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IAC
urges citizen protection during march
THE
Indian Arrival Committee (IAC) says it is "deeply concerned" that
the proposed rule of law march scheduled for Saturday by the PNCR, JFAP, ROAR/GIHA
and some trade unions, "may lead to the victimization of persons of Indo-Guyanese
and mixed Indo-Guyanese origin".
And the
committee is calling on Police Commissioner Winston Felix to do his utmost to
protect citizens from attacks usually associated with marches organized by the
opposition.
In a
statement yesterday, the IAC it wished "the Guyanese public to remember
that since 1998, following the 1997 general elections, "peaceful"
marches, protests and demonstrations resulted in Indo-Guyanese persons being
robbed of their personal possessions, severely beaten, sexually assaulted,
traumatized and terrorized. Also, a number of business places belonging to
Indo-Guyanese were destroyed by fires set deliberately during these
demonstrations.
"The
IAC is calling upon the new Commissioner of Police to ensure that there is an
adequate number of armed police officers patrolling the streets of Georgetown
especially between Stabroek and Bourda Markets - the traditional zone of
politically- inspired terror inflicted upon Indo-Guyanese persons and
businesses - in order to maintain law and order.
"The
IAC also wishes to remind the new Commissioner of Police that during the
politically-driven street disturbances of 1998, 2001 and 2002, unarmed police
officers, especially those of Indo-Guyanese origin, were physically assaulted
by mobs of demonstrators," the statement said.
The IAC
said it is "extremely shocked to learn that prominent persons who claim
to represent the interest of Indo-Guyanese are involved in this march"
and it "understands the deep sense of betrayal felt by many persons of
Indo-Guyanese ancestry in light of the numerous atrocities that have been
suffered by so many during previous 'peaceful' marches."
The IAC is calling upon all Indo-Guyanese to exercise extreme caution as they conduct their affairs in Georgetown on the day of the march, and says it will have members monitoring the march on Saturday.
PPP:
PNCR's 'rule of law' concern is ironic
THE
ruling PPP says it finds the PNCR's concern about the rule of law "very
ironical" after the party chalked up a record in and out of office that
demonstrated its disdain for law and order and the rule of law.
The PPP,
in a statement issued on the eve of its commemoration of the 19th anniversary
of the PPP/CIVIC administration in office, said yesterday it was amusing that
"the PNC is today masquerading as the 'defender' of the rule of law when
it is common knowledge that it was the main architect of the destruction of
the judicial system.
"The
destructive intent of the PNC reached ludicrous proportions when, under the
guise of "Party Parmountcy," the PNC flag was allowed to fly at the
High Court, even higher than that of the National Flag!"
Added
the statement: "The PPP has noted with concern recent attempts of the
opposition PNC/R in collaboration with other reactionary groupings to once
again disrupt the work of the current administration, and wishes to state
categorically that it will not sit idly by and allow the gains of the
administration for the Guyanese people to be reversed by opposition forces
bent on sowing the seeds of division and destruction.
"The
Party calls on all peace loving and law abiding Guyanese not to allow
themselves to be misled by those who are bent into taking the country back to
that dreadful past when hunger and fear stalked the land. The PNC/R and their
'sidekicks' under the fig leaf of 'Rule of Law" is seeking, as it were,
to throw dust in the eyes of the Guyanese people by making wild and
unsubstantiated allegation against key Government functionaries.
"It is time that the PNC/R stops insulting the intelligence of the Guyanese people."
