Dear Editor,
Newspapers and television have carried images of Troy Small trembling uncontrollably as he was helped out of the Alberttown police station on Wednesday July 22, 2009. What does it mean to us as a so-called civilized society that the media are reporting that he was “allegedly” tortured by a group of men including some wearing the uniform of the GDF? This is not the first report of torture by the forces of law and order in Guyana. There were others which were followed by Minister Persaud’s high-handed dismissal of the complaints as exaggerated responses to a simple “roughing up” of suspected criminals. That response and other statements by Minister Rohee, as well as the “hunt them down” pronouncements of various leaders including the President, have set the stage for the “licensed to kill” behaviour which continues to be displayed by some members of the disciplined services. For those who have forgotten, recall the President’s embrace of the use of “brute force” by the police during the 24th Annual Conference of the Association of Caribbean Commis-sioners of Police (reported in SN on May 19).
We have to recognize the difference between individual acts of vengeance (illegal though these are, which is why they are punished by law) and official responses which tolerate, justify or welcome brute force as a law enforcement method.
Cabinet Secretary Luncheon is waiting for a report of the investigation into the allegations of torture of Troy Small. We expect that the investigation will say or imply that the joint services are not responsible, and that the man either beat himself up or got into a fight with his friends. The assault on Troy Small is a further degeneration that shows why all those who, thinking they were defending themselves against the vicious brutality of violent civilians, have applauded the vicious brutality of some men in uniform. We will ignore this latest expression of official violence at our peril.
Yours faithfully,
Karen de Souza
Andaiye
Alissa Trotz
Red Thread
