Dear Editor,
What began as just a trip to the airport ended in the most horrible lifetime experience for me, a sixteen year old girl and my family. My grandmother and I left our home on the Corentyne Coast at around six am on Tuesday, 8th of September 2020. We were heading for the Cheddi Jagan International Airport in Georgetown for an emergency flight out of Guyana. My mother, who resides in the United States made the arrangements. We were accompanied by a family friend. The driver of the car was also a family friend. Another friend of my family was also getting on the flight. So we made arrange-ments to go together in two separate vehicles.
We were aware of the rioting that was going on in the east and west coasts of Berbice, however we were informed by our families in Georgetown that the riots were under control and we would be able to pass. Taking this as good news, my family felt it was safe to go. We were also confident that we would be under the protection of the Guyana Police Force. After some driving we met up with a riot in Number 1 Village. We were stuck there for over three hours. With no food, no shops open and no way of getting across, our vehicles parked some distance from the riot and waited for the police force, whom we expected to show up quickly.
The riot at Number 1 village did not affect people or vehicles in an adverse manner. However, they had blocked the road with coconut trees that they later set on fire. As we waited for the fire trucks to put the fire out, our driver talked to the police who were trying their best to control the situation but were failing. As soon as the fire was put out, the rioters grabbed tires and started another big fire. The Police Force could not stop the riots and so, the Guyana Defence Force was sent to deal with the situation. We were allowed to pass after the GDF cleared the road and we made our way to West Berbice. After crossing the Berbice river bridge we encountered our second riot at number five village, West Berbice.
We ended up hiding at a gas station for about half an hour and saw that it was just a peaceful demonstration. We then proceeded thinking everything was well, however this was not true, we met with another riot at Bath Settlement. This was already under control by the GDF and luckily we didn’t spend much time here.
Continuing our trip, we met with another riot at Fort Wellington. Because of the soldiers, we didn’t spend much time there either. We stopped to have lunch where we were told that it was safe to pass through to head further into Region 5. As we were getting ready to continue our journey, we realized that one of our tires was damaged and so we had use our spare.
We then kept on travelling but at the back of my mind I was thinking it might not be safe to go. But I was with adults and they would make the right decisions. Lo and behold, the fiery protests and rioting at Hopetown Village was still in full force, although there was a large number of soldiers and uniformed police! We parked our cars and waited for a signal for safe passage. We made our calls to the airport informing them that we would be a bit late. We were not the only Berbicians going for that flight. After the soldiers had their lunch, they began clearing the road that was blocked by two burning trucks. We then got a signal from police officers to move forward and go through a backstreet. We followed a line of vehicles that were going through the backstreet.
This is where we lost contact with the other car we were travelling with. Going down the street we noticed that we were cut off from the rest of the vehicles that had sped through the street. Seeing that the end was blocked by rioters who ran down the street, the driver with great panic, started reversing to go out the same way we came through. Suddenly our car and a pickup truck were attacked by a large number of rioters. They attacked the vehicle in front of us, leaving the driver to flee for his life. We were still frantically trying to get out of the street but we were surrounded. We couldn’t go anywhere and couldn’t do anything! We were a car of Indo Guyanese. The rioters showed us little mercy. Everyone’s faces were covered completely and all we could see were their eyes full of rage and whatever other emotions were there.
Someone offered us safe passage for a little change, but by the time the man returned, we were already neck deep in trouble. Our car was surrounded by so many rioters that we couldn’t even think. The driver side window was stuck half way down and the men started banging on the car. One of the rioters had a piece of wood that they used to hit the windshield and cracked it. Another rioter hit the windshield with his bare fists and damaged it. Our car was banged up but that was the least of our problems. As the window was down, one of the rioters tried to get the car keys. The rioters were able to unlock the safety locks and get into the car. I clearly remember the first thing they did as they entered the car. One of the men ripped my cross from off my neck, which I wore for safety all my life. They then opened all the doors and pulled us out. I remember seeing them pull my grand-mother away, she didn’t resist, and she just gave them everything she had, including whatever jewellery she wore.
