Several shot in clashes with police

Aug 13, 2012 News

Linden crisis…

– two soldiers injured by ‘friendly fire’; 27 arrested

Two soldiers and about 10 civilians were injured yesterday after police opened fire to disperse crowds at Wismar. Most of the injured were struck with shotgun pellets.
Several residents, including the elderly and infants, were also affected by what residents claimed was the indiscriminate firing of tear-gas.
According to reports the pellets struck one soldier on his hand and another just under one of his eyes. There was reportedly a brief standoff between the police and army ranks but this was quickly resolved.
A Joint Services statement said that the ranks were forced to respond with shotgun pellets and tear-gas to disperse residents who had hurled Molotov cocktails, stones and other missiles at them.

Two children affected by tear gas

Some of the injured were identified as Gordon Robertson, Nikosi Henry, ten; Marlon Richards 19, Cordel Bell 50, James Rutherford, Lambert Richards 53, Ray Wills, 52, of Wismar Housing scheme and Michael Wills. This newspaper was told that the 10 year old was shot in the face, while Rutherford was shot in the region of his chest. This newspaper understands that Wills was shot in the ankle and was in danger of losing the injured foot. Medical sources at the Linden Hospital Complex said that from all appearances Wills was shot with something far more lethal than a “rubber pellet”. All of the injured persons were said to have been standing in their yards when they were shot.
The source went on to explain that Wills ankle was “shattered.”
However, the ambulance that was to have transported the injured man to the city developed a flat tyre. It was only up until a pastor offered to loan the hospital a spare tyre that they managed to leave for Georgetown. Three other patients were also transferred to the city yesterday evening.
Wills’ wife, Debra Wills, said that she was at home when she got reports that her husband and son had been shot.
Mrs. Wills said that it was conjectured that her husband had been hit by the same bullet as the son, as the two were standing close together, and the bullet had passed ‘clean ‘ through her son’s upper thigh.
The woman said that the bullet had broken her husband’s leg, and that his lower leg was ‘barely hanging’ on by a shred of flesh.
“I don’t know who shoot my husband and son, but my son said that he can identify the shooter, because he saw the person. I need some justice for my son and husband, the two of dem is me bread winners, if they can’t work what I suppose to do. Right now since thing start times done hard, so wha de expect I must do now. When they shoot up we husbands and sons, how de expect we the women to survive.
I have to get justice,” Debra Wills declared.
Several residents also expressed outrage over actions of the police. One resident of Wismar Dolris Gibbons, told Kaieteur News that the community became somewhat of a “war zone” after policemen opened fire at residents who were standing in their yards.

