Will these circumstances ever be revealed?

Jul 25, 2008 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,
Will we ever know how, (now deceased prisoner), Edwin Niles was able to secure seven .22 rounds of ammunition while he was out working at Camp Ayanganna, under the supervision of the prison authorities?

Is the Guyana Police Force in a position to inform the nation as to the status of the investigations into the beating to death of this prisoner, while he was in custody of the local law enforcement agency?

Luckily, we are aware of the medical reports regarding the cause of death of Niles so the obvious questions must be answered without delay. Who instituted the deadly beating on Niles?

Was it the police, prison authorities, or army personnel? Since the physical and medical evidence revealed Niles was severely burnt, sustained broken bones and other wounds about the body, we must ask if this is not a clear case of torture.

The government must, therefore, advise the nation as to whether this form of interrogation is acceptable by the regime, and whether such severe and cruel treatment of human beings, by the disciplined forces, does not amount to torture.

I would be appalled if the government does not answer the latter question in the affirmative.
Since they will agree that it is torture, the President should then further advise Guyanese whether his government sanctions torture.

If the President claims that the administration does not sanction such treatment of persons, he must then explain to us why these acts are perpetrated without fear of being reprimanded.

It is unthinkable that in the wake of allegations of torture that members of the disciplined forces would be brazen enough to beat a prisoner to death.

It may appear that while there might be no written policy on the part of the government, which sanctions torture, if actions of the executive suggest that there is some level of tolerance, on their part, for same, these acts may be committed without fear.

Thus, members within the discipline service may be inclined to commit these inhuman acts with a perceived notion that they are acting in accordance with some degree of approval by those in authority.

The current status of the much anticipated torture report is another example of how one may be inclined to believe that the government may not regard torture of Guyanese as a serious issue.

This action of keeping the report from public scrutiny might have also contributed to this belief of government’s possible sanction of torture.

The government must therefore act with dispatch to remove all doubt from public space, regarding its position on torture.

I believe clear and unequivocal statements must be made and the torture report should not be further delayed.

Those guilty of committing these cruel acts on Guyanese must be brought before the courts. We cannot allow another person to be beaten to death, whether in custody or otherwise.
Lurlene Nestor

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