Tension grips Linden after police killings

Jul 20, 2012 News

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Cleared streets but an uneasy mood permeated the town of Linden yesterday, hours after a nasty battle between law enforcement officers and protesting residents left three persons dead following protests against electricity rate hikes.
It could take months even years to heal the rift between the people of Linden and the police – such is the distrust that exists following the killing of Shemroy Bouyea, 24, Ron Somerset, 19, and Ivan Lewis, 46, all of Wisroc , Linden.
The bitterness was most evident at the Linden Hospital Complex where scores converged to be with their injured relatives, one of whom was in a critical condition.
Among the injured in hospital are Michael Roberts, 47, of Independence Avenue, McKenzie, who is nursing a gunshot wound to the right side face; Hector Solomon, 23, of Wismar, who is being treated for a gunshot wound to the chest; Ulric Michael, 33, of Canvas City, who also sustained a gunshot wound to the chest and is reportedly in a critical condition at the Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit; Reuben Bower, 56, of Silver City, who suffered a gunshot wound to the left leg and Dexter Scotland, 38, of Victory Valley, who is being treated for trauma to the nose.
Also hospitalized are Janice Burgan, 52, of Industrial Area, who sustained a gunshot wound to the back; Dwight Yaw, 25, of Victory Valley, who suffered a gunshot wound to the left side and Cleveland Barker ,35, of Wisroc, shot in the back; Yolanda Hinds, 35, of Silvertown, who sustained a gunshot wound to the right leg; Brian Charles, 45 of Wismar; who suffered trauma to his right hand and Collis Duke, 26, who sustained a gunshot wound to the left side of his face.
Jermain Allicock, 35, of Wismar, who sustained a gunshot to the left buttocks; Alice Barker, 31, of Wismar, who suffered gunshot wounds to both legs; Nalini Spencer, 37, of Watooka, with a wound to the left shoulder; Sandar Lyte, 27, of Christianburg, trauma to the head; Ann Bobb-Semple, 34, of Mckenzie, who sustained shots and pellet wounds to the back, side and elbow and Collis Adams, 27, who received a shot to the neck and right ankle, are also patients at the hospital.

The patients were loud in their praise for the staff at the hospital who they said worked overtime to ensure that they received the best possible treatment and minimized their distress.
Jean Damond, the mother of national athletic star Marian Burnette, said she was on the bridge at around midnight helping to cook for the protestors when the Police came up and took the goods and threw it overboard.
She spoke to Kaieteur News where she was visiting her son, William Burnette, 35. Burnette said he was among the protestors when he received pellet shots to the left side of his head. He fell into a gutter, but got out and ran to the hospital when he really realized he was shot.
Lennox Campbell, 65, said he was on his way home when he was shot.
Janice Burgan said she was among the protestors earlier when they were confronted by Police ranks and asked to disperse.
From her hospital bed, she related that earlier in the day the Joint Services ranks began to release tear gas into the crowd forcing them to run to safety.
“First they come and scare we a little, and we get them to go away, but about 5:30 in the afternoon they come back and start with the tear gas again, and all I hear is a boy start shouting that the police shooting, and I turn around to run and I just feel a numbness in my back,” she said.
Grimacing in pain, the woman related that she fell to the ground but was eventually assisted to the hospital.  An x-ray revealed that a bullet was lodged in her back.
“The doctor said it’s hard to remove the bullet because of the position it in, so they may have to take me for surgery in Georgetown.
Jahmeke Brumell the youngest injured person said he was in the crowd walking away when he heard the gunfire erupting.
“I turn around to call a friend and all I hear is ‘blam blam’  and I fall down; and I just feel blood running down me foot.”
The lad recounted that it was an elderly woman who started screaming for help and who rendered assistance to him.
“The police start holler on she and telling she lef me leh I dead, but she collect a belt and a piece of cloth and tie up me foot.”
All of the injured and their relatives lamented the use of live rounds by the police and of course they are thankful that they are alive, since they are convinced that the police were out to kill all those who were protesting.

Early yesterday morning when reporters from this newspaper arrived in Linden, the mining town appeared to be a war zone with burnt out buildings creating the impression of a massive airstrike; while burnt debris and the charred remains of a truck and excavator littered the roadway.
It was just a reminder of the mayhem which erupted after what is being described as the senseless shooting by the police.
Just before noon, scores of residents were gathering for the second day; this time, their anger had shifted from the electricity rate hikes to the Police action the day before.
Residents recalled the antagonistic behaviour by the Police, including the dumping of a complete sound system and food items they were going to cook, into the Demerara River.
However any attempt to repeat the blocking of the vital Wismar-McKenzie Bridge were thwarted as members of the joint services took up positions on both sides to ensure that there was no hindrance to vehicle flow.
The ranks were forced to endure severe verbal abuse from residents who chastised them for their highhanded approach. But even as the joint services did their work on the bridge, residents found other ways to ensure that their protests succeeded.
Using huge logs taken from a burnt out truck, they blocked the road on the Wismar side of the bridge, effectively halting traffic. It was not until late yesterday afternoon with much effort that the joint services ranks were able to remove the obstacles.
However, problems still remain as ‘trenches’ were dug in several sections of the roads in Wismar.
All businesses including banks remained closed yesterday and from all indications, they will remain closed for a few days more. This could spell hardship for residents as already vehicle owners are feeling the effects of a shortage of fuel. They are however hoping that the electricity supply which was sporadic for the most part of yesterday and the day before, remain stable.

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