Massacre of fishermen in Suriname… Guyana declares Monday as day of mourning

Jun 23, 2018 News

Charged with murder: Nakool ‘Fyah’ Manohar

Guyana on Monday will observe a national day of mourning for the fishermen killed by pirates seven weeks ago in Suriname waters.
According to a proclamation by President David Granger, signed by Minister of State Joseph Harmon, and released yesterday, the day will serve as a solemn memorial to the victims.
State entities will be required to fly their flags at half-mast.
According to the Proclamation of the day of mourning, it is the intention for the day to be a solemn memorial to the victims of the massacre of Guyanese fishermen off the coast of Suriname between the 27th day of April, 2018 and the 3rd day of May, 2018/
“Now, therefore, in exercise of that authority vested in me under article 99 (1) of the Constitution, I declare Monday the 25th day of June, 2018 a national day of mourning for that purpose and call on all authorities, boards, commissions, corporations, public agencies, ministries and citizens to fly the national flag of Guyana at half-staff to demonstrate solidarity with the families of those killed in these grisly and gruesome acts and to accord due homage, respect and reverence to the memory of the victims,” the proclamation said.
At least two persons, including Nakool ‘Fyah’ Manohar and Premnauth ‘Sanbad’ Persaud, have been slapped with murder charges in a case that involved both Guyana and Suriname authorities.

Charged with murder: Premnauth ‘Sanbad’ Persaud

In Suriname, several persons remain in custody for the separate attacks on April 27 and May 3, which were described as revenge actions by Guyanese fishermen in Suriname for a killing of a prominent boat owner. That boat owner, who is the brother of Manohar, was killed in his Paramaribo home.
Manohar is alleged to have organised the attacks which took place about 40 miles off Paramaribo, near French Guiana.
Suriname authorities say that they are continuing to question a Guyanese fisherman who they captured in Lelydorp, in the Wanica District on June 2.
On June 2, a Suriname joint police unit, consisting of the Department of Capital Crimes and the Regional Assistance Team took the 30-year-old into custody after careful planning.
The suspect was at an address in Lelydorp where he was hiding for quite some time.
During the arrest, Suriname police said in a statement that his girlfriend tried to hinder the police.
‘Bolo’ attempted to run away from the police. However, he was cornered near a hen house after warning shots were fired. He surrendered.
Police in Guyana and Suriname are continuing investigations.
On April 27, in waters between Suriname and French Guiana, heavily armed men attacked four fishing boats, beating, chopping and throwing the crewmen overboard. The attackers also stole the catches and a boat. One crewman was sunk with a battery attached to his body.
About 20 men were thrown overboard. Five survived while the rest are missing and feared dead.

One of the captured pirates, ‘Crackhead’, remains in the custody of Surinamese authorities.

Only four bodies were found. All the missing men, except one, are Guyanese.
It is said to be the deadliest attack in recent times, with investigators believing that the attack was a revenge act for the drive-by shooting death of one of their own.
A few days later, another boat of Guyanese fishermen was attacked by the same men.
Investigators between the two countries have travelled between both sides to gather information for the case.
Several families in Guyana remain in anguish over their missing ones.
One of the main attackers, known as ‘Crackhead’ was captured in Suriname.