…as Suriname intensifies search for missing fishermen

WITH the recovery of four bodies believed to be those of the missing fishermen in Friday’s piracy attack, relatives of the other missing men are growing more and more uneasy with less hope of finding their loved ones alive.

The bodies were spotted within 30 miles from Zorg-en-Hoop, an area off the WaiWai bank by an airline pilot attached to Suriname domestic carrier, Gumair Airlines. The information was radioed in to the ground crew and the bodies were retrieved. Up to press time, efforts were being made to bring the bodies to shore as relatives waited anxiously.

So far Guyana Chronicle has been able to confirm the names of nine of the 16 persons who went missing after the attack. They are Vickey Persaud, 23; Ramesh Sanchara, 51; Glenroy Jones, 20; Tikaknauth Mohabir, 50; Randy Burnette, 19; Bobby Ibrahim; Bharat Heralall; Ganesh Persaud, 27, of Number 2 Village, East Canje, Berbice, and his cousin, Ralph Anthony Couchman, 19, also of Number 2 Village, East Canje. The body that was retrieved earlier in the day, Wednesday, has been positively identified by relatives as that of Ganesh Persaud, 27 of Number 2 Village, East Canje and a father of two.

According to his sister, Yurajwattie Hussein called “Yonette”, her brother joined the fishing industry from the age of 13, initially patching seins and doing odd work. At age 14 he left Guyana and went to neighbouring Suriname to work on fishing boats, initially earning just US$20 per trip. In January this year, he turned 27. He has two children–Devin and Jayon–ages 5 and 2 respectively.

A meal of fish curry
Like most fishermen, he would spend a few months out at sea and then return to Guyana to spend some time. He had left for Suriname in January and was scheduled to return after he would have completed this trip; he never made it home. According to information from Hussein, the piracy attack on her brother’s boat would have occurred sometime after midnight on Friday as he called his wife, Kavita, around then and told her he was about to go cook a “catfish” he had just caught. “When them find the boat, the engine did damage and the boat had thick, thick blood. Them find the catfish curry and vermicelli what he tell she he did cooking”, the grieving sister related.

His body was positively identified by relatives while arrangements are being made to bring the others to shore and have them identified. Meanwhile, the relatives of Ralph Anthony Coachman said they believe he did not survive the attack, since he was on the same boat as his cousin, Ganesh Persaud, and are hoping to retrieve his body to bring closure and give him a “proper send off.” The family is planning to travel to Suriname as soon as they can get their Yellow Fever vaccines. Couchman left with Persaud in January in search of a better life. Among the persons planning to make the trip is his 75-year-old grandmother who shared a special bond with him. According to Radica Ramnarace–a cousin–the grandmother has been ill since the incident and wants to be able to “send off” (bury) her grandson herself and is adamant she is going to Suriname.

Still hoping for a word
Additionally, Kuntie Bishop, mother of Bobby Ibrahim, said she is still to get word from her son, whom she said is among the sixteen missing fishermen. In a Facebook post, Bishop is pleading with anyone with information to assist her in locating her son. The post states: ”Help me find Bobby Ibrahim, he was among the fishermen who was attacked by pirates in Suriname on Friday. I am his mother”. According to a source in Suriname, the aerial search was conducted privately by the airline to help the relatives of victims find their missing loved ones in what has been described as the most gruesome and largest pirate attack within recent times.

De Ware Tijd newspaper reported that Jerry Slijnagard , Director of the National Coordination Centre for Disaster Management in Suriname reported that assistance from Guyana is now being considered. He said too that the Surinamese authorities have contacted their counterparts in French Guiana for assistance since Friday night’s attack occurred closer to the maritime boundary between the two countries.” They have been asked to help find the robbers on the French side, because information about this exists and we have shared this information with them,” Slijnard said.

Suriname’s Justice Minister, Stuart Getrouw stated on Tuesday afternoon that the search for the missing men has not stopped. He also promised that better protection of fishermen in Suriname waters is on the cards. Relatives of the missing fishermen, most of whom are Guyanese, continue to be critical of the attention given by the Surinamese authorities thus far to the gruesome incident. The search was reportedly called off on Monday, but due to intense pressure from relatives and heightened regional publicity, the exercise reconvened and several private companies, such as Gumair, have joined forces to help locate the missing fishermen.

Suriname media reports stated on Wednesday that of the 16 missing men, four may be of Surinamese nationality. On Wednesday evening, families, relatives and fishermen waited at the dock where the fishermen usually depart and lit candles and said prayers as they await word. The pirate attack on Friday has left relatives fearing the worst. The men were reportedly chopped about their bodies, struck with bamboos and other objects to get them to comply with the demands of the criminals as their boats were looted. Still after complying, the men were tied to anchors, batteries and other heavy objects and thrown overboard as their boats were destroyed.

PPP concerned
The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) in a statement said it remains gravely concerned about the matter involving the fate of the 16 fishermen who have been reported missing after an attack off the coast of Suriname. “This is a tragedy and we empathize with the

families who continue to be in anguish, given the state of affairs. The horror that reportedly unfolded once again highlights the danger that our country’s fisherfolk face every day to earn their livelihoods and to provide for their families,” the PPP said. The party calls on the government to make every effort and take urgent steps to ensure that fishermen are found. “In addition, our party urges the government to ensure that the families are kept informed of the efforts being made. We hope for a swift resolution of the situation and that the families can be comforted during their time of distress. “