Confidence and trust erode when the law becomes an instrument of injustice

Sep 28, 2012 Letters

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Dear Editor,
Mankind’s troubled past, even more troubling future, and the peculiarities of the human condition are all dealt with extensively in the scriptures (The Holy Bible).Those of us who believe that a day of judgment will come in which mankind must give account to God for their sins, are thankful that God in his infinite wisdom has prepared for believers a way to escape the raging hell fires to come.
It seems as though many of our leaders are happily spiraling downward to the barbeque pit. They have either underestimated the magnitude of this coming event or they simply do not care. Whatever their agendas it might be beneficial to take heed and hasten to change their wicked ways. God-fearing leaders would not suffer, rob and kill their people neither would they permit others to do so.
Here are some noble values which are sadly lacking in our leaders – honesty, patience, tolerance, forgiveness, truthfulness, warmth, considerate, and merciful.
Could such noble values be attributed to men like Adolf Hitler, Jozef Stalin, Pol Pot, Saddam Hussein, Idi Amin, Papa Doc Duvalier, Osama Bin Laden and a long list of murderers whose ineradicable effect still resonate within the hearts and minds of those who suffered or witnessed their horrific and brutal genocidal acts against mankind?
How did these men become such monsters? How did they become unfeeling, uncaring, uncharitable, unmoved, unsympathetic, untouched and hard?
The following scriptural passage gives an insight; (Ecclesiastes 8:11) “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.”
There must have been evidence of a predisposition towards evil, something that was indicative of sinister intent. Was it greed, lust for power and wealth, falseness, ruthless ambition? Whatever the cause, the effect was a trail of devastation.
Anyone who has thought beyond a blind allegiance to wickedness would recognize similar disturbing patterns developing here in Guyana. We have in our midst all of the above and then some.
Why is it that Guyanese are experiencing all these terrifying atrocities? The answer to that is simple; our leaders speak with forked tongues. Their insincere preachments make a mockery of any vision of rebuilding this country’s image. They lie and deceive and it has spread like a cancer throughout our nation, infecting many.
From the moment we failed to ensure that citizens’ constitutional rights were protected and upheld and law enforcement restrictions did not infringe upon these basic rights, the die was cast and lawlessness was inevitable.
The citizens of this country have now become the clay pigeons of law enforcement gone mad and trigger-happy policemen. People are dying in this country at the hands of police officers who are sworn to “protect and serve”. What a sickening state of depravity engulfing our nation’s protectors.
When the law becomes an instrument of injustice instead of justice, and is brought into contempt in the eyes of the people, confidence and trust in the systems erode, and no good can come from venturing down this road.
The general sentiments of terror which already afflict us whenever policemen with big guns roll up into our communities would be immeasurably increased if their crimes committed whilst hiding behind a badge go unpunished.
As the verbal sword play continues within the confines of parliament and our leaders sit glaring motionlessly at each other like catatonic tortoises with nothing to say to each other or anyone else, the people will continue to be deceived and fed their regurgitated bile. The poor, suffering, unsuspecting citizens can await more grief, because no measure of intellectual legislating can successfully defend us against an evil work or protect us from this sinister one-way scourge that threatens to ensnare us in its web of deceit, lies and injustices.
Whilst we take time out to ponder upon this dilemma, which seems insoluble so long as present attitudes and values are maintained, we should reflect upon these lyrics from this old song from the sixties which begs the questions:
How many years can some people exist
Before they’re allowed to be free?
How many times can a man turn his head
and pretend that he just doesn’t see?
How many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?
How many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died?
The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind
The answer is blowing in the wind.
Let us hope and pray that it is not so.
C. Graham

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