Dear Editor,
There is a video circulating on YouTube right now of police beatings at Marudi, and there is outrage. The outrage stems from the fact that the police seem to be taking advantage of innocent civilians which we all abhor. This unjustified use of force has caused some writers to go overboard with their comments, which I think is totally uncalled for, somewhat stretching the facts too much. I have looked at the video many times over and come to the conclusion that much more needs to be done as to the conduct of our affairs in the interior. Wherever there is wealth, gold in this case, there is bound to be a struggle both on the part of the interior residents and the police, who must maintain law and order.
What I gather from that video is a group of policemen, the one with the dark glasses in particular, who seems very impatient with the protesters blocking his path. He responded in very crude and uncouth fashion by beating up the men, I repeat the men, who were lending support to the Amerindian lady and her child lying on the road. The police in their haste were in no mood to negotiate a peaceful removal.
And this is my point, a wild west situation is unfolding in the interior and government needs to take a closer look at the way police as well as civilians operate there. For the police’s part they need to be disciplined in the strongest possible way.
Yours faithfully,
Neil Adams
