IFAAD demands answer from Govt on failure to hold inquiry into extrajudicial killings

By Mark DaCosta- The Institute for Action Against Discrimination (IFAAD) is demanding answers from the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government over the prolonged delay in establishing a Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the extrajudicial killings of the early 2000s. With the trail, growing colder by the day, IFAAD is urging swift action to ensure accountability and closure for the victims’ families. The question remains: why has the promised COI not yet materialised?

In September 2024, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo assured the public that the Terms of Reference for the COI were being drafted and that President Irfaan Ali would soon announce its formation. Speaking at a press conference on 19 September, Jagdeo, who is also General Secretary of the PPP, reiterated the government’s commitment to investigating the alleged extrajudicial killings that occurred between 2002 and 2006. This promise, initially made by the previous A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) coalition administration, has yet to be fulfilled, leaving many to wonder what is causing the delay.

The urgency for a COI was further underscored by the United Nations Human Rights Committee, which recently expressed concern over the lack of substantive progress in establishing the inquiry. IFAAD, a prominent human rights organisation, has echoed these concerns, questioning why such a critical investigation has been stalled. Ubraj Narine, Vice Chairman of IFAAD, emphasised the need for answers, particularly as the nation approaches another election cycle. “The Guyanese people still want to know about all those murders that took place under then-President Jagdeo’s presidency,” Narine stated. “We still await answers, including for the killing of his own minister, Satyadeow Sawh, and his entire family.”

The killings in question span a dark chapter in Guyana’s history, beginning with the escape of five inmates from Prison in February 2002. The fugitives, believed to have joined or formed criminal groups, triggered a wave of violence that gripped the nation.

Over the next six years, a series of brutal massacres occurred across the country, including in Kitty (September 2002), Lamaha Gardens (October 2002), Bourda (November 2002), Buxton/Friendship (June 2003), Prashad Nagar (June 2003), Agricola/Eccles (February 2006), La Bonne Intention (April 2006), Bagotstown/Eccles (August 2006), Black Bush Polder (August 2006), Bartica (February 2008), Lusignan (June 2008), and Lindo Creek (June 2008). These incidents, which claimed countless lives, remain unresolved, leaving families without closure and the nation without answers.

Amid this turmoil, allegations emerged of a “phantom squad” operating with impunity, allegedly supported by the PPP government under then-President Jagdeo. This shadowy group was accused of carrying out extrajudicial killings, with estimates suggesting as many as 2,000 individuals may have been victims. The allegations, which shocked the nation and drew international condemnation, painted a grim picture of a society where the rule of law had collapsed.

One of the most high-profile cases during this period was the assassination of Agriculture Minister Satyadeow Sawh and his family in April 2006. Sawh’s murder, which occurred at his home sent shockwaves through the country. Despite his prominent position, no thorough investigation was conducted, and his killers remain at large. Speculation about possible PPP involvement in his death has only deepened the mystery and fuelled public outrage.

The APNU+AFC coalition, which came to power in 2015, pledged to address these unresolved issues by establishing a COI. However, political instability, including a no-confidence vote in 2019 and subsequent elections in 2020, derailed these plans. With the PPP/C returning to power, the future of the COI remains uncertain, leaving victims’ families in limbo.

Today, the wounds of this turbulent period remain raw. The failure to investigate these alleged extrajudicial killings has left a legacy of distrust and division in our nation. As IFAAD continues to press for answers, the question persists: why has the government not yet acted on its promise to establish a COI? For the sake of justice and reconciliation, it is imperative that this long-overdue inquiry finally takes place. The Guyanese people deserve nothing less.