Dear Editor
Last year on the 43rd Anniversary of Walter Rodney’s assassination, I was hospitalized… yes I couldn’t even hold my phone! This year by the grace of God, I am well and I would like to do something special for Walter Rodney’s Memorial Day and I would like to begin early with the preparation. For Walter Rodney’s 44th death Anniversary I have put together a collection of writings of my experience as the leader of the “Brigade” titled ‘Walter Rodney and the Struggle for National Unity’. The “Brigade” was the distribution unit of the WPA. It was the link between the Party and the masses and it covered a wide expanse – Georgetown, East Coast, West Coast, East Berbice, Linden and as far as Bartica. It brought out the crowds that attended the public meetings. Leading up to the Great Civil Rebellion and in the aftermath.
The booklet is made up of 42 pages, including 12 coloured illustrations, my artistic interpretation of the political landscape. While the content of the booklet deals with Walter Rodney’s struggle for a government of National Unity and Reconciliation, it delves deep into what transpired after Walter Rodney’s assassination. This is the untold story from the perspective of a frontline activist, the sole surviving member of the Brigade, of those courageous and fearless young men and women from the ranks of the Guyanese working class who, alongside Walter Rodney and many others, committed their lives to the Guyanese struggle, certain and convinced of victory. I am reaching out to Guyanese who still believe in the validity of Walter’s ideas. Ideals he lived for, fought for and was assassinated for… 44 years after we commemorate this great son of the soil who sought to unite and bring prosperity to our people, and in so doing, my Guyanese compatriots let us recall our own history of struggles from Cuffy, Bechu to Walter Rodney.
45 years ago, Guyanese of all races and gender, religious convictions took to the streets in the Great Civil Rebellion of 1979 and the omnipotent dictator of the day, Linden Forbes Burnham, with all his armies cracked up! The PPP of today, Jagdeo and Ali, will shudder with fear when they feel the just wrath of the Guyanese people! To conclude, I am looking forward to publishing 1,000 copies of the booklet that will be presented to visitors who attend the Walter Rodney Memorial Day activity at the Square of the Revolution on June 13th, 2024.
Sincerely,
Desmond Alli
