Hold fast to lessons learnt from Lusignan massacre- beware of those who seek to politicise event - AG urges at 7th anniversary memorial
Written by Gina Webmasters, Published in News, Georgetown, GINA, January 26, 2015, Source - GINA
A section of the gathering which attended the IAC’s memorial service to mark the 7th anniversary of the Lusignan massacre at Grass Field, Lusignan, East Coast Demerara
Today marks seven years since 11 persons were cold bloodedly killed in Lusignan, as they slept in their homes in the wee hours of January 26, 2008. As has been the norm ever since the horrendous incident, the Indian Arrival Committee (IAC) hosted a commemorative observance, at Grass Field, Lusignan in honour of those murdered.
Gunmen had invaded the homes of five families and murdered Clarence Thomas, 48; Vanessa Thomas, 12; Ron Thomas, 11; Mohandan Goordat, 32; Seegopaul Harilall, 10; Seegobin Harilall, 4; Dhanwajie Ramsingh, 52; Seecharran Rooplall, 56; Raywattie Ramsingh, 11; Shazam Mohammed, 22; and Shaleem Baksh, 52.
Chairperson of the event, IAC Executive Member Neaz Subhan in his remarks said the event is held yearly to ensure that the memories of the horrific incident are not banished into the dustbins of history, as many would wish. He said the IAC will keep this event alive as each commemoration ceremony is done in consultation with the families who lost their loved ones.
Subhan saluted the resilience shown by the families who have become a beacon of inspiration to all Guyanese, having been forced to endure such atrocities by heartless gunmen.
Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney General Anil Nandlall who took time to offer words of encouragement to the family and friends of the 11 victims reiterated the importance for citizens to hold fast to the lessons learnt from this incident.
What is unfortunate seven years later, Minister Nandlall said, is the fact that the wounds are reopened afresh by those who seek to politicise such a horrible event for their own political gains.
“To my horror I saw in a newspaper in this country, a political advertisement, an advertisement from a political party that used this tragedy where innocent children and their parents were slaughtered while they were asleep and made that the subject of a political advertisement for election.”
Deeming the advertisement, an insensitive one at such a time when the wounds would be reopened, Minister Nandlall said it is unbelievable coming from a group which is aspiring to take the leadership of Guyana.
The minister called on citizens to use this tragedy to derive some knowledge so that no other community will ever suffer the fate of what transpired seven years ago. The Minister also sought to point out the role some of these leaders played in having those charged for the crimes acquitted in the courts.
Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, addressing the gathering at the IAC’s 7th Lusignan massacre anniversary at Grass Field, Lusignan, East Coast Demerara
“Many, many lessons are to be learnt from this tragedy, and if we are to properly commemorate, respect, and perpetuate the memories the legacy and lives of those who perished on that fateful day, then it is incumbent on us to ensure that we learn from those tragedies so that those lives would not have been snuffed out in vain,” the Attorney General stated.
“What happened here demonstrated without a shadow of a doubt that crime, when it raises its ugly head amongst us, and in our communities, is not necessarily crime driven by a criminal motive, this community here and the people who were slaughtered in 2008 are among the poorest in our country.”
He added that it was clear that those who carried out the act had a clear motive for definite reason.
Further Minister Nandlall urged all to continue to celebrate the lives and legacies of those slain as he encouraged the IAC that events like these are to be made bigger with the aim of giving support to the families.
Minister within the Ministry of Finance Juan Edghill addressing the gathering at the IAC’s 7th Lusignan massacre Anniversary at Grass Field, Lusignan, East Coast Demerara
Meanwhile Minister within the Ministry of Finance, Juan Edghill who also attended the event called on all Guyanese to beware of those who seek to justify that which is unjustifiable as, “No amount of justification by anyone, no amount of seeking to re-write history can change the fact that a wrong was done. What happened here in Lusignan was wrong, it will always be wrong and nobody can change the fact that it was wrong.”
He noted that all Guyanese must be reminded that there were those who condemned the act, but there were some who sought to justify it as though the victims had done something to deserve what they received.
“People with political agendas should not pounce and seek to send messages by hurting innocent people.”
Minister Edghill called on Guyanese to reflect on some incidents that unfolded immediately after the act, as they are critical lessons in moving forward.
“We must not forget that among those who defended those who were charged and were considered culpable of the crime that took place here among those are some of the same people who want to come to tell us that they would like to be leaders of Guyana.”
Minister within the Ministry of Finance Juan Edghill with survivors of the Lusignan massacre, 12 year-old Roberto Thomas and his mother and another brother after the memorial service
Speaking of some of the lessons that should be drawn from this horrific incident, Minister Edghill pointed to the fact that while there were some who offered their support to the wrong doers, the administration did everything in its power to bring the perpetrators to justice and to ensure that history does not repeat itself.
“We still have issues of crime and security in our country, but we must never mix and confuse the difference between regular crime, and robbery as against what took place here in Lusignan.”
Describing the act that occurred in the East Coast village as a race hate crime, Minister Edghill noted that this incident did not see the collapse of Guyana, but instead all citizens held together.
“Once there is mature leadership, once there is a mature response we will overcome, and we will continue to go forward.”
The residents of Lusignan were also urged to reject every attempt to divide the nation, communities, and to ‘put a fence’ around communities to ensure that hatemongers and race baiters do not find accommodation.
Meanwhile as is customary representatives from the three main religions were given the opportunity to offer words of comfort and prayers, as persons sang songs of hope and offered words of encouragement.
Also present at the event were the close relatives of those who were killed and survivors of the incident.
