One man is now dead and three police officers injured following a pro-democracy protest on the West Coast of Berbice (WCB) in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice).
The dead man has been identified only as 19-year-old Devon Hansraj, also known as “Lil Boy” of Cotton Tree Village, WCB. He was the nephew of local singer, Romeo Mystic who produced popular songs like “Coolie Boy”.
Protesters at Bath Settlement
Hansraj was reportedly shot dead by Police officers who were deployed to the area in light of the protest actions.
In a video seen by this publication, the situation was relatively calm when suddenly, several gunshots rang off. Persons began to raise an alarm while others ran for cover.
It is still unclear what caused the cops to open fire on the young man.
Attempts to get a comment from the Guyana Police Force (GPF) on this matter proved futile.
Beaten and robbed: Anan Tram
In a statement on his Facebook page, Mystic said “RIP to my nephew…killed tonight at Cotton Tree…lost for words at this time”.
Meanwhile, the injured Police officers are Sergeant Purit Ibaran, Constable Roy Grant and Constable Jefta Fraser.
They were reportedly injured by the residents after the young man was shot.
According to reports, the officers ran into a nearby yard to escape the angry residents. However, one resident, reportedly armed with a cutlass, allegedly chopped one of the cops. Another officer escaped by jumping into a nearby canal.
The villagers used flashlights to locate him and when they did, his head was reportedly pushed under the water while he was being lashed with a piece of wood.
The Police Sargeant who was chopped
Four persons are said to be in custody.
New Amsterdam Hospital
It was high drama at the New Amsterdam Public Hospital, where the injured cops were taken to be treated.
Shortly after the law enforcement officers arrived, a car pulled up, with the shot civilian inside. He was pronounced dead on arrival.
The other occupants of the vehicle, three men armed with cutlasses and a fourth individual, began to attack one of the officers in the vicinity of the Accident and Emergency Unit. The cop, however, managed to escape into the building.
The security guards at the hospital disappeared as the men remained in the compound.
Protesters at Cotton Tree
After about ten minutes, the men entered their car and left.
Moments later, they were arrested.
The commotion caused several patients at the health facility to call their family members to come and take them home.
Earlier in the day
Earlier in the day, scores of villagers gathered along the road at Bath Settlement, WCB, in a massive civil protest against GECOM’s decision to declare unverified results for Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica).
The protesters were calling on David Granger to accept defeat in the General and Regional Elections.
Persons who went to provoke protesters
News of the peaceful demonstration quickly spread to the APNU stronghold village of Hopetown – which is several communities away.
Guyana Times understands that residents of that community had armed themselves with sticks and cutlasses and declared that their village is a “no-pass area” for PPP/C supporters.
They then pounced on the village of Bush Lot, looting businesses and beating anyone in sight; even some who were in their private yards were attacked as the mob entered and unleashed a trashing.
Police arrived during the attack on the village but did nothing to help those being terrorised.
Persons who attacked protesters
Meanwhile, in seeming response to the attacks, protesters lined the main access road with drums, concrete posts and trees – and then set the items ablaze, creating a fiery roadblock accompanied by thick black smoke.
The police were on the scene and tried to clear the roadway to allow traffic to pass but they were unsuccessful.
Vehicles were trapped in several pockets on the main access road.
Meanwhile, at Number Four Village, supporters of APNU responded and also blocked the road there.
Persons who were attacking protesters
They were only allowing certain people to pass through the village.
This triggered another reaction from the PPP/C supporters in their villages.
In every other village between Bath Settlement and Number Four Village, the PPP/C supporters came out in their numbers and set fire to the road while they chanted, “Granger must go”.
At Number Four Village, several persons were beaten and robbed. Some were pulled out of their vehicles and hit with pieces of wood, hammers and bottles.
Anan Tram of New Amsterdam told this publication that as he approached the roadblock at Number Four Village, he was attacked.
“I was coming from Bath Settlement and before I could do anything, they open the door and scramble me and my son and somebody take a brick and hit me in my head.”
Beaten and robbed: Jerry Lochan
Tram said he was relieved of more than $100,000 in cash, his driver’s licences, cellular phone, tools from his car trunk while a laptop computer and clothing were taken away from his son.
When Tram spoke with this publication, he said he did not have any money to pay to get his car to cross the Berbice River Bridge.
Ameer Bacchus, a supporter of APNU, was also beaten and robbed when he got to the roadblock at Number Four Village. According to Bacchus, he was lashed several times with an iron pipe.
“They took away my wallet and then I told them that we are the same thing [APNU] and a man came and told them that they can’t do that.”
He said he was given back his wallet but the $30,000 was missing. His worker, Wasim Ally, who was also in the car, was also lashed several times. They were eventually allowed through but had to stop at Cotton Tree where there was a huge fire being fuelled by burning tyres.
Jerry Lochan of Whim Village suffered the same fate. According to him, his car windscreen was smashed, while his son was robbed of gold jewellery and lashed three times with a hammer.
Meanwhile, at the same location, a bus with passengers was also stopped. Shelly Basso said she was travelling from Belladrum trying to get to the bank at Rosignol when the bus was stopped.
According to her, there were school children aboard and when the bus was stopped, the driver was pulled out. The driver, however, managed to save himself from an attack.
Meanwhile, in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), protest action started in the morning hours at Lesbeholden and Black Bush Polder, and by noon, the protesters converged at Tain along the Corentyne Highway where they had a standoff with Police ranks.
Teargas was used and several warning shots were fired in the air.
Condemnation
Meanwhile, the PPP/C leadership reiterates the call that General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo made to all Guyanese to observe and act within the law at all times even when they may be protesting this blatant act of election rigging being perpetuated by the APNU/AFC regime.
The party notes the reports of a children’s school bus being damaged by some protesters and find this to be totally unacceptable even though it is understood that the children were not seriously affected. The party condemns these acts committed by the perpetrators.
