Guyanese must stop their inhuman attitudes

Jun 01, 2016 Letters

Dear Editor,

I refer to Marilyn E Trotz’s letter, “We missed the opportunity to make the jubilee celebration an all-inclusive event” (SN, May 29). Ms Trotz spotlighted that Indo-Guyanese attendance at the flag raising ceremony was scant. This was highly predictable for many reasons including those mapped by Ms Trotz. However, I would like to take this opportunity to point out and dwell on one obvious culprit – the crime situation – which was not considered by Ms Trotz but was largely responsible for robbing us of a chance to celebrate our country’s history.
The fact remains that as Indo-Guyanese we face the brunt of the crime situation and a blind eye is largely turned by the APNU/PNC/AFC Government thus causing its escalation, particularly within recent months. This invokes a natural feeling of fear and concerns for our safety. As a member of the Indo-Guyanese community I know all too well the pain and suffering (physical and mental) criminals create for us. We live a life in fear and approach every aspect of it with trepidation because of criminals. The fear of criminals robs us of a “normal life” in multiple ways which might explain the scant attendance as pointed out by Ms Trotz.
When criminals murder us we leave behind families whose lives are forever destroyed. Criminals even have the hubris to kick down our doors and kill us? Society offers us nothing. We are left to suffer alone. Those in power remain silent as if to endorse crime. Every member of the Indo-Guyanese community knows our lives are in danger then thus how could we bring ourselves to attend the flag raising ceremony? We the Indo-Guyanese in the Diaspora are even scared to enter the country and holiday for a few days.
These are the sacrifices we silently make so as to survive. This is inhumane. Even animals in the wild resort to similar survival tactics: utilizing the escape avoidance response to evade and elude predators. Unarguably, crimes along with a severe lack of inclusivity as pointed out by Ms Trotz were major obstacles hampering our participation. This is unfortunate for our country.
We yearn to celebrate this event but our fellow countrymen deprive us. It is hard not to conclude that criminals selectively target Indo-Guyanese through racial stereotyping for the most part given our daily brutalization and is a sign post of ignorance. Ignorance breeds hate, cruelty, insensitivity and disunity. Indeed, the flag raising ceremony was a once in a life time opportunity to unite all Guyanese but unfortunately ignorance frustrates this. For the benefit of humanity and in the spirit of unity, my fellow Guyanese need to recoil from its inhumane stance. Every Guyanese need to speak against injustice, so as to allow every life a fair chance irrespective of what one look like. Until we act with such principle, our society will continue on a racially fractured trajectory to which it can ill afford.
Sheila Matura Singh
Diaspora Member (New York)

2 thoughts on “Guyanese must stop their inhuman attitudes”

Burch01 June 1, 2016 at 4:40 am

”We yearn to celebrate this event but our fellow countrymen deprive us.
It is hard not to conclude that criminals selectively target
Indo-Guyanese through racial stereotyping for the most part given our
daily brutalization and is a sign post of ignorance ”…….. Agreed !….. Here again , I will fault the GPF for inadequate/poor ” strategising ” or using of resources.
The criminals have ”preferred ,recognizable ,soft targets”, and known vulnerable areas from which to operate. However , those facts seem not to be understood by the the GPF and consequently followed with the development of corresponding contra-tactics.
From my position here in the USA, I could have correctly predicted,that an elderly ex-British Soldier walking around the Stabroek Market area,early in the morning would have been a prime target for the criminals……..He should have been given discreet surveillance……. it is called being pro-active. Not our GPF…..so far!
Keith Williams June 1, 2016 at 10:29 am

That is so pathetically ridiculous. The crime situation was not better under the PPP and Indians turned out to celebrate Independence. The reaction to crime today by Law Enforcement is far better than it was back then. What she is attempting to do, and which has become an art form, is to obfuscate the fact for many Indians patriotism.