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Linden shootings…Police castigated but President stands by Home Affairs Minister
-GHRA says no justification seen
As Linden enters the fourth day of protests today, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) is insisting that it was not politically directed in Wednesday’s shootings of three protestors in Linden.
Yesterday, also, President Donald Ramotar came out in defense of Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee, saying that there was no evidence that he was on the ground at the time of the incident and that he was “directing” the police handling of the protests.
The Working People’s Alliance (WPA) and People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), among others, have called for Rohee’s resignation.
President Donald Ramotar
During a press conference yesterday on the Linden situation, President Ramotar disagreed with the calls.
“My Minister of Home Affairs was not on the ground and he was not directing anything…I don’t agree with their calls.”
Earlier yesterday, the police too had their say on the matter, distancing Rohee from the involvement.
While a Commission of Inquiry to investigate the matter has been announced, it did not stop the Parliamentary Opposition parties from slamming the police shootings as excessive use of force.
The Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) expressed disgust.
“Although the picture remains far from clear, the GHRA has been able to ascertain the following information from direct interviews with victims and medical personnel. Three persons died as a result of the shooting: Selwyn Boyea from Wisroc, an 18 year-old mentally challenged person, Ron Somerset, 19 years and Allen Lewis, 54 years old. The exact circumstances of their deaths are unclear. At the time of the interviews seventeen victims of gunshot and pellet wounds had been treated at medical facilities.”
According to GHRA, of the seventeen persons, 12 males and five females (aged between 18 to 56 years) seven were treated for gunshot wounds and ten for pellets.
Under regulations, the use of live rounds in controlling crowds is clearly spelt out as the last resort. The reports of the events simply do not justify the shootings, several organizations and political parties have said.
According to GHRA, two persons were committed to the Intensive Care Unit, one shot in the jaw, and arrangements were being made to transfer one of them to the ICU at GPHC.
“Either the lack of understanding of rules on use of force at the highest level of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) is woeful, or a directive exists to set aside peaceful methods of policing demonstrations.
Police allegations of robbery and burning of vehicles by protestors, even if they were true; do not justify the use of deadly force. Direct threats to the lives of other people or the police themselves are the only justification for the use of such force. According to numerous accounts neither justification was met in Linden.”
In Linden yesterday as main roads remained blocked with tires being burnt, the Alliance For Change cancelled a planned press conference after reporting no access to and from that Region Ten mining community by road. Bridges and roadways have been compromised, officials said.
The US, Canada and UK, in a joint statement Thursday, called for talks and cool heads.
Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee
The European Union Delegation, too, in expressing regret, said that it welcomed the commitment of the Government of Guyana to hold an investigation into the events. The EU also urged that the probe by the Commission be launched as soon as possible.
“The European Union Delegation associates itself with the statement issued earlier today (Thursday) of other Diplomatic Representatives in Guyana in appealing to all parties to work together in a spirit of national unity to prevent any further violence incompatible with the right of people to peaceful protest, and advocates for the resolution of any existing tension through an open and inclusive dialogue.
Lindeners are protesting plans to raise electricity tariffs. They have been enjoying subsidized rates.
The new tariffs were introduced on July 1 sparking the current five-day protest that started Wednesday.
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