After I couldn’t see the driver or family friend, I began screaming out of fear. They took my bag, which I gave them without hesitation, inside the bag was a change of clothes, my phone, and my wallet. My passport and green card were inside as well. They took everything just threw my passport and green card back into the car. I have no idea why. I can only guess.
I barely caught sight of our family friend who gave the rioters all his money and his phone. They then proceed to mercilessly beat our driver because he wouldn’t give the car keys. I saw my grandmother and I pushed to go towards her. I couldn’t not pass through. I was now terribly scared that they would kill me, as I was a young Indo Guyanese teenager. I faintly remember a young Afro Guyanese man pulling me away from the circle of men. I realized that this man was our guardian angel. I held onto his hand and begged him to help us. He then grabbed my grandmother and got her into the car, he put me in and gathered some of our things on the ground and dashed them into the car. Somehow the driver and our family friend managed to get into the car. This man who helped us safely back into the car, guided us to the soldiers who were now coming to this street. I remember thanking the man as we drove off. Our driver was panicking as the car was not his. He looked as if he would collapse any moment.
The soldiers saw us and guided us back onto the main road, they told us we couldn’t go back to the East Coast. We were told to head to Rising Sun for safety. However, we could not leave Hopetown. The other side of the road was blocked and the GDF was failing to control the situation. We turned back in hopes of being cleared by the soldiers at the other end, but this did not happen either. Rioters were everywhere and they remembered the car because of the damage.
At this point, we didn’t know what to do or where to go. A young mixed race couple saw us, and yelled for us to go into their yard. A few female rioters were shouting at the couple helping our family. This got attention off of us. We made it into the yard and the young man helped to cover the car with a sheet to hide it as his wife led us upstairs. We couldn’t even look outside.
It was five long and painful hours before we could contact our families again. The side neighbour who saw what was going on, asked us to use her phone and also gave us $3000 Guyana dollars! There are still good people left in the world! We were robbed of all of our phones, money and jewellery! My old grandmother fell sick and was barely able to keep herself up.
My uncle tried to come down from Georgetown to rescue but was met with a huge fire. My grandmother’s sister from the US tried to get us out as well, but failed. No one slept the entire night out of fear. After hours of hiding and settling down a little, we realized that we knew this man through church. God had guided us there! The couple helped us with food and made beds for us. The entire night was full of anticipation of people coming to harm us. How can I tell you what I went through?
After an endless night, morning eventually came, Wednesday 9th Septem-ber. As soon as the riot eased, the young man and our driver fixed up the car in case we could leave. This was around 7 am. Suddenly, we saw a line of vehicles and some soldiers then heard the grader which was removing debris from the road. This is when we realized that we could drive through. Leaving everything behind we rushed to the car. The car had to be pushed out and we were then able to join the line of vehicles. As we were driving away, our car with broken windows was being pelted with bottles. The soldiers guided us safely back to the Berbice River Bridge. We told the person working there that we were robbed and had little or no money. He would not budge, so we had to use the last of the $2000 to pay the crossing fees.
After crossing the Berbice Bridge we joined a long line of vehicles waiting to be given clearance by the police to drive away. Many of the drivers were so emotional at their narrow escape. Some were kissing the ground and thanking God that they were alive.
We then travelled home. The rioting cost us four phones, and almost two hundred thousand dollars in cash and some jewellery, not mentioning the damage to the vehicle and the trauma we are now facing mentally and physically. My few words cannot capture the horror that we experienced and endured during those two days. I am still haunted by those memories.
We are thankful to the Guyana Defence Force and the Guyana Police Force who guided us back home. To our brave driver, who did not give up his keys in spite of a severe beating, to that Afro Guyanese man, who pulled me away from the group of rioters, to that mixed family that took us in and gave us a place to sleep and food, and to the ‘mixed’ neighbour who lent us her phone to use and who gave us money, we are forever grateful. You are good people. Most of all to God, we say “Thank you, you saved us.”
Yours faithfully,
(Name and address supplied)
