Dear Editor,
The full tragedy, if not travesty of our situation in Guyana came to me starkly.
My wife has re-migrated after spending over a decade overseas.
To assist her re-settlement, we visited several government and non-governmental agencies, including the police traffic and other departments.
In the majority of cases, we had to deal with senior Indo-Guyanese officials, and in one case, a senior official of Portuguese extraction.
In each and every case, these officials were courteous, helpful and the quintessence of professionalism.
In fact, in one case, a senior Indo-Guyanese official came down to the vehicle during a slight drizzle when he learnt of our presence in the compound.
The hallmark of compassion, decency and care.
I said to myself, why are we allowing certain political leaders and sections of the media to drive a wedge between the two largest groups in Guyana, Afro and Indo Guyanese.
I grew up in the south of Georgetown and the kindness and decency of those Indo Guyanese officials reminded me of the many days spent in my father’s drugstore and my days in school, when there was no tension between the races.
In fact, oft times, my father had to make peace between Hindus and Muslims. Perhaps, a result of events taking place in India at that time.
That experience gives me and I hope the majority of Guyanese, an expectation that we will overcome and be true to our motto of ‘One People, One Nation, One Destiny.”
Having said that, I note with interest, the Page 1 comment, in Stabroek News, September 8, 2020, which observes “those seeking to make political hay from these heinous killings should desist from doing so.”
The comment quite properly requests the Police Force to employ all means to bring the perpetrators to justice; no problem there, however, the front page comment continues to accuse certain groups of using the tragedy for political purposes.
I agree absolutely, that we must respect the rule of law, but I ask the authors of the Page 1 comment, what should grieving family members, friends and the community do when it is perceived that our law enforcement agencies are being used to carry out a vendetta against those groups who were declared losers in the March 2 General Elections.
What must law abiding citizens do when there is lopsided and biased reporting when acts of violence are done to certain sections of our society, when people at Bath Settlement and other areas stoned a school bus, threatened members of the Police Force, there seemed to be inaction in certain quarters and silence elsewhere.
Whatever may be our beliefs and religious persuasion, we must know that justice and equity must apply to all everywhere and at all times.
In our circumstances, we must avoid the appearance that when certain groups stand up and demand justice, that they are called all sorts of derogatory names.
Reminiscent of when certain Europeans, including the American colonies, stood up against injustice and sacrificed lives, they were respected and deemed Freedom Fighters, while those, as we saw in Southern Africa who employed similar methods, were deemed Terrorists, and were incarcerated.
While we perforce, support the lofty sentiments expressed in the Page 1 comment of Stabroek News, September 8, 2020, we should ask the media to use their influence to support the lawful and constitutional rights of citizens to lawfully protest when there is injustice directed against a particular group of citizens.
Let us put an end to this charade that certain people are bad when they stand up for their rights.
History is replete with the demonstration of people who because they stood up for their rights changed the landscape of the world we know today.
I can remind them of the Netherlands – 1585, England – 1642, America – 1776, (the Boston Tea Party is now a celebrated event in the United States).
How can we forget the popular uprisings of Russia – 1905, Mexico – 1910, Hungary – 1956 and one that is closest to us, Cuba in 1958 and South Africa.
Again, I fully support the rule of law but this must not allow sections of our population to become second-class citizens in the country they helped to build.
I hope Dear Editor, that you have no difficulty in publishing this letter, since I believe, it points to the truth and supports my contention that today, the media has the vital role to educate and where necessary agitate so that we can truly liberate all of Guyana.
Yours faithfully,
Hamilton Green
