The overarching question should be “persecute or prosecute?

Last Wednesday, February 15, the Guyana Police Force issued wanted bulletins for several persons, accused of allegedly committing terroristic acts during last year’s protest action on the East Coast Demerara.

Citizens will remember, oh so well, that a disruptive group had created mayhem in that East Coast community that resulted in the brazen looting of stalls at the Mon Repos Market. Naturally, law-abiding citizens will agitate for justice, a call I unequivocally support. However, I find it extremely unconscionable, and beyond the veil of justice that those accused (who, by the way, are deemed innocent until proven otherwise), can fall under the police radar and be ‘persecuted’ for acts of terrorism.

Notably, the actions of the ‘East Coast Twelve’ are not akin to terrorism since there was an absence of defined political goals and an organizational structure, supported by the extreme violence that is associated with terroristic organizations such as Al Shabab, Al Qaida, Boko Haram, Abu Sayyaf, and Wagner Group among others.

The response of the Guyana Police Force smacks of abuse of authority and certainly lacks the expected professional application. Once again, these noble servants in black and blue seem to be responding to the dictates of an oppressive government that has no reservation in using the coercive arm of the state to instill fear in society.  Naturally, labeling the ‘East Coast Twelve’ as terrorists can be reasonably interpreted as a design to advance the political agenda of the ruling cabal while discrediting those whom they perceive to be supporters of the political opposition. This is a dangerous precedent that should be condemned since the unchecked use of state power is terroristic and an imminent threat to peace and security.

Guyanese must collectively sound their voices against such wanton abuse of power by the government through the coercive arm of the state. It is obvious that the ruling cabal’s strategy to consolidate power encompasses the use of the Guyana Police Force to stifle dissenting voices.

The prosecution (or should that be persecution?) of the East Coast Twelve for acts of terrorism may result in aggrieved citizens being reluctant to engage in acts of protest, a lawful and necessary tool to keep a regime, with the proclivity to be undemocratic, in line.

Acts of civil disobedience are common in democratic states and sometimes result in financial losses and social disruption when not properly managed. It is incumbent upon the state to effectively manage the sociopolitical environment thus negating the prospect of acts of civil disobedience descending into chaos as in the case of the East Coast unrest.

Despite utilizing this tool to enforce their stances while in the opposition, the ruling cabal has persistently demonstrated intolerance to engage in civil discussions with communities it perceived that are aligned with the political opposition. The preferred choice of engagement is often disrespectful and is purely designed to humiliate community leaders. Small wonder, many communities have lost interest in the political system and are enamored by civil disobedience as a means to an end.

We ought to be on the watch and hopefully, the prosecution of the East Coast Twelve will be on par with the prosecution of the unruly and menacing mob that terrorized scores of school children and citizens at Bath, West Coast Berbice and the Lusignan thugs who violently attacked a squad of police ranks on March 6, 2020.

Since our police have a penchant to charge citizens for acts of terrorism they should immediately pursue the band of villagers who reportedly invaded Woodley Park Secondary School, West Coast Berbice, on Thursday, February 17, 2023, and threatened and intimidated African Guyanese students. This incident was reported by social media, and I trust that the formal media will investigate and report accordingly.

The partial dispensation of justice is highly undesirable and should be discouraged if we are to boast that we are operating in a democratic state. It must be reiterated that the coercive arm of the state should not be used as an instrument of oppression and intimidation but as a guarantor of freedom and justice. For this reason, the police force must wean itself from undue political pressure and execute its mandate in keeping with the constitution of Guyana.