Injured: Gordon Robertson

The woman said that several infants and elderly persons were affected by teargas that the police discharged. She told Kaieteur News that the entire incident was unprovoked.
“The police had no right to leave the main road and come through the cross streets….we were in our yards standing and the police just starting shooting,” Gibbons said.
According to a Joint Services Statement, the ranks were clearing blockages set up by protestors at the western end of the Wismar-Mackenzie Bridge, along Burnham Drive, Half Mile, One Mile, Wisroc, and along a number of adjoining cross streets in the Wismar area.
“During the clearing of the blockages the police had to resort to the use of tear smoke to disperse large unruly crowds of persons who were in the process of preventing the Joint Services from removing the obstacles.”
“While clearing blockages along the roadways in the Wismar Old Housing Scheme and One Mile areas large crowds of persons confronted the Joint Services ranks and began throwing Molotov cocktails and missiles at them which included bricks, bottles and pieces of metal. The police resorted to the use of tear smoke grenades, some of which were picked up by the protestors and thrown back at the Joint Services ranks.
“Molotov cocktails thrown by the protestors damaged one of the machines used by the Joint Services to clear the debris and one of the rank’s uniform caught afire but was quickly put out,” the statement said.
The police were forced to use shotgun pellets to disperse the very hostile crowds and so far reports indicate that three men have been injured. They are Ray Wills, 52 years, of Wismar Old Housing Scheme, who was injured to his right foot; Marlon Richardson, 19 years, of Victory Valley Hill, who was injured to his right foot; and Michael Wills, 24 years, of Wismar Old Housing Scheme, who was injured to his right thigh. They were taken to the Mackenzie Hospital by the Joint Services ranks where they have been admitted for medical treatment.
“In addition two ranks of the Guyana Defence Force were accidentally hit by pellets and received injuries to the face and the hand, respectively. They have received medical attention and have rejoined their unit at Linden.”
The situation on Burnham Drive became tumultuous just after dawn yesterday, after the Joint Services denied residents the right to pass the area that they had cordoned off, near to the old Wismar sawmill.
By that time the blockage at the Mackenzie Wismar bridge had been removed, and several military vehicles were ranged off on the Wismar end of the bridge.
However, instead of dispersing the people merely backed off a little, while they hurled verbal insults at the Joint Services using the most colorful language.
The same situation was replicated at One Mile and other areas.
Meanwhile, this newspaper was told that over 27 young men including one of the suspected arsonists known as “Candy man,” have been arrested. According to reports most of the men were arrested after they were caught taking photographs with their cell phones. One resident from Wismar, Patrina Anthony, said that her nephew Ulric Lowenfield, was arrested after he was trying to take a video with his cell phone.
“ He had his blackberry saying taking photos and the police rank snatched the phone and said that he was under arrest” Anthony told Kaieteur News.
Residents of Silver Town, One Mile and Canvas city complained bitterly about the police, who they said once more threw tear gas ‘like de mad’. In a repeat of what transpired on Friday last, many persons had to flee to escape the noxious gas.
Among those fleeing was a woman and her baby. The mother, Shemika Griffith, told Kaieteur News that it was the second time in the last few days that she had to flee from her home from the fumes.
“I was in me house on Friday sleeping when the police let loose this thing (tear gas) but I didn’t know was wha, I say oh God, like somebody spraying gas to come in me house, and I jump up to see wha going on, but me eyes and all me skin de burning, so I wake up them children, and I go and get water and start washing we face and so. But like more I wet this thing is more it burning. It burning you bad like pepper , so I run and come out the house. After I run out I hear like the shooting more so I run and come down here, because me ain’t able for nothing happen to me and me children, right now.”
Another woman held up a bloodied shirt, which she had used to tie the leg of a male resident who was shot by police.
“I want you take a good picture of this bloody shirt…because this is advantage wha these police doing. They shoot this man and he son. Look this is my shirt that I tear up and tie up the father foot for dem to carry he to hospital; and wha was more hurtful when we go fo pass dem (police) they ain’t even want we pass.”
APNU’s Rupert Roopnarine in a comment yesterday, said that from all the evidence he has seen there seems to be massive irregularities mostly by the police. He said that the police have led assaults against residents in the Wismar Community. According to Roopnarine, some residents were still sleeping when the police discharged tear gas.
“These communities were compact, people were sleeping with young children especially babies, the police discharged tear gas canisters into yards and rounds into people’s houses and destroyed property” Roopnarine told Kaieteur News. He further stated that he has seen evidence to damage to a number of properties.
“This is not a warzone. This is Guyana and you cannot enter a community in the dead of night and shoot, it’s a sort of ambush.”
He said that residents are riled up and it was only right because they were attacked. Roopnarine said that his worst fear is that persons would be targeted after his team leaves the community. “I’ve done everything I can …I’ve tried to tell the joint forces that it would serve no purpose by attacking the people….the only people suffering are the poor and the oppressed” Roopnarine said.
Roopnarine opined that the police are provoking the people and will try to justify what they are doing. He said that things have taken a deadly turn, and unless the ranks pull back from the community “we are in for a torrid time.”
Chairman of Region Ten, Sharma Solomon, condemned what he described as “most barbaric and decadent,” the burning of the One mile Primary school.
He however noted that he was quite happy that it was the people themselves who were out on the streets that had caught the perpetrators of the dastardly act.
And in relation to the shooting of several protestors Solomon posited,” It is very unfortunate when those who are mandated to protect and serve, turn their guns on the very people they should be protecting. This sends a chilling message to the rest of the country that freedom is under attack.”