| Wismar protesters hurl firebombs at security forces; soldiers injured in friendly fire | | Print | |
| Written by Denis Scott Chabrol |
| Sunday, 12 August 2012 08:03 |
|
Two soldiers received minor injuries during friendly fire in an effort to curb angry protesters in their midst at Wismar. Senior security officials say pellets struck one soldier on his hand and another just under one of his eyes. The incident resulted in a minor disagreement between a soldier and a policeman but that was quickly resolved. The incident occurred while police attempted to disperse a group of protesters between the soldiers and the police. The Joint Services also reported that civilians, resisting efforts to clear the main road artery through Wismar to the interior, hurled Molotov cocktails and missiles such as bricks, bottles and pieces of metal. One Molotov cocktail damaged the tray of a vehicle that has been collecting obstructions from the roadway. The pants of Police Inspector Alves was also damaged by fire from one of the firebombs." "The police were forced to use shotgun pellets to disperse the very hostile crowds and so far reports indicate that three men have been injured." said the Joint Services.
Three civilians were also Sunday rushed to the Mackenzie Hospital, nursing pellet wounds they received when security forces opened fire on a group of protesters. The Joint Services said the injured they took to hospital are Ray Wills,52, of Wismar Old Housing Scheme, who was injured to his right foot; Marlon Richardson, 19, of Victory Valley Hill, who was injured to his right foot; and Michael Wills, 24, of Wismar Old Housing Scheme, who was injured to his right thigh.
Contrary to rumours, no one has been killed in the confrontation between the security forces and people in Wismar. Police and soldiers are engaged in an operation in Wismar to take control of major roadways leading to the interior, according to well-placed sources. Tearsmoke was also being used to disperse groups of persons bent on defying the clean-up operation but nearby residents have been severely irritated by the substance. Police sources say the protesters appeared to favour soldiers rather than police and consideration was also being given to change the Police Commanding Officer on the ground in an effort to ease tension between the security forces and residents.
Heavy duty machinery being used to clear roads in Wismar. Police and soldiers are in the foreground.
Residents have complained bitterly that the chaoitc situation has seen many of them fleeing their homes or shutting their doors and windows to reduce the impact of teargas inhalation and eye and nose irritation. One man known as “Candy Man” was arrested in connection with the early Sunday morning fire that destroyed the Police Commissioner, Leroy Brummel confirmed the arrest and said investigators were checking information that he smelt of gasoline. A senior Guyana Defence Force (GDF) official said the security forces would then set up camps in "We are pressing on and clearing obstacles and taking control of the main roadway and we will then establish some control points," the official told Demerara Waves Online News (www.demwaves.com). Amerindian, mining and other communities have been running very low on fuel and food because the access road through Wismar has been blocked off for almost one week now. Several persons were struck by pellets but, according to residents and reporters on the ground, the injured were unable to immediately seek medical treatment because of the tension.
Tearsmoke billowing in the Wismar area.
The army official said efforts were being made to ascertain whether residents were hurling back teargas at police and soldiers. The origin of the unrest dates back to four months ago when government announced an increase in electricity rates from July 1. Things turned for the worse on July 18 when three men were killed and several others injured during clashes between police and protesters. Though agreement was reached to suspend the increase in electricity rates and review the sector in Linden by a bipartisan committee, tension again boiled over last Friday when police fired teargas to disperse arsonists from the Wismar Mackenzie Bridge. Public buildings housing the offices of the Guyana Revenue Authority, Institute of Distance and Continuing Education, Linden Electricity Company Incorporated and the Linden Care Foundation were burnt down. Early Saturday morning the Wismar-based branch of the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) was destroyed by fire. |
| BOSAI rents gensets to ease electricity woes Denis Scott Chabrol - Tuesday, 21 May 2013
BOSAI Minerals, the Chinese bauxite company operating in Read more... |
| APNU joins AFC in opposing changes to financial crimes legislation Denis Scott Chabrol - Monday, 20 May 2013
Read more... |
| NY Senator Sampson did business with Guyanese charity leader who can't account for US$39 grand from State Demerara Waves - Monday, 20 May 2013 (TIMES Read more... |
| Troubled cargo vessel detained; maritime laws violated Demerara Waves - Monday, 20 May 2013 The Maritime Administration (MARAD) has detained a coastal cargo ship, MV Shark, that was taking in a lot of water an... Read more... |
| POLICE KILLING: Police deny murder accused was tortured Demerara Waves - Monday, 20 May 2013 Shaka Chase in the company of police officers outside the Georgetown Magistrates' Court. The Guyana Police Force (GPF)... Read more... |
| GGMC Board decided to rent office space from gold miner for US$ thousands- sources Denis Scott Chabrol - Monday, 20 May 2013 The former Co-op Complex Building The Board of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) had decided to rent offi... Read more... |
Copyright All Right Reserved @ 2011
Comments
We knew their statement was irresponsible , Mr Brummer and the police force got their man , great job , redemption to the Police force
Guyana Bauxite posted in Linden Martyrs
While there has been evidence of burning, the establishment that such burning is arson or all are arson is yet to be determined.
