Residents of Amelia’s Ward, Linden yesterday charged that sometime after 2 am, Tactical Service Unit (TSU) ranks swooped on protesters and proceeded to clear the blockades around the town.
This account differed from that of the Joint Services Coordinating Council, which said yesterday that there was no operation by the Disci-plined Services to clear the barriers. However, attempts were made by security forces yesterday to clear three-week-old blockages along roadways, but they continued to meet resistance from residents and had to contend with the outbreak of fires throughout the day.
Up to press time scores of residents were holding the blocks on both Wismar and Mackenzie shore.
Transportation into, out of and around the community was cut off.
Several camps were set up by soldiers in the town with the largest seen at Amelia’s Ward and more troops kept rolling into the town.
Residents contended that the ranks had proceeded to the Wismar/Mackenzie Bridge in a pre-dawn action, where a large crowd had assembled as the word got around of the situation at Amelia’s Ward. They said that a fire of unknown origin was set at the centre span of the bridge, which was quickly put out by the Linden Fire Service.
The first and main road block at Wismar was out of eye’s view from the Wismar/ Mackenzie Bridge. “Deh left deh and come till here and start tear-gassing people you see how far dis block deh from deh bridge,“ asserted one woman as she recounted the events of the early morning episode.
She said that it was ranks of the TSU who fired the tear gas, destroyed several camps taking away most of the foodstuff and other cooking materials and utensils, and removed the block. “They (TSU) were like wild horse just shooting like wild,“ said another.
Residents said that the TSU chased the crowd all the way to Silvertown, where they kept spraying the noxious gas. “Deh shoot up deh tear gas in all dem people yards”, a resident said, adding that the situation resulted in several families who were asleep at the time being forced out of their homes. “That woman with a just born baby only come home from hospital yesterday deh tear gas she house,“ it was noted.
Several persons echoed the story. Families were assisted to wet pillows and no less than twelve children were rushed to safety. “One lil boy ’bout two or three years, if you see how he eye swell up,“ a resident said.
Access to the Linden Hospital was denied as the TSU was preventing persons from accessing the bridge at the time. Later in the morning several persons were treated and sent home at the LHC for smoke inhalation.
According to residents the TSU fired several cans of tear gas which landed in the buildings of the Linden Salvation Council. “As God above me is when deh shoot in the building you see like things start sparking up and the next thing fire, fire bruk out,“ said an eyewitness.
The three buildings were used for community activities, cooking and storage and as the fellowship place of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints respectively.
The TSU was later forced to retreat as the crowd grew beyond their control before daybreak and had put up strong resistance. “I never see a loader reverse with such a speed yet,“ recalled an eyewitness, who said that as they retreated, teargas was shot off and landed in the compounds of the Charles Rosa School of Nursing and the old and new hospital compounds. This affected nurses and the ambulance service persons who were on duty at the time, forcing them to run for cover.
When Stabroek News arrived on the scene several nurses were seen running from the hospital wearing masks.
At around 7:45am, the GRA Customs and the Lin-mine Secretariat toll booths were seen on fire. TSU ranks had occupied the facilities since July 18. Shortly after, several buildings in the Linmine Secretariat Com-pound were set afire. The Guyana Revenue Authority Linden Main office was the first to go up in flames, followed by the IDCE building, Cheryl’s Delight Canteen operated by the Linden Care Foundation (LCF), then the Linden Electricity Company Inc., and finally the main building of the Linden Care Foundation. It took the security of the GDF and the assistance of public-spirited persons to assist staff of LCF to save a quantity of items.
At approximately 8:15hrs, word circulated that the Joint Services were clearing the roadblock at Bamia and were moving into Linden with three truckloads of troops and a mechanical lifter. Residents were allegedly ditching the highway at the top of the Amelia’s Ward Hill following the arrival of the troops. They managed to clear the Amelia’s Ward main access road and the block, which was just off the Kara Kara Bridge. It was later restored by residents.
The blocks at Wismar were also re-erected and a new one placed near to the bridge from the Wismar end. This trapped the soldiers who were now unable to exit the bridge. At that stage another fire was lit on the bridge but quickly put out by the soldiers.
As the troops continued along Sir David Rose Avenue at Mackenzie to clear several blocks that went up overnight and included large piles of tyres which were set alight across the road at Five Corner, the Joint Services’ forklift suffered a puncture. The roads were plastered with broken bottles and spikes. It was at that stage the operation ‘Last Push’ was aborted as of press time last night.
Reporters were also harassed by protestors yesterday. A reporter attached to the Guyana Times was assaulted and had her mobile phone taken away. The woman, who asked not to be named, is a resident of Linden and had returned home from George-town early yesterday morning. She said as she was walking along the Amelia’s Ward main road and in conversation with her editor, a man followed her and began hurling unsavoury remarks at her. “He grab my hand and I put up a resistance and he ring my hand and took away my phone, saying I took pictures and was sending out information.
She said that the accused took the phone to a group of men, who were a short distance away and they removed her sim and memory cards. “I wasn’t going to let it go that easy so I went up to them.”
After a heated verbal exchange, the men returned her phone and cards after being convinced that she hadn’t taken any photos.
Stabroek News‘ reporter was also a target of unsavoury attacks from a protester who accused the reporter of “selling out to the government.” She was also prevented from taking photos and was a subject of unending verbal abuse whenever seen using her phone yesterday. Prior to that, she was also warned to desist from visiting several areas where blocks and camps were set up by protestors.
Three freelance reporters also had similar reports and said that they decided to withdraw in fear of their cameras being damaged. One said that as he was attempting to cross the Wismar/Mackenzie bridge as the events unfolded in the early morning hours, he was told by TSU ranks that they were under strict orders not to allow reporters on the scene.
