The A Partnership of National Unity and Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC), in a recent statement, has made known they are on record rejecting outright the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government’s use of the anti-terrorism provision in the Criminal Law (Offences) Act to bring charges against citizens of the country.
“We have already brought to the nation’s attention that this anti-terrorism law was introduced as an amendment in 2002 by the notorious Ronald Gajraj, the then Minister of Home Affairs, the mastermind behind Phantom squads and extra-judicial killings.”
The coalition said the PPP government is now wickedly using the anti-terrorism law to deal with alleged misdemeanors and other common criminal offences, the coalition said.
“The PPP’s motive is clear: to intimidate and scare citizens from exercising their constitutional freedoms of association, assembly, and peaceful demonstration, the coalition warned, stating that such intimidation of citizens is state terrorism in itself.”
The Opposition said the Criminal Law (Offences) Act violates basic human rights, is excessive and counter-productive, and has called on decent-minded citizens to raise their voices in condemnation.
“As we have stated before, the proper course of action to deal with crimes is for the Police Force to be depoliticised, professionalised, and well-equipped. Turning Guyanese citizens into terrorists is a senseless and depraved approach to crime-fighting.”
The coalition said research has revealed the anti-terrorism section in the Criminal Law (Offences) Act may no longer exist in the law books. In January 2016, the Opposition said that section of the law was completely repealed by the APNU+AFC government and replaced with the Anti-Terrorism and Terrorist-Related Activities Act 2015 which was expressly intended to fight global terrorism, and not to fight alleged local criminal offenders.
“As such, the 2015 Act includes provisions, for instance, to combat the financing of terrorism, the creation of safe havens for terrorists in Guyana, the creation of terrorist cells in Guyana, and the use of Guyana as a terrorist training ground.”
Furthermore, and very importantly, the APNU+AFC said, in repealing the Gajraj legislation, redefined “a terrorist act” to largely exclude acts of armed conflict, demonstrations, and protests.
“The Gajraj provision is silent on that score. Indeed, internationally, the debate still rages as to what should be considered legitimate public struggle against repressive and authoritarian governments. Under the PPP, Guyana has joined Iran and a few other countries where the government uses terrorism laws to suppress the human and constitutional rights of citizens.”
The Opposition said they intend to formally raise this issue at international human rights fora and organisations.