Phillip Bynoe whose building was burnt said it was the result of sparks from the power polls, made worse by the throwing of tear gas.
Saw an online documentary by Cathy Hughes/AFC where an electrician said the razing of the old Linmine office was a result of sparks from the power polls made worse by the throwing of tear gas.
There needs to be clear demarcation on these incidents less the wrong cause is attributed and the problem(s) never get solved.
If, according to Bynoe and an electrician, two of the fires were at least caused by electrical poles, this has to be looked into, the police need to be apprised.
If the fires are politically inspired, the establishment that such burning is arson or all are arson is yet to be determined.
Frankly, the hands of the PPP at play here and the reason for saying so is:
1. The same date the Linden team was scheduled to present their proposals to Office of the President the PPP sent in the Joint Services at 2:00 a.m. to raid the town forcing men, women, children and babies out of their homes. The president is Commander in Chief and would have had to sanction this operation, more so when it was made public that he has summoned meeting with the Army Chief;
2. The Joint Services’ action came amidst the calling of many in society for a speedy resolution to the problem and for the President to go to Linden;
3. To the call by the Private Sector Commission that the President goes to Linden, he retorted by say, “They don’t run my office!” What misplaced arrogance.
4. A five day protest that the police was previous knowledge of and sanctioned turned deadly on its first day with the police murdering three and injuring dozens
5. The PPP is using NCN to malign persons left, right and center, including the private/independent media
6. The PPP is now using state media to accuse journalists of engaging in racism on their facebook page
7. The PPP has a history of burning buildings as a tactic to create confusion , destroy evidence and throw the blame on others- remember the fires at the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Housing, Ministry of Heath; all under clouds of suspicion and the PPP used the cover of protest actions to burn them down.
8. In the PNC protest of 1997 a government ministry was set ablaze in the height of public outcries about financial impropriety. The protestors were blamed for it but when an investigation was conducted it was found that the fire was internal and the nation later learnt it was cause by a cleaner who was using floor polish. The Ministry of Housing went up in flames during a protest and when it was under public scrutiny for its land distribution policy; the Ministry of Health went up in flame in July in 2009 when there was a protest at the same time this ministry was under public scrutiny for its kickback contracts. A pattern is emerging
9. Gail Tiexiera is currently exposed by Aubrey Norton for lying to the nation when she used NCN to say the President’s negotiation team did not receive any document from the Linden negotiation team and it was Linden that was stalling the process. Called out on her lie by Norton she back peddled and said she didn’t know Roger Luncheon received the document because she was in parliament until 3:30 a.m., then proceeded to complicate matters by engaging in some more white lies. Follow the saga on demerarawaves.com
10. Clearly, something is amiss here and it is more than assuming that the fires are set by persons on the ground who are protesting a legitimate cause. Clearly, forces are at work to ensure the legitimate demands of Linden are ignored and think the best way this can be achieved is by doing all of the above.
Do not be fooled or side track from the real issue at hand. Those who absolved themselves from responsibility and governing in the interest of all are doing what they do best. But for our part, it is time to intensify the call on the government to bring an end to what is happening in Linden and to forthwith sit at the table with the people of resolve their grievances.
These are riders with no political base and who dummies like Jagdeo and Ramoutar.
This is a bias statement against the PPP. No Government in their right mind would want to see a town burnt to ashes. Your statement is total rubbish.
These individuals must be held responsible for this devious arsonist attacks against public properties. This behaviour is not necessary. We are all equal in this beautiful country and must pay the same rate for electricity. Lindener’s are no different from the rest of the country.
At the end of the day only Lindener’s will suffer.
Should these individuals continue with their hideous attacks then this will be detrimental to their own community.
Stop blogging under the pretence of an Indian person. This sounds like Rue Daniels...........lol
This is a bunch of rubbish.
