'Stop the killing' was the simple message at the University of Guyana Students Society (UGSS) sponsored symposium at Independence Park on Saturday evening.
The event, which was sparsely attended, saw presentations from various non-governmental organisations, members of civil society and religious groups, who were united in their call for an end to the recent spate of shootings and other unlawful activities.
Among the groups making presentations were Red Thread, the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana, Women Against Violence Everywhere, the Catholic Church, the Guyana Trades Union Congress, The Bar Association and the African Cultural and Development Association.
Contributions were also made by Women Across Differences, the Justice for Jermaine Committee, the UG Bible Club, the UGSS, the PNC/R and relatives of two of the victims of the March 1 Sheriff street shooting - Yohance Douglas and Randolph Goodluck.
Speaker after speaker joined the UGSS's call for an independent inquiry into the March 1 incident which saw police opening fire on a car killing UG student Douglas and injuring two others, one of them seriously.
President of the Guyana Bar Association Nigel Hughes in his message promised that body's support in rooting out the scourge of extra-judicial killing through the reopening of investigations into several old cases.
Norris Witter, the trade union representative, saw the struggle for justice as one which involved the state from which the police force derived their authority to function.
He said the Douglas killing was the beginning of a struggle for change which required sacrifice and courage along with the will to press on despite the challenges.
However he insisted that this must be waged peacefully or risk the further fragmentation of the society.
UGSS President Robert Bourne under whose leadership the united movement is being forged reiterated his society's demands for an independent inquiry into the March 1 shooting, along with a public inquiry into the operations of the police force.
In many of the presentations excerpts from poems by Martin Carter were quoted.
Karen DeSouza of Red Thread condemned all killing, whether by the bandits or the police. She said the police must arrest bandits, not shoot them, applauding their efforts in the recent case of two car-jackers whom they apprehended without shots being fired.
The programme which got off to a delayed start, began with some musical renditions, including two appropriate pieces from the group First Born - Innocent Child and Better World, Better Place. (Oscar Clarke)