Monday citizens protest the headquarters of the Criminal Investigation Department, Georgetown, against the arrest of persons on terrorism charges. The police late last month issued bulletins for 12 men for similar offences and nine have since been charged and granted $300,000 bail each. On June 28, 2022, a protest over the alleged killing of Quindon Bacchus by the police went awry, when persons allegedly robbed and beat persons at the Mon Repos market, damaging vehicles, and destroying stalls.
The People’s National Congress Reform – PNCR, in a recent statement, said the terrorism charges brought against Patrick Cummings, 52 and Robin Simon, 44 and others who were allegedly involved in the Mon Repos incident are unlawful, wicked and must be dropped.
The Party rejected the charges brought against the accused under the Criminal Law (Offencese) citing it a wicked piece of legislation created by the last former Minister of Home Affairs Ronald Gajraj, deeming him “a man who masterminded phantom squads and extra-judicial killings.” The party has accused the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government of “now maliciously using the anti-terrorism law to deal with alleged acts of larceny and hooliganism. “
According to the PNCR, “The PPP’s motive is clear: to intimidate and scare citizens from exercising their constitutional freedoms of association and peaceful demonstration. Such intimidation of citizens is state terrorism in itself. To deal with crimes, the proper course of action is for the Police Force to be depoliticised, professionalised, and well-equipped. Turning Guyanese citizens into Osama bin Ladens is a senseless and depraved approach to crime-fighting.”
The full text follows:-
GOVERNMENT TERRORISM CHARGES AGAINST ORDINARY GUYANESE ARE WICKED AND MUST BE DROPPED
The PNCR utterly rejects the government’s use of the anti-terrorism provision in the Criminal Law (Offences) Act to bring charges against citizens of the country. Since last week, over ten persons have been charged by the Guyana Police Force for so-called “acts of terrorism”. Guyanese must note that the anti-terrorism section in the Criminal Law (Offences) law was introduced as an amendment in 2002 by the notorious Ronald Gajraj, the then Minister of Home Affairs. It was, and remains, a wicked piece of legislation created by a man who masterminded Phantom squads and extra-judicial killings.
The PPP government is now maliciously using the anti-terrorism law to deal with alleged acts of larceny and hooliganism. The PPP’s motive is clear: to intimidate and scare citizens from exercising their constitutional freedoms of association and peaceful demonstration. Such intimidation of citizens is state terrorism in itself. To deal with crimes, the proper course of action is for the Police Force to be depoliticized, professionalized, and well-equipped. Turning Guyanese citizens into Osama bin Ladens is a senseless and depraved approach to crime-fighting.
The use of the so-called anti-terrorism legislation will only serve to undermine human rights and democracy. It is even likely to create more political instability in the country. The government must come to its senses and drop all such charges immediately.
The law also violates international conventions. It is excessive, needless, and counter-productive. It may even no longer exist on the books. While the PNCR does not condone criminal activity, we will continue to defend the human and constitutional rights of all Guyanese.
