Don’t use racism, politics in call for justice for Henry boys

Dear Editor,
Please allow me to share my views regarding the prolonged call for justice for the Henry boys, as the situation is being used as fuel by some politicians.
The Henry boys were brutally murdered by unknown persons, and I again would like to extend my sympathy to the parents of the Henry boys and Haresh Singh, and to all those who were murdered by unknown persons. No one deserves to die the way they did.
I wish that those who committed those acts of murdering the innocent would be brought to justice swiftly, after a comprehensive and credible investigation has been done. As we all know, investigations into these acts take time, and should not be rushed because some want them to be. Rushing into indicting people for such acts may see innocent persons being charged and their characters tarnished. Justice should be served, and served in a manner that the innocent must not pay for those guilty of committing the acts and are walking free, roaming the streets and roads.
Those who are guilty of the acts of murdering our brothers and sisters innocently must face the consequences, and the same goes for all those who have committed acts of violence against our brothers and sisters.
Over the years, we have seen many innocent persons being convicted for things they were not involved in. Many innocent ones are paying the price for acts they did not commit. Many of those people who have been convicted and sentenced are the poor are innocent who, because they have no money and can’t afford a lawyer to defend them, have to face trials for act they did not commit, because they are poor and moreover because of bad investigating done by the Guyana Police Force.
I must say that as I penned this letter, I was moved by feelings for the innocent who have to pay for another man’s act, because I myself was sentenced for a crime I did not commit, and I was made to pay for the crime although I was innocent, all through bad investigations and political involvement.
But this letter is not about me, it’s about all those innocent people who are being murdered, beaten, etc, and also about those who, although innocent, are convicted as guilty and have to pay for acts they didn’t commit.
Since the murder of the Henry boys, I have been following the matter closely, especially since one politician has used it to create a huge, massive unwanted unrest in West Berbice and parts of Guyana, just for political gains and purposes.
At no time have I heard that very young lawyer and APNU-AFC candidate voice his concerns for all the innocent people who are being convicted. At no time have I ever heard that very young man voice concern for any of the others who were innocently murdered, beaten, robbed, etc. All of a sudden, he has found his voice, and he makes it known through his racial and political acts.
Yes, I said racial because he used racism to stir up the violence in Region 5 on the very night he went live on the APNU-AFC Facebook page. That very young racist called out the people of Cotton Tree as if they are all guilty for what had happened by telling the world on that live broadcast, “We all know who lives at Cotton Tree, we all know who they are, we know who they support (politically)”. That statement alone warranted him to be investigated and charged for racial incitement.
It is my personal view, and I firmly believe it, that the murder of the Henry boys had nothing to do with politics, because they were not politicians. I do not believe it had anything to do with race, because they grew up in a multi- ethnic and multi-cultural society. It’s my humble view that it has nothing to do with either of that mentioned, as that young racist APNU-AFC political candidate and lawyer put it over to the public.
In Region 5, I can say we never had a racial problem that I know of. We live as a big family, and yes, we have our differences, but we live together. I, as an Indian, and many other Indians I know, would go to Number 5, Hopetown, Paradise, Ithaca, Belladrum, etc, and support the road corner food shops. We would hang out there on weekends and so on. My African brothers and sisters would do the same in villages like Bath, Bush Lot, Cotton Tree, etc.
We would sit together, eat together, drink together, laugh together, mourn together, dance together; and never have I experienced any such racism that this one APNU-AFC young man started all because of political mileage and wanting political attention for himself and his party by using the death of those two innocent young men who were brutally murdered.
In fact, after the young lawyer used racism to start the unrest in Region 5, he was joined by, and his sentiments were echoed by, a few top-notch members of his party; and they also started to encourage the racism to spread. They never condemned the acts of unrest, but kept calling for more.
It has surprised me that those very APNU-AFC top-notch members are lawyers and historians, and yet they didn’t tell the public that justice cannot be served in one day, in one week, or one month; but justice can be served only when a comprehensive and credible investigation has been done, so that the innocent do not have to pay for something they know nothing about.
No, they did not do that; they wanted justice in one day, and not less than one week, knowing it cannot happen that way. Why? It’s because they turned the murder into politics, knowing the political situation in Guyana, after they had to give up Government; and the truth is they took advantage of the situation by using racism, because those accused are Indians although Indians are supporters of different political parties.
I must say thanks to Volda Lawrence for coming out and showing the kind of leadership that the APNU-AFC lacked by calling on the supporters of the coalition to stop the unwanted hostile behaviour against others, and for us to have peace in this dear land. Yes, Volda stopped the unrest caused by that young, immature PNC politician in Region 5, who was fully supported by many of the top leaders in the ANPN-UAFC. Volda ensured that the coalition supporters stopped their violent acts and behave in a manner that would see justice being served no matter what. Thanks, Volda Lawrence.
So, if we are fighting for justice, don’t take the innocent people that are being accused because of their race and throw them into political bandwagons of destruction for selfish political gains, and make them punish innocently. The law is there, and the law also at times sends innocent people to jail, I am one of those people. There are processes that have to be followed in ensuring justice. There will be investigations that have to be done; but, yet again, can we trust the local Police to investigate anything? Because some are incompetent in conducting investigations, and yes, again, they did it against me.
I call for justice for the Henry boys, for Haresh Singh, and for all who were innocently murdered and suffered acts of criminality committed against them. But please let’s not try to get justice by accusing the wrong people and allowing those that commit the acts to walk the road freely.
Let’s not force justice to happen because we have a political agenda, when innocent lives are being involved through accusations especially encouraged by politicians. Justice must be served, and must be served in a timely manner; and those guilty of the act must face the consequences, not those innocent.
Brothers and sisters of Region 5, let’s not go down the road that some politicians want us to go by hating each other. We were never like that, and we should never be. We can and must continue to show our love, and live as we use to before, as one, no matter what.
We must not allow a few narrow-minded people who are seeking political fame and game to lead us against each other; we were never like that before. We do have our differences at all times, but we never show the hate as we are doing now since the young lawyer started the racial tension. We must not allow it to ever happen again, no matter what. We must continue to live together, walk together, eat together, dine together, cry together, laugh together, and show our love that we once had for each other. We can only have justice if we are all in it together and allow the law to take its course, whereby the innocent do not have to pay.
Justice takes time, but will be served; if not here, it will be served by the Almighty.

Regards,
Abel Seetaram
Former Region 5
Councillor