In our dear ole Mudland, political violence is unfortunately not just a theoretical construct, but an existential unfortunate reality that has bedevilled our society since its colonial beginnings. Why do you think, dear reader, that our Police Force – “force”, get it? – was formed immediately after slavery was abolished? That’s right – to use the “leaden argument” if the natives started believing they were free to think they could make decisions for themselves!! Violence in politics – which comes into play whenever power is challenged or exercised – became normalised!!
And so, when the Brits and the Yanks wanted to throw Cheddi out on his ear, your Eyewitness described yesterday how Burnham triggered the violence of Black Friday 1962 when the business district went up in flames – thanks to some channa bombs shied by his supporters whom he had fired up at Parade Ground!! That spate of violence didn’t let up till 1964, when the PPP was sent into the political wilderness for the next twenty-eight years. But not before 176 persons had been murdered, hundreds of homes razed, and communities ethnically cleansed.
Violence became part of the PNC’s DNA – as was clear from the X-13 Plan discovered in their party headquarters by the Police Force and made public. It was a blueprint by top PNC operatives for bombings, assassinations, arson, and the creation of general mayhem.
“Historian” David Granger is fond of talking about the “troubles” of the 1960s as caused by the PPP – with nary a mention of the PNC’s role either then or later, with the PNC’s “kick down the door” bandits, Rabbi’s thugs, or even the army that “guarded ballot boxes”!!
Between 1998, following the 1997 elections, and 2008, our country was turned into one vast killing field as political bandits took on the state directly, and at least 400 persons were killed. Violence, baby!!
One of Burnham’s famous exhortations to his faithful from the first wave of violence in the sixties was: “We might have to take a first lick, comrades; but make sure we give last licks!!” So, once again, I ask: How different is the present PNC leader Aubrey Norton’s call to violence??
“Don’t rule out (the PPP) going to violence to stay in power. When we finish beatin dem, we goin got to tek dem on. Look, every day they produce a security company; every day a security company; but they must remember: merely having guns does not guarantee you victory. He who can handle the gun is in a better position.”
The question, of course, is how can Norton be so sure that his constituency can “handle” guns – yet play the victim when licks are sharing?? Notice when they call for violence, they first rub their doo-doo on the PPP’s bamsie??
…global violence
Your Eyewitness is intrigued by our nonchalance as the rest of the world seems to be inexorably sliding into a WWIII. The Israeli Defence Force crossed the 25,000 killed in Gaza and levelled the homes of almost the entire 2 million population. The Yanks have opened up a new front against a never-say-die group – the Houthis – who’ll be expanding the repertoire of the David against Goliath scenario we saw unfolding in places like Afghanistan. For good measure, neighbours Iran and Pakistan have decided to lob some bombs against each other. Not nuclear, for now!
Then there’s China getting bolder by the minute to take over Taiwan – much as they’d done to Tibet! Yeah…remember when Tibet was a country?? Argentina’s again making noises over the Falklands – probably encouraged by the anaemic world response to Mad Maduro’s annexation of our Essequibo. Then – oops -there’s the Russia-Ukraine war in which HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS have been killed!!
And let’s not even talk about Sudan fissioning again!!
…Caricom
Now, as your Eyewitness has been emphasizing, every country’s gotta pursue its own national interest. But when are we gonna call out those who’re playing footsies with Mad Maduro?? That definitely ain’t in OUR national interest, is it??
