Dear Editor,
I do not know if "phantom" death squads exist
in Guyana and if one party or the other or one politician or
the other controls them. What I do know is that the
diplomatic actions of the US and Canadian missions in Guyana
on this file leave much to be desired.
Ambassador Bullen has publicly commented on Mr. Bacchus'
allegations and the US Embassy has taken statements from him
while the Canadian authorities have revoked Minister
Gajraj's visa. These actions may be interpreted as meddling
by the US and Canada in the internal affairs of Guyana.
Some Guyanese, too, in their understandable desire for an
investigation, may have forgotten that Guyana is a sovereign
nation. Surely there exist mechanisms within the Guyanese
state to investigate Mr. Bacchus' claims, as there exist
mechanisms in the US and Canada to investigate allegations
of police brutality for example. As far as I know,
allegations of police brutality in Canada and the US are not
usually handled by Guyana's missions in those two countries.
One may even suggest to the US ambassador that Guyana is a
signatory to the Optional Protocol to the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and that Guyanese can
take complaints directly to the UN Human Rights Committee if
necessary. Unfortunately, the US has not signed the Optional
Protocol.
In Guyana's short and turbulent history many obstacles,
some caused by foreign interference, have been overcome and
the US and Canada would best be of assistance to Guyana in
its predicament by not meddling in its internal affairs.
