People must be helped to form community groups to protect themselves

Dear Editor,

My soul cried out when I read of the brutal killings of the innocent victims in Lusignan. My condolences go out to the grieving family members, relatives and friends. Where are we going in Guyana, and when will this all come to an end? I was in Guyana in the late seventies early eighties when we had a spate of armed robberies. Those were bad enough, but those robbers had some kind of a conscience. They would stick you up and if any shooting was done it was to the intended victim, the one with the booty. They have now gone to the lowest level. There is no conscience, no moral reasoning whatsoever, they just kill every living thing in sight just to get some money!

The criminal mind has sunk to the level of the wild creature. Something has got to be done quickly. When I saw the photographs of the victims, of the young children killed in their beds, it brought back memories of the killings that took place in Rwanda, in the eighties, senseless and indiscriminate. The Government of Guyana has got to take over and do something to protect our citizens. Apart from beefing up their intelligence and stepping up patrols, they should assist the citizens in doing something to protect themselves.

I remember the vigilante groups we had in the past. I say arm responsible citizens in every town in vigilante groups, train these ‘citizen soldiers’, develop a quick response system, possibly with cell phones, or some other means to alert these groups when an attack is in progress. They can then intercept and engage these marauding band of savages, until the law enforcement arrives. Citizens should not be afraid to fight back. It is either kill or be killed. Today it is your neighboUr tomorrow it could be you. When these killers realize that we mean business, they will probably come to their senses. When they realize that they should expect a fight on every mission, we will see a change in their modus operandi.

I also call upon all God fearing folks to set aside a day of prayer and fasting, and seek God’s face for further guidance, in these troubled times.

Yours faithfully,

Robert Farley

Augusta, USA