A dark day for democracy in Guyana

Nov 02, 2025 Letters

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Dear Editor,

The recent arrest of incoming Opposition Leader Mr. Azruddin Mohamed was not justice; it was a spectacle—a stark display of state power wielded for political gain.

What the nation witnessed was an operation more befitting an illegal covert action by a rogue state than a lawful arrest. Over twenty armed men, their identities hidden behind ski masks and lacking clear police identification, descended upon Mr. Mohamed in a public space, putting the public at risk with their guns drawn, as if confronting a wartime enemy platoon. In such a volatile and deliberately intimidating situation, the margin for a “fatal accident” becomes terrifyingly thin. The timing and manner of this operation raise grave and legitimate questions that every Guyanese citizen must consider.

The echoes of our own history are deafening. We are forced to recall past eras where state power was weaponized against political challengers. We must recall the PNC-controlled and House of Israel-infused quasi-military “Bongo Squad” with their primary objective being – “Get Walter Rodney”. Today, the PPP appears to have its own modern-day “bongo squad” in ski masks, with similar instructions – “Get Mr. Azruddin Mohamed”. It appears that “Bharat” Burnham has learnt much from “Forbes” Burnham. The objective feels familiar: to neutralize a political threat by any means necessary.

When the APNU government arrested Dr. Roger Luncheon and Dr. Ashni Singh, we condemned it—and we condemn these abuses against Mr. Mohamed today. Wrong is wrong, no matter who is in power. We reject institutional weaponis.ation then and now. This principle underpins democracy.

The timing of these actions is impossible to ignore. Why now, on the very eve of Parliament’s convening and Mr. Mohamed’s election as Leader of the Opposition? If the allegations hold merit, where was the pursuit of this case in 2021 when His Excellency President Dr. Irfaan Ali ate from the same pot as the Mohameds? This sudden urgency, synchronized precisely with a pivotal political moment, reeks of a calculated strategy, not a blind and impartial application of the law.

This situation transcends any single individual. It is an assault on the very foundation of our democracy. It is a preemptive strike designed to decapitate the parliamentary opposition before it can even take its seat. It sends a chilling message to the 109,000 citizens who voted for this representation: your voices are not welcomed in Guyana under a PPP Government, irrespective of your Guyanese citizenship.

The government’s actions suggest that it has morphed into a party that no longer believes it can compete fairly in the arena of ideas. Instead of facing its challengers through debate and policy, it has chosen to use the heavy hand of the police state to eliminate its only political competition. This is a sign of profound weakness, not strength.

People sometimes speak about the bestial cruelty of the PPP leadership, and many of us did not believe Dr. Fenton Ramsahoye when he cryptically commented some 50 years ago, “the party [the PPP] works in mysterious ways”.  But what we are seeing being enforced against Mr. Mohamed today, brings us to a quick realization that to refer to the bestial cruelty of the PPP leadership is most unjust to and offensive to the very beastly qualities in animals, since no animal can be as cruel in their behaviour towards a human being as the PPP leadership is behaving with regard to Mr. Azruddin Mohamed.

The world has witnessed throughout history, from Nelson Mandela to countless others, that unjust political persecution will backfire. Ultimately, this political misstep on the part of the PPP is fueling the very movement it seeks to crush. The people of Guyana see this oppression for what it is, and their resolve for justice will only grow stronger.

We call on all Guyanese, regardless of political affiliation, to condemn this dangerous subversion of our democracy. We must demand the preservation of due process and the protection of political rights of everyone.  The people must never live in fear of their government.

The world is watching. History is recording. Let us stand on the right side of both.  The objective of the entire exercise failed, and Dr. Bharat Jagdeo must return to the drawing board and reflect on his entire strategy.  While this exercise was designed to embarrass Mr. Mohamed, the outcome was turned on its head since the incident caused more Guyanese to love him, even more.

The timing and nature of these actions reveal a strategy of the PPP that is totally focused on the 2030 elections. By moving preemptively against the only political challenger (the WIN Team) that can beat the PPP in a fair contest, the PPP leadership demonstrates its intention to eliminate this electoral threat using the darkest of means, long before the official campaign begins. This is not the behavior of a government confident in its record and ideas. History is not on the side of the PPP and Dr Bharat Jagdeo.

Khemraj Harryram

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• Azruddin Mohamed, Democracy, Khemraj Harryram, Letters, Opposition Leader

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