SEVERAL Indo-Guyanese New Yorkers were beaten and robbed in the Agricola violent protest organised by the AFC. The AFC is attempting a cop out as the responsible party for the violent rally;but New York-based Indo-Guyanese are very angry at the leadership of the AFC for pursuing activities that put the lives of its own supporters at risk.
Without Indian support the AFC would

have been wiped out at the last election.
Mr. Mark Archer claims the “Protest” at Agricola had nothing to do with PNCR or APNU” (SN Oct 24), rebuking the AFC’s Mr. Charrandas Persaud (SN Oct 20) who had accused the PNC and APNU for the violent attacks and robberies on Indians on Oct 11 on the East Bank of Demerara.
I do not think the AFC organised the beatings and robberies of Indians. My friends Moses and Khemraj would never participate in or condone activities beating, robbing and sexually molesting Indians, especially those who voted for them and New Yorkers. But the AFC claimed ownership — organising it — and they must accept the violence that emanated from the rally. One troubling aspect of the Agricola rally was that the main leadership of the AFC appeared not to have been present.  So why did this group plan and organise a rally to rumble with Dr. Luncheon and they hid from the rally? Were they expecting violence, and as such absented themselves?
With Archer’s letter, the public now has a stand-off between which party is really responsible for organising the protest and the beatings and sexual abuse of Indians.
Archer said that ever since Mr. David Granger became leader of APNU, the PNC had ended its involvement in violent activities and has only been involved in “peaceful activities” listing a litany of them.
So has the AFC replaced the PNC as the party of “violence”? If the PNC is not responsible for the beating and robbing of Indians, then the AFC must accept responsibility for what transpired. And the right thing for the party to do is accept total ownership of the rally;say it was a mistake; call on victims of the violence to come forward to file a claim;and urge the police to find the attackers.  An AFC promise to give financial restitution to the victims would also be greatly appreciated.
Several New Yorkers were beaten and robbed that fateful day – an experience they will never forget – all because the AFC failed to take measures to guarantee a peaceful protest. The attackers even robbed even little American- born children terrorising them and threatened to cut off their ears and fingers if they did not hand over their jewellery and cash.
A New York couple had their diamond rings (valued at around US $5,000) violently taken away from them and US$1000 cash.  An attacker was on the verge of chopping off the finger of one of the victims forcing her to give it up.  Several other New York-based Guyanese were robbed of a lot of cash and other valuables. They were targeted because they were viewed as supporters of the PPP.  Guyanese New Yorkers are extremely angry at being made victims of this rally suffering from psychological trauma, beatings and losing their valuables.
Mr. Charandass and Mr. Archer may not have recognised the anger of the hundreds of victims towards their parties. A very close friend of mine(a former PPP-ite) from the West Coast supported the PNC in the last election saying the party has changed from its bad ways.  He gave the PNC very large donations and hoped it would win to teach the PPP a lesson.  After his family
got robbed in Agricola as they left Georgetown for the journey to the West Coast, he said he now has deep regrets backing the PNC.  “Leave the PPP right dey because the PNC nah change at all.  Me nah trust dem again!”
The PNC and AFC are responsible for the beating and robbing of Indians.  It is wrong to target Indians and no one is there to protect them.
Friends of mine who organised for the AFC in Bath Settlement and Port Mourant to bring out the votes last election have also become disenchanted with the AFC’s vengeance politics. In conversations with them last week, they blamed the AFC for staging the Agricola protest and the accompanying beatings and robbing of innocent people. “Bai, abee done with AFC – dem nah different from PNC.”
I applaud Mr. Archer for his disclaimer on the Agricola violence.  But words must follow actions. Even if the PNC had nothing to do with the Agricola rally, the party had a moral duty to make an effort to rescue the victims who were being sexually abused, beaten and robbed.
Regarding the New York-based victims, American law allows them to file civil lawsuits in American courts where they are domiciled to recover their losses from the organisers of the
Guyana rally, especially if negligence can be shown. They should come together and file a class-based action lawsuit.  The Guyanese-Americans should also call on the U.S. government to cancel the visas of Guyanese who were responsible for their beating and robberies unless restitution can be made.  Examples need to be made of those who violently attack and rob overseas-based Guyanese when they visit their former homeland. The victims can recover their losses from the organisers of the rally even if the real attackers could not be found.