WAVE urges all Guyanese to echo plea to ‘Stop the killing now’
Stabroek News
February 28, 2003
Women Against Violence Everywhere (WAVE) is calling on all Guyanese to support the movement in breaking the silence and expressing their right to peace and the plea to “Stop the killing now!”
WAVE has noted in a recent statement that their previous silence had been deafening and was unfortunately interpreted as being acceptance of the unprecedented violence, but they wholeheartedly reject that contention.
WAVE is a partnership of women, irrespective of age, race, political persuasion, religion or income levels who are committed to addressing the growing violence and fear plaguing Guyana.
The movement said in the statement that they intend “to reach out to all members of all communities who have suffered great pain as a result of violence.”
According to WAVE, they feel that as ‘women’ reaching out to other ‘women’, “we are creating a supportive network to help heal our nation and promote peace and unity,” considering too that women make up fifty percent of the Guyanese population.
The statement further noted that while WAVE is organised as a group of women, they also are reaching out to men who are an important and necessary part of the solution.
“We encourage them to support our initiative by encouraging their women to participate and where necessary to assist within the home in order to make it possible for their women to participate,” the statement said.
And men are also invited to join the women on Wednesdays at the Cenotaph from 12 noon to 1 pm to display their solidarity.
WAVE asserted also that they do not accept that any form of violence is justifiable, and these include the killing, beating and robbing of innocent people, the assassination of policemen and other law enforcement officers, the avoidable killing of suspects without pursuing the judicial process enshrined in the Guyana constitution, and criminal sexual violence against women and children.
“Let’s take the first step by uniting against race, age, class or political biases to register our vote against all forms of violence,” WAVE urged. The statement added that the movement is standing in solidarity with all men and women who have been victimised and who grieve for their lost and hurt ones.
