President Irfaan Ali has deployed soldiers to help beat back protesters who have been demonstrating against the slaughter of two boys at Cotton Tree Village, West Coast Berbice over the weekend.
Lawmen have been trying to drive away the protesters by firing rubber bullets and releasing teargas. This however has not weakened resolve of the people and Ali who is also commander-in-chief of the armed forces has decided to deploy his soldiers.
In a statement Tuesday the Guyana Police Force said following a briefing to the heads of the Joint Services, a decision was taken to reinforce the police at West Coast Berbice with ranks from the Guyana Defence Force.
“As a result, GDF ranks were deployed to assist with clearing of the roads which commenced this morning. However, shortly after clearing the said roads, residents of the affected communities resorted to blocking it again,”the police release stated.
The police said they continue appeal for calm and to warn persons to desist from blocking the roads, a course of action that is inimical to the safety of other citizens and the timely delivery of justice for Joel and Isaiah Henry.
Attorney-at-law Darren Wade who hails from West Brrbice on Minday said that the Guyana Police Force is being used as an instrument of oppression against Afro-Guyanese.
The attorney condemned the actions of the force being exercised at the protest of the villagers who are just demanding justice. “The people in Berbice are under siege by the police. The actions of police are disturbing, and it is only being exercised on a particular group of people. I’ve heard that there is a protest at Bath Settlement and there is no police presence there. The reaction from the police in the West Berbice village protest, it is evident that the people are being treated with indifference. There are shooting our people with pellet bullets and using teargas and the police are not going to the protest in Bath settlement. The Police job is to serve and protect, not to destroy the people. I’m calling on the Commissioner to tell his ranks to stand down,” Wade lamented.
He went on to express his disappointment in the response from the sitting government in the situation. “This is a hate crime. Those murders were inhumane, what message are you trying to send? I am disappointed that no proper statement came out from Freedom House. There has been a total breakdown of law and order in the country since they took office. These things haven’t happened in the last five years. Is it now a crime to be black?” Wade asked rhetorically on the programme.
He spoke passionately about black stereotypes and labels, especially in certain communities.
“When you’re black you can’t go in certain communities because they label you as a thief just by looking at your race…,” he pointed out.
