IAC commemorative event for Lusignan massacre victims…
FOR the third year running, the Indian Arrival Committee (IAC) yesterday hosted its annual ‘Night of Remembrance’ to honour the memory of the 11 victims of the Lusignan massacre in the street where eleven members of five families were brutally slain by heavily-armed gunmen on the night of 26th January, 2008. On that night, the quiet street in Track ‘A’, Lusignan Pasture was plummeted in grief and horror at the brutal and absolutely unwarranted slaying of Shazam Mohamed; Clarence Thomas; his son, Ron, 11; daughter, Vanessa 12; Mohandai Gourdat, 32; her two children – Seegobind, four years old, and Seegopaul Harilall, 10; Shalem Baksh, 52; Rooplall Seecharan, 56; his daughter, Raywattie Ramsingh, 11; and his wife, Dhanrajie, called Sister, 52.  Many of the victims were gunned down while they were asleep in their beds.
Injured during that attack were Howard Thomas, 19, Nadir Mohamed, 48, and Roberto Thomas, five.
Speaking at the event last evening were Prime Minister Samuel Hinds; Member of Parliament and General-Secretary of the PPP, Mr. Donald Ramotar; Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud; Priest-in-charge of the Lusignan Gopal Mandir, Pt Haresh Tiwari; Imaam of the Lusignan Masjid, Moulana Abu Bakr Haniff; Pastor Balgobin Ragnauth of the Lifespring Ministries; former Minister of Health, Mr. Richard Van-West Charles; and Chairman of the Ethnic Relations Committee, Bishop Juan Edgehill.
Prayers were said by representatives of the three main religious communities in Guyana. There were also cultural presentations by a wide representation of the Muslim, Hindu, and Christian religions.
Attending the event was a wide cross-section of society, along with survivors of the massacre and relatives of those whom were slain during that fateful night.