THE Guyana Police Force (GPF) yesterday was emphatic in its denial of reports, in some sections of the media, that police ranks “stripped” the chairman of the Essequibo Paddy Farmers’ Association and Alliance for Change (AFC) Councillor, Mr. Naith Ram, during their engagement with the protestors on Friday.

In a release yesterday, the GPF made it clear that Ram, after a peaceful protest action which was approved by the police, stripped himself of his clothing, posed for photos and left the scene, returning soon after in a change of clothes.
“The Guyana Police Force emphatically reiterates that Mr. Naith Ram was not stripped by police ranks. He took off his own clothing after he had been taken away from the custody of the police by other protestors,” the statement said.

[box type=”shadow” align=”alignright” ]“The Guyana Police Force emphatically reiterates that Mr. Naith Ram was not stripped by police ranks. He took off his own clothing after he had been taken away from the custody of the police by other protestors.” – The Guyana Police Force[/box]

PEACEFUL START
According to the Police, on June 30 the Essequibo Paddy Farmers’ Association applied to the police for approval to hold a protest march on July 04, 2014 commencing at 09:30 hrs from the Bush Lot New Market to the Anna Regina High Bridge, where a meeting was to be held – for which approval was granted.
The Force recounted that the protest march and meeting commenced at 10:00 hrs and approximately 200 people, included farmers, proceeded peacefully.
The statement said: “At the conclusion of the protest march and meeting, at about 12:30 hrs; most of the persons left, but some remained and began imbibing.
“At about 17:15 hrs on Friday those who were imbibing and some others that included Mr. Naith Ram, boarded their motor vehicles, including tractors and trailers, and proceeded to drive along the middle of the main roadway in the vicinity of the villages of Reliance and Land of Plenty, Essequibo Coast, at a very slow rate.
“This action resulted in a backup of traffic as other motor vehicles could not pass, and they continued their actions despite efforts by police ranks to get them to drive on the left hand side of the road.
“On reaching a short distance before the Land of Plenty Bridge, at about 18:00 hrs; the men continued breaching the laws by proceeding to block the entire roadway with the use of their motor vehicles that included tractors and trailers and to set fire to tyres and other debris that were thrown on the roadway. A utility pole was also used to block the roadway.
“By this time the crowd had increased to over 400 persons and efforts by the police to get them to remove the vehicles from across the roadway proved futile. Missiles comprising bricks, bottles and other articles were thrown at police ranks in their attempt to remove the burning obstacles on the roadway, causing them to cease their efforts.

APPEALS UNHEARD
According to the GPF, personnel from the Guyana Fire Service at Anna Regina could not reach the scene owing to the blockages on the road and repeated appeals from the police to residents went unheard.
The statement said: “The police then arrested Mr. Naith Ram, who was leading the protest, at which stage a number of other persons surged forward and accosted the ranks and took him away from the police. During this incident his clothing was torn and several police ranks were thrown into a nearby trench.
“Mr. Naith Ram then stood among the protestors and stripped himself, and several persons took his photograph. He then left the area and later returned dressed in a change of clothing.”
Despite Ram’s theatrics, the police force noted that up to 22:45 hrs, the police continued their appeals to the protestors, informing them that they were in breach of the laws, but the persons remained steadfast saying they will only move if the Head of State, Donald Ramotar addresses their concerns.
Also, an assault of a Guyana Defence Force rank in uniform was confirmed by the police. The rank was inside a motor vehicle that was caught up in the congestion caused by the blockage of the road, was assaulted by a number of protestors. He was later treated at the Suddie Hospital.

ARRESTS AND SEIZURE
The escalating tensions, according to the GPF inspired the decision to employ the use of tear gas to tame the unruly crowd was made.
Subsequently, 19 men, including Ram, was arrested and is currently in police custody.
Two tractors, four trailers, two motor cars and two motor cycles, which were among the vehicles used to block the roadway, have since been seized by the police.
Additionally, the GPF reported that as at 00:10 hr yesterday, the blockage on the roadway was cleared and traffic commenced flowing freely.
The police are continuing to monitor the situation.
“The Guyana Police Force recognises the rights of citizens to peaceful protest, but when such protests degenerate into a set of unlawful activities that infringe on the rights of other citizens the police will, of necessity, have to take the appropriate action in order to maintain law and order,” the GPF stressed.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Home Affairs strongly condemned the Alliance For Change (AFC) for politically manipulating the plight and grievance of rice farmers on the Essequibo Coast and encouraging a few among the farmers to block the public road.
“The Ministry of Home Affairs has advised and warned time and again that peaceful protests cannot mean blocking of public roads thus preventing the right of others to proceed without let or hindrance.”
“Public safety and security must be for all Guyanese and any attempt by a few to inhibit the peaceful and orderly life of law abiding citizens will not be tolerated.”
“The Ministry has noted that over the past weeks representatives of the AFC have been frequenting the Essequibo Coast encouraging their political activists imbedded in the rice farming community to engage in unlawful acts to disrupt the peace and good order on the Essequibo Coast.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has reasons to believe that the protest was politically motivated and orchestrated by the AFC.”
“The action of the AFC is similar to the politically orchestrated protest by the AFC at Agricola and Linden which resulted in pain rather the gain for the protestors while the AFC leaders were comfortably ensconced in the comfort of their homes and never seen at the scene of the unlawful protests.”

“The Ministry of Home Affairs wishes to remind that blocking of public roads and bridges is unlawful and persons found engaging in such acts will be prosecuted according to the law.”

“The Ministry of Home Affairs supports peaceful protest by Guyanese citizens and their respective organisations however; it will not condone the degeneration of peaceful protest into unlawful behaviour that affects the lives and wellbeing of others who do not support any such unlawful activities,” the Ministry said in a release yesterday.