Dear Editor,
Just as in previous post election violence, Linden and Agricola have generated a flurry of claims, counterclaims, and shrieking from the political principals. The noise and pretended fury usually centres on who is responsible for ethnic-tinged attacks. To shed some light on this, I focus on who could be responsible, who could have had a hand in the descent into ugliness in Linden and Agricola.
In no particular order, it could be: 1) the community itself; 2) opportunistic criminal elements from the community; 3) opportunistic criminal elements from the outside; 4) government sponsored operators; 5) opposition sponsored operators; or 6) some combination of all of the foregoing, except government. Or except the opposition. There is remote possibility-indeed, a stretch and a leap-of the presence of unaligned outside agitators.
Now amidst the querulous allegations and denials, where lies the fullness of the facts? Who is really who?
To begin with, the specifics of the parties involved cannot be identified with absolute certainty. There is, however, a wide and deep strain of some political orchestration and involvement. Without a doubt, all the principal political blocs stand to gain some mileage out of manufactured mayhem. It could be stature or “ah yuh see wah gwine aan” or “dis is wah ah yuh nah vote fuh” or “we gun teach dem a lesson” or “dis is fuh show we mean bizness.”
Given the nature and history of local leaders, none of this is off-limits or speculative; it is very real. Reputable and reliable sources have shared dirty secrets. Secrets about men on the public payroll who justify their existences in these types of circumstances.
Now separately, there is the spectacle of state and community representatives in public proceedings, who cannot get their stories straight, and are inconsistent and dissembling. Clearly, both sides have things to hide; the coaching shatters on the anvil of accuracy, and from the pinch of memory. The question remains: who and what to believe in the increasing murkiness surrounding the Linden deaths and the mainly ethnic attacks in Agricola?
I think that this question is best answered by tabling another: Who stands to benefit and benefit the most?
First, the community loses. Second, the opposition, whether old or new, combined or single, jeopardizes its slender and slippery position; and any fragile hopes of consolidating its future.
Third, the unceasing-most of the time unscrupulous-quest for the hearts and minds of locals continue unabated. Read as votes; any means justify this paramount end. Fourth, those in charge have misled and lied to this nation incessantly on most matters; they know neither truth nor transparency. Can anything be different in either of these situations? They lack credibility of the most meagre sort. Discounting the boyz in the hood, who really is the menace to local society?
Editor, it should be noticed that I have asked many questions, but not answered any. The thoughtful and truly patriotic amongst us should do some hard and honest thinking. Such thinking should focus on who stands to benefit the most from Linden and Agricola and how. Therein lies the crux of the matter.
Yours faithfully,
GHK Lall
