The Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) said it found it very disturbing that the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) was now allegedly engaged in torturing citizens — atrocities previously associated with the police – and it would seek answers from the army.
The organization also chided Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee and President, Bharrat Jagdeo for making light of the brutality reports.
Several soldiers have complained to Stabroek News of being tortured by members of the Military Criminal Investigation Department (MCID) over allegations that they were responsible for the theft of a single AK-47 rifle from the army’s headquarters, Camp Ayanganna last year November. Michael Dunn, Alvin Wilson and Sharth Robertson said they were pepper-sprayed, immersed in a gutter and whipped with metal pipes during interrogation.
Asked for a comment on the issue on Saturday, President Bharrat Jagdeo told a reporter not to waste his time, as there were more positive things happening in the country. He then said that the soldiers had other means of recourse as they could go to the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) and the courts. The PCA only deals with complaints from citizens against police officers. He also said that his government did not support torture.
Jagdeo’s comments came days after Rohee said at a press conference that Guyanese were not concerned about torture, but rather acquiring homes, house lots and unpacking barrels sent from overseas.
In an interview with Stabroek News yesterday GHRA President Michael Mc Cormack said the government officials’ dismissal of the allegations was unacceptable. “I don’t know who the minister is talking to because people who visit the GHRA are concerned about torture,” Mc Cormack said. Noting that these are fresh allegations coming months after two civilians had alleged that they were similarly treated while in the army custody, Mc Cormack said, “When this becomes a routine feature then it must be a cause for concern.”
He said the GHRA would soon seek clarification from the GDF on the allegation and would also ask Rohee for an explanation as to what he meant by his statement.
Acting Deputy Chief of Staff of the GDF Colonel Bruce Lovell said on Friday: “For the loss of the AK-47 rifle several persons were interrogated and we are not aware of any act of physical abuse during the interrogation process. We remain committed to investigating any such act.”
Mc Cormack said this latest round of torture allegations was very disturbing particularly since it shows a trend that “these things are happening” and also the role the army is playing in all of this.
According to the GHRA president, torture is deliberate inflicting of pain on an individual to extract information. He said back in the 1980s torture was prevalent here, noting that police stations were virtual torturing chambers. “But in the past there were denials, because there were no grounds for torture.”
Mc Cormack said a similar posture had been adopted by the present authorities, but now government officials were belittling the allegations. Asked whether the GHRA would take up these matters with the United Nations Human Rights Commission, Mc Cormack said his organisation would exhaust all the domestic avenues before moving to that stage.
Attorney-at-law Vic Puran who is representing one of the soldiers implicated in the weapon theft said Guyana was sliding into a situation where the laws were becoming inconvenient to those who administer them. Puran said he knew the military was allowed to torture in time of war, but that was not the case currently.
He said Guyana had constitutional provisions against cruelty. Puran said he intended to file habeas corpus proceedings in the court for the release of his client and if possible he would take legal action against the army for allegedly beating the soldier.
Wilson, who was in charge of the arms store and who issued the weapon to Robertson, told Stabroek News on Sunday that during his interrogation, three officers attached to MCID, placed him to kneel on bricks, handcuffed him and beat him about his body. He said a wet bag was also placed over his head and tied tightly, so he could hardly breathe.
Wilson said his false tooth was slapped out of his mouth and one of the officers pitched it on the concrete floor damaging it. At present, he said, he would pass blood and was unable to stand firmly. Wilson said he had issued the weapon to Robertson and it was never returned.
Robertson who is still in detention, complained about being shocked, immersed in a gutter and whipped with a metal pipe. Similar treatment was meted out to Dunn whose left heel has two deep cuts. He too said he was shocked, beaten with a metal pipe and threatened that he would be killed.
The men have all vowed to leave the army and asserted that they are prepared to stand in a court-martial trial and give evidence against the officers who tortured them.
GDF Chief-of-Staff, Commodore Gary Best last year denied that his force was involved in torturing citizens when he was asked to comment on the brutality meted out to Patrick Sumner and Victor Jones who alleged that they were beaten and burnt by joint services ranks. Best said the army was not about beating and burning people.