Jinnah you are one misjuided soul
you are very educated but mentally enslaved
lisen for your information we lindeners did not burn down our own school we are not so stupid as u look, is ppl from community like yours who is jealous of linden came and burn our school down............. dont be a fool.......... one day just one day you guys will look up to us you will see
In the meantime, politicians should not try to score points, but agree to disagree, and start talking to each other for the benefit of the citizens - else everyone loses.
Eaxctly!!......i wanna know y he cant go up?
i c u as the arrogant idiot here....do u think that ppl will actually burn the only mean of income moreso the scholl that they children have to attend...shaking my damn head
Quoting Guyanababoo2:
The question is... Is this govt in its right mind?
U r an idiot
Let me put another view to u guys. Do u realise every time Afro Guyanese protest it ends in violence and it always end up being African against African, have u ever seen an Indian protest where the African police dare shoot at the Indo protesters?
Every time there is a protest in Guyana the homicide against the Afro Guyanese is always perpetrated by African men in uniform? African lives r not worth much, we r shot in the USA by our own, we r shot in Guyana by our own, what's worse in Guyana the murder is carried in the name of professionalism , we follow the law the very law the PPP has no respect for.
The more we as Africans in Guyana protest the more it benefits the East Indian and he can care less because at the end of the day its black man killing black man.
I do not care how many will want to say it is racist, we must look and analyse these things, look at it from another point of view. African on African violence and murder in Guyana is done with the blessings of the law, so there is no justice to be had and it is done with the help of our professional forces on behalf of our governments.
I say governments because the PNC is guilty of it too, remember Walter Rodney and some of his comrades. U cannot take the PNC out of the equation, to to so is dishonest, from 1966 to now we as a people have been tricked and humiliated by the PPP and PNC, Burnham and Jagan.
I have asked myself many times, how can the Indo Guyanese follow Jagan a communist when they were by orientation capitalist? How? Here was a Guy, a communist to his death, leading people whose only motive to this day is to create wealth, open shops, sell greens and be in thrift, nothing is wrong with that, I admire that.
Then we have Burnham, he kept himself in power by the same methods the PPP is using today, fear, we were told that it is ok for him to rig the election because the Indians were more in numbers and will never vote to put an African in power, they will use their numbers to keep us powerless.
This is today a fact and even if u disagree with Burnham, he had a cause, today we see this truth revealing itself.
Africans followed Burnham because the Indians followed Jagan, thats the only reason.
The thing is this, Burnham, because he was not accountable to anyone, brought us to poverty, he started the destruction of the Bauxite industry, squandered many retirees Canadian pension fund and left many old Bauxite workers in a state of penury.
Many ended up receiving 1500 Guyana dollars in pension per month, my dad included.
We must be fair in what we say here, poor leadership from 1966 to now has brought a sense of hopelessness to all Guyanese.
Indians r leaving like migrating Monarch butterflies to the USA and Canada. They may not say it but they r just as frustrated as Afro Guyanese. The shame is that the Indo Guyanese migration is during the rule of the party they support blindly, the PPP.
If only better sense can prevail, if only we as a people can come to grips that we all were and are being screwed by a few for the benefit of a few, we will get up and say enough is enough.
I wish I can live to see a day when the politicians in Guyana walk the streets and beg for bread and water.
I wish that fate on them, they have enslaved us, murdered us, stolen from us, divided us and we sit helplessly trapped, our only hope is to go distressing the Bajans and the Antiguans and the Trinis.
I am not hopeful for any changes in Guyana
Those of you currently doubting the ppp's involvement in the conflagrations of buildings in Linden, I can only suggest that you cease under-estimating the ppp's capabilities for violence. It is all the know.
Ignoramus, everybody in Guyana Knows Jinna Rahaman a politician and Lawyer. He use to be on Justice for all show he is the single member of the Muslim party in Guyana. I take your statement to show your racial inclination.An indian person will not condemn the PPP! yea right! What about Moses and Ramjattan ? Stop making this an racial Issue. This is against the Thieving Criminal PPP.
Quoting JINNAH RAHMAN:
A BUNCH OF BALONEY GWAN DA SIDE WID YU RACIST SELF
Did you see what happened to Saddam Hussein? Take Heed!
oh sorry for u i think u don't have to pay for your utility the bottom line is that they have to pay if they don't have to pay then cane cutters don't have to pay and all tax paying citizen don't have to pay can you say what makes them different please then make your remarks, then if it is reasonable then i will agree with u everybody here that makes comments are foolish.
Yeh, tell that to the horse marines!
I spoke the truth, it has set me free from the PPP and the PNC, I am now a registered Democrat in the USA, u can gwan sa side, a slave to the PPP u r.
RSS feed for comments to this post