Let Neesa’s death be a wake up call

Oct 08, 2010 Letters

Dear Editor,
I am devastated at the death of Neesa Gopaul, her life was senselessly cut short, supposedly over material things.
The front pages of all four newspapers in Guyana carried the story of the “Headless body in suitcase is that of 16-year-old QC student”, and I struggled to read through the article as tears clouded my vision. I couldn’t believe what I was reading, worse of all I couldn’t believe the story of drugs, sex and abuse that this girl endured, I couldn’t and can’t understand how we as a people let this happen.
Reading all the reports, her life should not have ended the way it did. One newspaper went as far as to say that the system failed Neesa Gopaul, but I will and say no; her parents failed her; her family failed her; her friends, her teachers, her neighbours, her entire community, the police force and the entire society that we live in today failed Neesa Gopaul.
Each one of us played a role of inaction; a role of “minding our own business” helped to take her life, because not one person was willing to break the silence. What upsets me when reading the news after a tragic incident like this, there are always reports of persons saying that they knew something was going on (then do something) or if they had the money they would have taken her in (then find someone who does, call the authorities) or even worse reports were made at the station (investigate, follow it up, ask around and do something).
What will it take for us to stop “minding our own business” and not only speak out against the violence but take action, take action against the wrongs of our society! What harm will it do us to lend a voice to the voiceless, and lend an ear to the cries of our young people, cause if you just take the time to listen you’ll hear it. My heart is breaking for Neesa and her love ones; this should be a wake up call.
How many more of our children, our moms, fathers, sisters and friends have to die before something is done? How many more Neesa Gopaul’s and Sheema Mangar would it take before we realise that something needs to be done. I think I speak for all youths when I ask: adults, is this the land you’re leaving for us, is this the type of society that we must inherit, one which sits quietly while our women and kids are being abused and killed everyday, one which sees the wrong and merely turn a blind eye, have murders become so normal in Guyana that we no longer react to it, have you forgotten what its like to dream and not have scenes of killings and murders on a daily basis?
If this is so, as a young Guyanese woman I’m truly afraid of one day bringing a child into a society like ours.
Candace Charles
Miss Guyana World 2007

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Let Neesa’s death be a wake up call

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