| Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon, at a press conference on November 27, 2002,Auston Matthews Jersey, commented that “there seems to be reasonable, plausible evidence that suggests that there is a body out there that has been involved in criminal activities and it is not the (prison) escapees. Attention is now being paid to those other instances of criminal activities that could not possibly be attributed to escapees.”Seven years later, following many murders, much mayhem and recent revelations from aNew York trial, a special investigation has been set in place by the Guyana Police Force.This is recalled by the Guyana Human Rights Association in a statement to the media yesterday. In that statement the GHRA noted that among the initiatives facing major credibility challenges, the most obvious of which is persuasive evidence of strong links between government officials, drug lords and senior elements in the GPF.There is the undermining of the efforts of former Commissioner Winston Felix to confront the drug barons by government officials; generalised failure to investigate,Cheap Adidas Hockey Jerseys, prosecute and protect witnesses in a large number of murders, possibly 200 or more which occurred under circumstances that suggest either political or drug-related factors at work.According to the GHRA, whether the governing authorities and the GPF can dispel the skepticism posed by the challenges will prove the key to public acceptance of the new undertaking.The GHRA was referring specifically to the recent announcement by the police that they will conduct an investigation into the killings allegedly carried out by the Roger Khan and Fine Man Gangs.It was pointed out that the timing of the announcement provides further grounds for misgivings with respect to the good faith dimension of the initiative.“Coming in the wake of pressure from the joint political opposition for an international inquiry into these matters, together with court documents from the US alleging involvement of officials at the highest levels of government with criminal elements,Cheap Jerseys Outlet, there is every reason to view the announced new inquiry as a sop to public opinion.”The human rights body announced, however, that despite all of its reservations, however, it believes it is important to test the bona fides of the initiative by collaborating with the GPF’s initial call for public co-operation.According to that body, since the initial announcement made skeptical reference to “two hundred black men” being killed,wholesale jerseys, the GHRA is proposing some steps to establish both the parameters of the task at hand and provide the GPF with an opportunity to demonstrate the authenticity of this initiative.”“A first step should be compilation of a list of all the unresolved cases of deaths which occurred between February 2002 (escape of five dangerous prisoners from Camp Street prison) and the arrest of Roger Khan in 2007.This list should be published for public scrutiny and for additions and subtractions by any interested parties. The second step in a credible police inquiry should then be for the GPF to provide an update of the status of as many cases on the list for which they have information. The third step should then comprise agreement involving all parliamentary parties as to how to deal with the rest of the list.”It was conceded that it may well be that normal criminal procedures are not possible for a variety of reasons and as such the relevant parties may jointly need to agree to a process which,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, while not strictly judicial, will bring a measure of closure, justice and healing to the families most affected by the deaths as well as to the society in general.According to the GHRA, “Even such a cursory outline of a procedure as suggested here implies that any credible inquiry requires the co-operation and involvement of a range of civic and political organisations. In this respect,Cheap Jerseys China, the GPF would be advised to urgently establish an advisory panel which draws representatives of these sectors together.”The body also said that to encourage the co-operation required by the GPF, such a panel would help the GPF to be seen to be independent from the ruling party in this matter. Such a Panel could then suggest ground rules for the inquiry and consider how to address the complex political, personal security, witness protection,Wholesale Hockey Jerseys 2018, and criminal factors confronting such an investigation.The GHRA said that as a first step it will shortly submit two preliminary lists to Crime Chief,Assistant Commissioner of Police, Seelall Persaud, who was named as heading the probe.“A first list comprises deaths at the hands of the police/disciplined services between March 2002 and June 2003.”This list according to the GHRA was originally submitted to the Disciplined Services Commission of Inquiry in 2003.A second list, according the Human Rights body, comprises deaths of some 30 persons, mainly during the months of October and November 2003 and include the death of Police Prosecutor Leyland October, and a range of deaths typical of many more during the 2003 and 2005 period, which may have been drug or politically-inspired or may be simply criminally motivated. “Whether the GHRA submits more complete lists in future will depend on the manner in which the inquiry is conducted with respect to political independence, transparency and acceptance ofconstructive co-operation with all interested parties.” |
