded, or violent political action. The PPP boast of how it protested against Burnham, and the PNC’s 28 years.
In fact Mr. Moses Nagamootoo in an article in the press spoke of how, in protest, he fearlessly stood up on the street and pelted Burnham’s black car as it was going down Vlissengen Road. Did the PPP deem those actions disgraceful, was Nagamootoo called hooligan, or mobster? No! He was called a brave man who confronted, according to them, “the PNC dictatorship”. So why the despicable label today? It is no secret who take to the streets to protest government excesses in Guyana, it is generally Afro-Guyanese and the inferences can be drawn as to what the PPP/C is purporting. It is regrettable, though, that the AFC has now seemed to have adopted the position of the PPP/C with regard to street protest, this is a most dangerous and frightening development.
Vice Chair of the AFC, Ms. Sheila Holder MP, in a letter published in the SN on April 11, 2010 captioned “Taking to the Streets is not an option”, rehash the AFC’S position. According to Ms. Holder, street protest belongs to the politics of the past and such political action only invites violence. No where in Ms. Holder’s letter did she attempt to remind or educate readers of the value of such action, as is recorded throughout history.
Ms. Holder’s letter constructively declared a moratorium on street protest, a legitimate political weapon available to people in any democratic society. What a shame!
Seems like the PPP/C propaganda has found fertile ground in the bosom of the AFC? Holder’s comments then, can only be music to the ears, of the enforcers who may have a strong alliance in their mission to outlaw street protest, maybe a desirable of their purported business class.
Unlike, what Ms. Holder is trying to suggest, the issue is not anyone trying to define the strength of AFC in their ability, or inability to lead street demonstrations, the problem is that leaders of the AFC continue to make dismissive and ill-advised comments regarding protesting/protestors. Comments like these will only seek to benefit the ruling bunch whose only desire seem to be to shut out any kind of descent, in this pseudo democratic Guyana.
Ms. Holder and the AFC knows too well that any violence which erupts in street protest, in Guyana, has every thing to do with the PPP/C, and the fact that they recruit and pay the vulnerable, and jobless, to infiltrate peaceful protest marches. In fact, only last year the PPP/C paid people to protest the home of the Opposition Leader.
They also paid those same persons to picket Mr. Ramjattan’s office, on some duty free concession issue. Their vicious campaign also targeted other leading members of the PNCR and sent protestors on donkey carts to picket these people work places.
In fact Mr. Ramjattan was on national television talking about his situation, and the PPP/C’s involvement. So Ms. Holder, we know who is causing the mayhem whenever there is street protest and therefore, it is inaccurate to claim that street protest, in itself invites rabidity, and should therefore be abandoned.
This strategy of calculated onslaught on protest action and protestors is the PPP/C oschestrated propanganda campaign to ensure that sufficient fear is unleashed upon their main targets, Indo-Guyanese, whom they hope will stay in their enclaves and endure their sufferings while the bad governance persist.
The Vice Chair of the AFC should have used the space in the press to inform the public of the value of street protest in bringing about meaningful change in societies, and the world over.
She should have reminded us that it is a legitimate political strategy in any modern country which espouses that it embraces democratic ideals and values.
Her assertion that it is an outdated political weapon is out of sync with the modern world of politics.
Ramjattan and the AFC should be using their time to help to remove the myth the PPP/C propagates regarding street protest, thereby, encouraging a broader section of Guyanese to take positive action to register their sufferings brought on by this government.
Crime, 16 percent Value Added Tax (VAT), corruption, money laundering, discrimination, victimization and all the other ills, affect all of us.
Therefore, we need to collectively confront same, whether through protest action or other methods.
The fear that, Moses Nagamootoo, talks about that engulfs Guyana can be removed if collectively we take action.
The supporting and fostering the negative perception of protestors and street protest will only further deepen sterotypes and strengthen the division of our people.
We believe, however, in the good nature, and intelligence of Guyanese and are confident that the time is fast approaching when all Guyanese will rise to the occasion, and defy all the negative stereo-types out there, regarding each of us. Regardless of our racial, social, or political background we all are suffering the same fate. A mismanaged economy; riddled with crime, corruption, violence, hovering fear, child abuse, torture, victimization, discrimination, drugs, political interference in government, constitutional breaches, suppression of press freedom, suppression of workers rights, poverty, and every other indicator of bad governance affects all of us.
We believe that this is a time for leaders in the nation to rise to the occasion and leave the politics of pettiness, egotism, and self-interest behind.
Our only objective must be to ensure that Guyana gets the kind of leadership that will at least ignite that flame of hope in our people. Stop the political posturing! Street protest will always be a relevant political tool to be used whenever, deemed necessary, so let us embrace it. Remember, it is not what you are for, but what you are against. Let us not be against progress!
Ian Williams
Esther Fitzpatrick
Laverna Semple Burnette
Natasha Cameron
Lurlene Nestor

---

---