Karl Marx: “History repeats itself first as tragedy, second as farce”

Mar 05, 2022 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

Kaieteur News – Jerry Gouveia was in the studio of Kaieteur Radio on March 6, 2020 and boldly declared that GECOM should share the responsibility for the death of Devon Subhan. The teenager died two years ago protesting GECOM’s unwillingness to declare the election results. The police shot and killed Subhan.
When Subhan was killed protesting the rigging of the 2020 election, over half of the population of this nation was not born in 1973. It was in this year that two Berbicians from the PPP, one of which was another teenager like Subhan, were shot dead by the police protesting military possession of the ballot boxes.
Also dying in that year was 17-year-old Jagan Remessar and Bhola Nauth who was 43-year-old at the time. Their names and memories have vanished from Guyana’s historical landscape. As I write on Subhan, and think of Ramessar and Nauth, I remember the lyrics of the pop song “Winter in July,” by the opera singer, Sarah Brightman which is the one I like the best from her because of its unique arrangement with heavy doses of reggae rhythms. It is titled, “Winter in July.” Here are some poignant lines:
We may not know the reason why
We’re born into this world
Where a man only lives to die
His story left untold
Youthful Ramessar would have been 66 years this year. Maybe if he was alive, and in his thirties, he would have been a university graduate, becoming one of the leaders of the PPP. What has become of his siblings? Where are they now? Where are the five children of Nauth? Are any of them in Guyana? Why haven’t they told the story of their father?
If any of the children of Mr. Nauth reads this page, please contact me at 614-5927. I don’t have Whatsapp so call me at that number. My email is [email protected]. Relate to me the story of your father and I will carry it on this page. What was his politics like? Did he ever meet Cheddi Jagan. How old were you guys when your father was killed?
What is painful to know, is that nothing has been heard about the siblings of Ramessar and the children of Nauth. Surely, we just cannot erase their memories like that. I was on the streets in 1973. I know the pain and anger of being attacked protecting the right to vote.
I remember the night the father, Boyo Ramsaroop, of former AFC big wig, Gerhard Ramsaroop, was attacked on Garnett Street near what used to be the cinema that showed Indian movies. The name was Liberty. Boyo was campaigning for the PPP in the 1973 elections and was putting up posters on the lantern posts when he was viciously attacked by PNC goons and almost died.
All these memories came rushing through my mind when I sat in the studio of Kaieteur Radio and saw what was happening inside and outside of GECOM’s command Centre on Hadfield Street and GECOM’s head office in Kingston. This was a replay of what I saw 47 years ago.
It was surreal to me. When I saw the confrontation between Carol Joseph of the PNC and Jonathan Yearwood of ANUG, in that incident, in March 2020 at the head office of GECOM, I know Guyana was travelling back 47 years to 1973. You had to live through 1973 to really get a grasp of the disaster Guyana was drowning in from March to July in 2020.
In 1964, the PNC won 40 percent of the votes. Then it rigged the 1968 elections. Then came the era of permanent power where the right to vote and have that vote counted had vanished. In 1973, came an even bigger rigged poll. The PNC concluded that it won the election with 71 percent of the vote.
In 1973, I had read Janet Jagan’s book, “Army Intervention in the 1973 elections in Guyana.” What came to life in 2020 were the pages of Mrs. Jagan’s publication. Read page 61 of the book, then go and look at the video clips of what took place in March 2020. You will see a graphic repetition of history.
Karl Marx wrote these words: “history repeats itself first as tragedy, second as farce.” In 1973 history repeated itself as tragedy after the terrible rigging of the 1968 election. Two protestors were gunned down. In 2020, history repeated itself; this time as farce.
If there is any event or any country that proved Marx right it was Guyana in March 2020. The entire five months was one powerful manifestation of farce. Sadly though, youthful Devon lost his life.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

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Karl Marx: “History repeats itself first as tragedy, second as farce”

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