PPP/C vows not to let sacrifices of Enmore Martyrs be forgotten

With Guyana currently facing one of the most significant periods in its political history, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has pledged to not let the sacrifices of the five Enmore Martyrs be forgotten on their 72nd death anniversary.
On June 16, 1948, Rambarran, Pooran, Lallabagee, Surajballi, and Harry were shot to death at the Enmore Sugar Estate, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

The five sugar workers were killed as they protested for better working and living conditions and higher wages on the sugar estates.
In commemoration of their death anniversary, the PPP/C noted that their “fearless and selfless sacrifices” have remained relevant.
“As we remember the Enmore Martyrs 72 years after their horrendous deaths, let us be inspired by the fact that hope will never be lost and that we will endeavour together to safeguard our freedoms and rights,” the Party said in a statement.
The PPP/C recalled the silent pledge its founder, the late Dr Cheddi Jagan, made at the graveside of the five slain workers at the Le Repentir Cemetery in Georgetown, to dedicate his entire life to the cause of the struggle of the Guyanese people against bondage and exploitation. Dr Jagan subsequently founded the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) in 1950.
This incident added motivation and propelled Dr Jagan and the PPP to fight against colonialism and for the betterment of the lives of all Guyanese.
According to the Party, those unrelenting struggles, during which Dr Jagan became a political prisoner, have characterised the PPP in its efforts to advance Guyana and the lives of Guyanese as is evident from the unprecedented growth and development that hallmarked the various periods while it was in government.
“Today, those struggles continue as the PPP, along with law-abiding Guyanese and well-wishers, are fighting for the preservation of our hard-fought democracy following the glaring and unashamed attempts by the APNU/AFC (A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change) to steal the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections,” it noted.
The recently-concluded national recount of the votes cast at the March polls over three months ago show the PPP/C has won by some 15,416 votes over the incumbent coalition. However, the APNU/AFC is claiming that the electoral process was flawed.
The PPP/C noted in its statement that the incumbent coalition has blatantly disregarded the Constitution on numerous occasions and now sought to trample upon the will of the Guyanese people in an effort to hold on to the seat of government.
“The PPP has led many struggles to oppose the brutal People’s National Congress (PNC) dictatorship, which oppressed Guyanese through the suppression of their freedoms and rights. The inept and corrupt PNC also mismanaged the country plunging it into bankruptcy.
Today, the PNC, in the form of APNU/AFC, is once again suppressing our freedoms and rights by strangling democracy and has squandered the country’s financial resources, once again making it bankrupt,” the Party said.
It went on to say that over the past five years under the APNU/AFC coalition, financial ruin and hardships have been inflicted upon Guyanese who have seen their standard of living deteriorate after having experienced unparalleled growth, development, and modernisation during the PPP’s 23-year tenure which followed the return to democratic rule in 1992.
To this end, the PPP/C said the sacrifices of the Enmore Martyrs, therefore, have tremendous relevance in today’s context given renewed and unremitting struggles that intensified following the historic no- confidence motion (NCM) against the APNU/AFC Government on December 21, 2018; struggles which continue to prevent a most uncaring regime from subverting democracy.
“The PPP wishes to state that it will not only continue to honour the memory of the five martyrs so that their sacrifices will not be forgotten, but it will remain steadfast in dedicating its efforts to oppose all attempts by the illegal APNU+AFC coalition regime to oppress Guyanese and to strangle democracy,” the missive detailed.
The Party further outlined that over the past 100-plus days, it has persisted in the fight to preserve our democratic gains.