West Berbice protest | Criminal elements unleash terror
A car vandalised by protesters
A car vandalised by protesters

— innocent robbed, chopped, beaten with hammer, stripped naked and almost set ablaze

A SIMPLE protest that started on Sunday night by villagers, calling for justice for the Henry cousins in Number 5 village, West Coast Berbice (WCB) has quickly spread to several other communities and has escalated into violence and looting.

Up to press time, there have been confirmed reports of citizens being robbed, beaten, their vehicles vandalised and, in one incident, stolen, all by protesters calling for Justice for the Henry boys.

Zakir Sheriff, a businessman and rice farmer from Number Four Village, WCB had two of his trucks set ablaze by protesters at Hopetown Village, WCB on Tuesday but not before the drivers were forced to dump the paddy that were harvested earlier onto the roadways. The driver of one of the trucks is a relative of one of the deceased boys. The incident has left the businessman suffering some $15M in losses.

His wife, Bebi Sharief, told Guyana Chronicle they had three trucks laden with paddy that were destined for the Hack Rice Mill in Golden Grove and they were given the green light by the Joint Services ranks to proceed.
However, after the first truck passed the blocked road, the protesters pounced on the two others, harassing the drivers and demanding they empty the paddy on the roadways.

The emotional businesswoman said that, despite being forced to comply with the demands of the angry mob, the drivers were forcefully taken from the driver’s seat by the protesters as they set the two trucks on fire.

“This is not fair. We work very hard and it is very hurtful. My husband is in the backdam every day and you look forward to when you harvest to reap the benefits but instead we are now in more losses. The trucks alone are over $12M and the paddy another $3M. We are innocent citizens that condemn the actions of those that killed the two boys but the innocent should not pay for actions of those monsters. We had nothing to do with that,” Bebi said.

SET ALIGHT
Meanwhile, a minibus belonging to the Extra Easy Supermarket was burnt on Monday night and on Tuesday afternoon another minibus owned by a resident of Bush Lot, WCB was also set alight.
A minibus driver and passengers from #51 Village, Corentyne, were also relieved of cash and jewellery at Belladrum village.  The driver of the Number 63 minibus said he had over $173,000 in cash on him that he had to return to customers he usually transact business with in the capital city.

He is still traumatised by the situation but is thankful for life and that his vehicle which he uses for his livelihood was not damaged.

A 30-year-old resident of Bush Lot, WCB was not as fortunate since his
motor car, a Toyota Voxy bearing registration number PTT 7335 was stolen on Tuesday morning in the vicinity of Number 28 Village, WCB when he tried to manoeuvre a blocked road by protesters, despite being escorted by the Joint Services ranks.

Bishraj Sukrah was returning from the East Coast to his home in Bush Lot when, in the vicinity of Number 28, his uncle who was driving his Voxy was attacked and beaten by the protesters.

CAR STOLEN

“I was in front in another car and he was driving my car when we reach 28, I pass and them protesters surround the car he did driving so I slowed down and I see them pull  he out from the car and start to beat he. I did going to turn back but them start to head in me direction but I see one a dem jump in the car and drive off with it while me uncle run away,” Sukrah related.

Another resident of Access Mahaicony, Shyam Khandai, who had left to go to his sister’s shop on the roadway was pulled from the driver’s seat and struck to the head with a hammer and hit about the body with electrical wires from a group of protesters on bicycles. He was eventually saved by a resident of the area who backed off the protesters, thereby saving his life.

Meanwhile, Afraz Deodat, a resident of Number 71 Village, Corentyne was also attacked in the community of Recess, Mahaicony by the angry mob.

The man was stripped of his clothing, robbed of everything, including his cellphone and cash, beaten and was about to be set afire by the protesters when he too was rescued by residents in the area.
He remains stranded in the community and is staying by good Samaritans who have pledged to keep him safe.

As the protest actions continue, several other communities started putting fires on the roadways and more innocent citizens continue to be traumatised and robbed and beaten by late Tuesday night.

The protests have since shifted from peaceful to lawless. Home Affairs Minister, Robeson Benn, while briefly engaging protesters at Belladrum on Tuesday stated that, “We cannot pile crime on crime”.

He also appealed for them to restore peace in their communities.

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