“While the University community supports the enforcement of law and order, the deteriorating national security situation including the wanton use of excessive and indiscriminate force, is a matter of great concern to us. The attack on the five youths who were in the course of normal and honourable activities, and the resulting murder, represent a further decline in our national life,” a release from UG said.

The University community also called for a thorough investigation of this sad incident, and an expeditious conclusion of the investigation and an immediate reform of the operations of the Guyana Police Force.

GBA condemns killing of youth
The Guyana Bar Association (GBA) has strongly condemned what it describes as the brutal slaying of University of Guyana student, Yohance Douglas and the infliction of grievous bodily injury to Ronson Grey on a public thoroughfare last Saturday.

“The GBA has interviewed witnesses to the incident and our preliminary investigations have revealed that the use of deadly force by members of the Guyana Police Force was without lawful justification,” a release from the Association said.

The GBA added that in its previous interventions with the Guyana Police Force and the Police Complaints Authority have led it to the firm conclusion that the capacity for either institution to conduct independent, fair and or satisfactory investigations into allegations of abuse against serving members of the Guyana Police Force is “severely challenged.”

The GBA further stated that under the circumstances it has written to the United Nations Resident Representative in Guyana requesting the urgent intervention of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on extra judicial, summary and arbitrary executions to visit Guyana on a fact finding mission to investigate the following:

· The circumstances surrounding the violent death of Yohance Douglas

· The operational rules of engagement of the Guyana Police Force for the arrest and detention of persons

· The conditions of detention of arrested persons

· The circumstances surrounding the deaths of persons who have died as a result of the use of deadly force by Officers in the Guyana Police Force

· The increase in all forms of violence in Guyana.