Government unwilling to confront the ethnic problem
Stabroek News
May 16, 2002
Dear Editor,
I am not in the mood either to be "politically correct" or to become nauseous about the issue of race and politics, I am almost sure that my letter would be too "offensive to some" but Indians like me have nothing to lose now as our country of birth has failed them.
Terror stalks the land as the stark reality of what appears to be carefully planned and brutally executed crimes against primarily Indo-Guyanese citizens continued unabated with the most recent execution of the young business couple in their Annandale home.
There is no doubt that these crimes are encouraged by the political uneasiness created by the intractability of the political parties and the hate mongering supporters of the opposition on Channel nine.
Reason has flown the coop as increasing numbers of "anti-government" predominantly black Guyanese are lending support to the Criminals or "African freedom fighters" who are systematically executing Indians in Guyana.
The ease with which these criminals stalk the land indicates the true roots of hate which prevail in this fractured society. The support and cover given in the Buxton community, the moles they have in the police intelligence unit, the support they receive from media and politicians and the daftness of a politically bankrupt administration are conspiring to demoralize and drive out the Indian community.
The administration and the "middle of the road" people who desperately cling to their status quo by burying their heads in the sand with lame comments like "crime is all over the world" or "statistically Guyana is safe" are ignoring two important facts, one is that the crimes target predominantly the Indian Community therefore, the per capita crime rate is monstrous as only half of the population is considered. The second reason is those who try to de-emphasize the ethnic selectivity of crime victims somehow sit on the other side of the ethnic fence from those "poor coolies" who are being gunned down.
Among these apologists is the PPP executive headed by the "ethnically neutral" gang of eight who are engaged in a dance of death, who fail to see the need to confront the ethnic problem frontally while their supporters are picked off one by one.
The poor President and Commander in Chief of the Armed forces is obviously out of ideas as his response to the situation was to fly to Spain to "tell the international community" about the crime problems.
Why wasn't the neighboring villages of Buxton being protected by troops, why did a few residents from those villages have to go on their knees to beg for protection from Minister Gajraj? Is it because the PPP does not want to offend the sensitivities of Buxtonians?
But do we expect anything better from a government who's shining moment is a few more votes from the black community?
Yours faithfully,
Rajesh Singh