Families of fishermen murdered in Suiname’s piracy attacks still looking for closure

May 07, 2019 News

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By Malisa Playter-Harry

It’s been one year and a week but the families of the fishermen whose bodies were never found after they were killed and dumped overboard in Suriname waters last year, during a piracy attack, are still seeking closure.

It was one of those stories that made the headlines almost daily when it occurred, it grappled the nation and neighbouring Suriname but to this day 12 bodies are yet to be located.
Four boats with 20 crewmembers, predominantly Guyanese fishermen, were attacked on the evening of Friday April 27, 2018 on the Wai Wai Bank in Suriname waters. Five crew members survived the horrific ordeal; four bodies were to date discovered (one identified). The attack was allegedly orchestrated by Nakool ‘Fyah’ Manohar in retaliation for the death of his brother, Somnauth Manohar, who resided in Suriname.
‘Fyah’ was the first suspect to be charged for the attack. 19-year-old, Alexander De Harte of Number 79 Village and Premnauth Persaud called ‘Sanbad’ were also charged with the deadly attack and are currently before the court.
Recently, this publication reached out to relatives of two of the fishermen whose bodies were never found. There was a need to know how life has been, knowing that their loved ones remains have not been located.
Wife of Dinesh ‘Vicky’ Persaud, Taramatie Ibrahim, called ‘Kavita’, who has five children, two of whom are Persaud’s, told Kaieteur News that life has been turbulent for her since the death of her husband.
She has been moving from one place of abode to another.

Kavita said, “In the beginning, all eyes were on us but now, everyone has forgotten us; we are left to struggle while we still seek answers.”
She explained that her eldest child, aged 17, is the only person working for a meagre salary that assists her to take care of him and her other four children, ages 13, nine, six and three.
Kavita said she is unable to work because there is no-one willing to take care of her kids, thus making things more difficult. “It is rough. Sometimes me does just want go away but me does watch me children.
“My family does help when they can, but me can’t burden them with my problems, you know.” Kavita was one of the recipients of the $100,000 given by the Government of Guyana shortly after the incident took place but since then she said, she has not heard from anyone from the Guyana government or the authorities in Suriname.

“For the first everybody come out and assist how much dem can assist and I am thankful but since then nothing. Only couple of days ago me aunty carry me by somebody to help me get a place to stay because some people give we a house to stay on for a short while and then we got to move again, it hard for my children but I can’t do anything but hope and pray and try to see what I can do to make life a little better,” she said sadly.
She added that Persaud with whom she shared a relationship for five years always

told her that he will provide for her and his children. But then tragedy struck and that promise was washed away with the body of her partner.
“He always seh how he grow up tough and he na want he children dem to punish and work hard. My younger children does ask for him and me does tell dem he gone and work.”
Kavita says the only memory she has of her husband now is his clothing, pictures and the fond memories they shared together as a couple. One thing that will always stick with her is something he told her every time he left for sea.
“He always seh that if something like that happens to him, he go dead because he na go let somebody come and take away what he work and sweat for. He go fight till the end.”
He apparently gave the Pirates a difficult time, Kavita said, because shortly after Suriname authorities arrested several suspects and took them back to the location where it occurred, they told the police that Persaud was fighting back and they had to anchor him in the waters.

Kavita told this publication that one day when she can afford it, she will do a memorial for her late husband since it is something that she wants to do.
Meanwhile, at the home of Ralph ‘Burnham’ Couchman, whose body was also never located his mother, Nandkumarie Sukra, was relaxing in her hammock.
She was elated when this newspaper showed up. She said that since the tragedy no-one is contacting her to let her know what really is happening.
The woman explained, “Me na got money to go over Suriname fuh find out what happening, Dem tek DNA from we so long and no result as yet so we really want to know what is going on. The bodies that dem find, dem never leh we see the bodies nothing”.
The mother, who also lost another son to murder many years ago, said that she stresses out daily and still has hope within her that her son ‘Burnham’ might be alive.
“Up to the other day ah see a white car pass and a li’l boy look just like he was inside and I run out and stand long long looking out. I still get a feelings he gon come home back. He use to take care of me you know! But now my other son taking care of me”, she said.
Among the missing fishermen who were never found are Bharrat Heralall, Ralph ‘Burnham’ Couchman, Dinesh ‘Vicky’ Persaud, Joshua Glenroy Jones, Tilaknauth Mohabir, Rajkumar Bissessar, Ramesh Sancharra and Ganesh Beharry.

 

 

 

 

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