A CELL phone belonging to one of the eight miners who were killed at Lindo Creek in 2008, was in the possession of a soldier who had mistakenly dropped it in Linden, the

Commission of Inquiry into the mass murder told a forum in the community on Wednesday.
The forum heard that a child, who was 10 years at the time, had picked up the phone and gave it to his mother. Commissioner of the inquiry, Justice Donald Trotman made this revelation at the Linden outreach held Wednesday evening at the Constabulary Hall. He said the outreach was very pertinent for the Commission’s ability to effectively solve the case, since information reaching the panel indicates that residents of Linden have first-hand information about what occurred. He is therefore imploring those persons to come forward and say what they know. “We are here because we have information that there are persons in this community who know something about what happen at Lindo Creek. We are not saying that they did anything there but they know who did what and we want to hear from them. We consider it your duty, the duty of those who know, to tell us what happened, so that we and you will be able to sleep better in the years that lie ahead,” Trotman urged.

Dead man’s phone
Trotman then disclosed that one of the damning revelations is that a cell phone was found in Linden, which is located in the same region as Lindo Creek. “One of the deceased miners had a cell phone and this cell phone was found on the streets in Linden, right here in Linden; picked up by a small boy who took it home to his mother and his mother then somewhere or the other, knew that the cell phone picked up by her son was in the possession of a soldier and if you put two and two together, then that soldier very likely got it from the miner who had it in his possession…the only way that this soldier could have gotten it is if he went at Lindo Creek and got it from the miner; dead or alive,” Trotman related. He is calling on the woman or the boy, who is now 20 years old, to engage the Commission on what they know about the case, without being publicised or incriminated.

While the turnout at the outreach was deemed favourable, several persons only asked questions and made suggestions, but one resident of Linden furnished the Commission with pertinent information. He revealed that two buses that were en route to Linden from Aoraima, were hijacked and some passengers in the bus, who were Lindeners, would have first-hand information on what occurred, from those who would have hijacked the bus.

Justice Trotman also called on passengers and drivers of the buses to also come forward and share with the Commission what they also know. “We will keep it confident, we will assure your safety and protection and we will ensure that what you tell us, will not be spread about like dry mangoes…we will use it to bring justice to this matter and closure to the feelings of the families of these men and a feeling of reconciliation that something has been done,” Trotman said.

The Linden outreach was the third of its kind while the fourth will be held in Kwakwani after the Commission would have completed its visit at Lindo Creek which is about a three-hour drive from Kwakwani. Trotman said that he is optimistic that something will be found there that will be helpful in reaching a conclusion. “We are going with an open mind; at this place, we are not condemning anybody, we are not accusing anybody, we are not setting out to convict anybody, we will make our findings as we see them, we will make our recommendations as we formulate them and we will leave it to the appropriate authorities to do the rest and we expect that our findings and our recommendations will be helpful to those authorities to do what is necessary.”

Justice delayed is not justice denied
Justice Trotman said that the Commission which was appointed by President David Granger is an example of the return of justice to Guyana. He described the massacre as gruesome, dangerous and atrocious and the Commission was necessary to bring closure to a 10-year-long mystery. “This Commission will make sure that not only their memories will live on but that justice will be given to the cruel death that they have met…for the past three years, there is an utmost consistent return to justice and much of it that was lost in the past have been regained…this Commission has been resolved that justice that has been delayed for 10 years, will not be denied,” Trotman told Lindeners. He posited that the Commission serves as an example of what needs to be done to solve the various other mysteries and unjust things that happened in the past. This brought comfort to the daughter of Bonny Harry and other relatives who were present at the Commission and who broke down in tears begging that justice be served for her father and the seven other men. “It has been hard, please do something” she sobbed.

Support from regional leaders
Several regional leaders of Region 10 were present at the Commission’s outreach and pledged their support to the Commission’s call for Lindeners to come forward in sharing whatever information they have. Region 10 Chairman, Deron Adams, described the massacre as evil and said that there are still too many unanswered questions. “Therefore, in my capacity as PNCR Region 10 Chairman, we are in full support of his Excellency President David Granger’s appointment of this CoI …and we will ask all persons who have information to cooperate with the Commission that participated in the process,” Adams said.

Representing the Linden Mayor and Town Council was Councillor Lennox Gasper who said “the tragedy is close to our hearts and occurred right in our backyard.” He urged Lindeners to take full opportunity of the Commission’s presence in the region within the next couple of days to speak out on what they knew. Regional Chairman Renis Morian said, “Truth has a long shelf life and truth doesn’t expire; a hundred years from now, truth will always remain truth.” He too is hoping that the Commission’s trip to Region 10 will be worth the while and answers will be brought to the fore.