I have a purpose at the ERC, I will not resign – ERC Commissioner Roshan Khan

Sep 14, 2020 News

Commissioner of the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC), Roshan Khan, who recently came under fire for making racially insensitive comments on social media, has dismissed calls for his resignation stating that he has a role to play at the Commission.

ERC Commissioner, Roshan Khan

During last week’s mass protests in West Coast Berbice, following the gruesome murder of teen cousins, Joel and Isaiah Henry, Khan made a post on Facebook urging East Indian residents in the area to arm themselves against protestors. His full statement said “Indians in Berbice need to create their watch and protection groups. Equipped with batons and sticks for self-defense only. Be firm and clever but never be the aggressor. Protect minorities in your communities.”
The post was later edited to ay ”In Berbice
.Guyanese need to create their watch and protection groups. Equipped with batons and sticks for self defense only. Be firm and clever but never be the aggressor. Protect minorities in your communities”.
Subsequently, there was a slew of condemnation made toward Khan’s statements on social media, with at least one online petition started calling for his removal or resignation. The Leader of the Opposition, Joseph Harmon had heavily condemned Khan’s statement saying that his behaviour was unacceptable and he should be immediately removed from the ERC. The ERC then sought to distance itself from his statement. The Commission stated that the view of the Commissioner does not coincide with the ERC’s mandate to promote “harmony and good relations”.
In his appearance on a National Communications Network (NCN) News programme on Saturday, Khan defended his statement.
“Just because of that post, it’s a whole conspiracy taking place, by a political man and a political entity and that is why they are doing this, to try to destroy me and break me and possibly get me to resign from the ERC” Khan said. The Commissioner was referring to the Opposition Harmon’s condemnation of his remarks.
Responding to the widespread calls for his resignation, the Commissioner responded “No I can’t. I have a purpose, why should I step down? I would not resign.”
He would have also posted another statement on his Facebook page saying that he was hacked. His full statement said “HACKED: MY FB HAS BEEN HACKED. PLEASE NOTE ANY NASTY, VULGAR POST NOT LIKE ME ARE NOT MINE. OR REQUEST FOR MONEY THANK YOU.”
Khan, who is also a businessman, is the representative of the Muslim Community on the Ethnic Relations Commission. A number of persons would have written to the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana, with requests for the Muslim community to relieve Khan of his duties at the Commission.