The African Cultural and Development Association (ACDA) says that it is convinced after the recent killing of Brian King by the police and the silence of the government that killings by the police have now become a "political weapon used against the African Guyanese community."

A release from ACDA yesterday said that it has always been actively fighting extra-judicial killings and had assisted with the setting up of several justice committees hoping to bring an end to "these wanton executions."

King died about three weeks after being shot in the mouth by a policeman.

The association is of the opinion that King was shot in the mouth because he dared to complain about police harassment. The association noted that the international community, in particular the British Government, has been giving generous aid to the government and the police without insisting that extra-judicial killings be brought to an end.

The association stated that in Guyana today, African Guyanese "face racial discrimination and severe economic hardships but ACDA believes that extra-judicial killings of African (Guyanese) people is the single most (important) factor that undermines ethnic relationships and breeds distrust in an Indian-dominated government."

ACDA is also of the view that it has now become necessary to "mobilize the African Guyanese community against these acts of murder and terror."