More than a month after several protesters were shot with rubber bullets by police, a report on the investigation into the actions of the ranks is yet to be made public and those injured are still awaiting justice.
The police had said the shooting was unfortunate, while the Ministry of Home Affairs made it clear that it had not instructed the use of rubber bullets against A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) protesters. The ministry also called on the police top brass to discuss the issue, pointing out that a junior rank had given the authorization to fire which was a very important decision.
While many expected that the junior rank would have been disciplined, he was instead transferred to another division and promoted. The Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) is said to be conducting the investigations.
Stabroek News was unable to contact any senior police official yesterday for a comment on the issue.
Among those who sustained pellet wounds during the incident, which occurred on December 6 last, were PNCR-1G MP Joan Baveghems, 69; APNU youth leader James Bond, former army chief-of-staff Edward Collins and a seven-year-old boy.
Collins, during a telephone interview with Stabroek News yesterday said that besides being slapped with a charge of taking part in an illegal protest, he has heard nothing more from the police on the incident. He, Bond and 12 others were charged in connection with the protest and they will be making another court appearance on February 13.
Collins said he is not surprised by the police’s silence on the issue pointing out that one should note that they have recognized that they erred that day. “The protestors were actually shot in the back,” he said, noting that this is unacceptable especially by the United Nations Human Rights standards. He said that protestors also had there hands up which was a sign of surrender and they should not have been fired at.
He expressed the view that the ranks who were on the ground that day, including those who fired the shots that struck the protestors will never accept blame because “they would have been instructed”.
Asked about the junior rank who was in charge of the ranks being promoted, Collins said, “I find it most reprehensible”, as one would have expected that he would have been put under the microscope instead of being promoted so soon after the incident.
“I see this [the promotion] as a contempt for all the people who suffered,” he said.
Speaking now on his recovery since the ordeal, Collins told Stabroek News that he is fully healed and have so far not suffered any side effects of the wounds he sustained. He sustained wounds to his abdomen and back.
“My spirit is not being scourged. My soul is not being penetrated,” he stressed.
Letter writer Tacuma Ogunseye in the columns of this newspaper attempted to give a first-hand description of what had occurred as he was present when the ranks opened fire.
He said in the letter which was published several weeks ago that the young people of APNU had sought and received permission from Commander of Police of ‘A’ Division George Vyphius for a series of marches.
He said that at the time of making the application routes of the marches were also supplied to Vyphius and it was only after the organisers were informed that permission was granted to them that they put the final preparations in place.
The march on December 6, last, Ogunseye said, was the first in the series and departed from the Square of the Revolution. He said he arrived there very early and was therefore well positioned to observe the unfolding developments.
“One could not miss the over zealousness of the senior officer present; he came over as a man with a mission to fulfil,” Ogunseye said, adding that the rank was in constant contact with some higher authority, and conveyed the impression that his presence was to carry out his instructions – which presumably were to prevent the march from taking place at all costs.
In such a situation police action against the marchers was inevitable, the political activist noted and the only issue was how to minimize what was pending.
“I believe the actions of the youth leaders are to be commended and applauded. They and their allies acted very responsibly and in good faith as they tried to negotiate an acceptable resolution to the crisis they were faced with that was prompted by the officer’s insistence that no permission was given for the march,” he noted.
With no compromise in sight, the youth leadership decided to walk two abreast to avoid the accusation of marching. When the walk started, the man said, he joined Collins at the front. The walk proceeded into Brickdam, initially without any police interference but this did not last very long, since the police attempted to stop them.
To avoid confrontation a decision was made for a left turn from Brickdam and then a right into Hadfield Street and he said it then became clear to all of the protestors that the march was faced with a bigger threat than was originally envisaged, because instead of the regular police contingent, which was avoided on Brickdam, it was now confronted by personnel from the Tactical Services Unit who took up formation across the road.
The protestors were ordered to disperse or face the consequences and the officer referred to above was seen talking on his phone. He then twice instructed his men to fire and they did not. It was then that the officer grabbed a gun and fired into the ground.
The crowd began to flee and he repeated the command, which was then obeyed.
“As we retreated the police continued to fire. This explained why most of the victims were shot from behind,” the letter stated.
Ogunseye said he subsequently made his way to Congress Place where he learnt that Collins had been assaulted and arrested while on his way there. He said that amid the uncertainty of how the leadership of APNU would respond to the “brutal and unprovoked attacks and the widespread local and regional condemnation”, it was therefore not surprising that the authorities felt pressured to break from their known history on these matters and make a quick response. In the process, they distanced themselves from the shootings thereby leaving the officer on the scene to take the heat.
He said that the responses of Commissioner of Police Henry Greene, who was still in active service at that time and Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee left a lot to be desired. It was very clear they were surprised and taken aback by the extent of the condemnation directed at them and they were more interested in absolving themselves of blame while attempting damage control measures.
Rohee had said in a statement that he was informed “that in light of the circumstances on the ground at the time… the Unit Commander …took the decision himself (to fire the rubber bullets) without consulting the Divisional Commander or the Commissioner of Police”.
The minister conveyed his concern about this “serious lapse” and urged the commissioner to put steps in place for “other best practices in respect of crowd control, the necessary corrective administrative and command control measures to avoid a repetition of the unfortunate turn of events”.
Rohee also flayed the police over the shooting of protesters in the back.
