Editorial
Stabroek News
April 23, 2001

With the way clear for talks between President Jagdeo and PNC REFORM (PNC/R) leader Mr Hoyte to begin tomorrow, it is mystifying that the PNC/R has seen it fit to continue with disruptive marches in the city.

The marches, like the one on Saturday in the city centre, can only pollute the enabling atmosphere needed for the talks to produce real results. The only logical objective of the marches at this point would be to attempt to exert pressure on the PPP/Civic government to make concessions. This kind of bullying tactic does not belong in the arena of serious talks and can backfire.

Further, the marches become the focus for violence, criminal acts and verbal aggression. The recent ones have been characterised by cries of `more fire' - dangerous in this season of arson - and `we guh shut down the city'. Marchers have taken it upon themselves to order store owners to close down their operations. This kind of hooliganism must not be tolerated and the PNC/R must be held accountable.

As hard as it has tried, the PNC/R has been powerless to exclude thieves and hooligans from its marches. If it was difficult in its own headquarters at Congress Place when its elections commissioner Haslyn Parris was set upon and horribly beaten how much more difficult and uncontrollable will it not be on the streets?

Further, the marches do psychological violence to the peace and normality that citizens of the city must have to go about their business. The marchers - whose grievances seem to grow from day to day depending on who is involved - are also illegally on the street as they have no permission, are not orderly and do not follow a sanctioned route.

The marches must stop if the talks are to have a good chance of succeeding. The governing party cannot ignore that its supporters, in the main, are the ones who have been intimidated and violated by these demonstrations.

While it has direct control over the marches, the PNC/R also bears a moral responsibility to help restore calm on the east coast where thousands of law-abiding citizens have been oppressed over the last few weeks as a result of protests in a number of villages in the name of Mr Hoyte's party.

Real damage has been done to inter-village and intra-community relations and the PNC/R cannot continue to ignore this even though its public utterances reflect little sympathy for this situation.

The tension that has been generated by the burning barricades and the waylaying of commuters has boiled over into attacks on hapless citizens. The one on Bibi Nazmoon Khan and her family on April 18 forcing them to flee from the village of Paradise to Enmore is particularly reprehensible and the PNC/R must not turn a Nelson's eye to this. Violence against any citizen be it Donna McKinnon, Bibi Nazmoon Khan or anyone else is unacceptable regardless of one's political affiliation. It must also be unacceptable to each and every political party. Bibi Nazmoon Khan was attacked and stripped naked because her attackers believed that she reported them for anti-government, barrier burning activities. These kinds of incidents, particularly because of their ethnic tinge, are dangerous and have the potential to escalate especially when citizens believe that they have no protection and vigilante groups run rampant.

In these circumstances, it is irresponsible of the PNC/R not to take steps to rein in its supporters on the east coast.

Even more irresponsible has been the inability of the government and the law enforcement agencies to restore normalcy to the areas and to give full protection to those citizens who are defenceless in the wake of the upheavals. The government and the police have been reactive instead of pre-emptive. Insurgents control the streets and roads of some villages at will. Order must be restored even if it means broadening the role of the joint services.

In the wake of the turbulence, gun-toting bandits have also seized the opportunity to terrorise, beat and rob citizens and two persons have been mindlessly shot to death for no reason. They posed no threat to the robbers and their killings have taken on a sinister context. Our law enforcers have failed to arrest these acts.

Before the situation deteriorates further, there is a need for counselling and mediation services in the neighbouring villages on the east coast and other parts of the country that have had their fraternal relations damaged by the current unrest. Neighbourhood Democratic Councils and councillors on the Regional Democratic Councils should be in the forefront of this effort as this falls well within the purview of local government. The various government arms that provide such services and non governmental organisations must also play their part. It is in no one's interest that this tension be allowed to fester.