Dear Editor,
Men in positions of power across the spectrum in Guyana, including those with ministerial positions, or exercising leadership roles in political parties including the political party in Government have to take responsibility and action for their continuing and appalling, disgusting, abusive and criminal behaviour towards women who they work with, or who work for them, who they live with, have relationships with, marry and or have families with.
Two of the most recent reported cases of men in such positions include Fazil Karimbaksh, Deputy Commissioner of Police and head of SOCU, and Daniel Seeram, former Chairperson of the Regional Democratic Council for Region 4 and now in his latest appointment as National Coordinator of the Border Patrol Unit.
Criminal behaviour directed towards women continues to be widespread throughout Guyana, affecting women of diverse ethnicities, regions, economic status, age, marital status, profession and other status. This violence continues despite laws, programmes, services and continuous training for police officers and other frontline workers.
The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security has reportedly engaged in another programme – the National Gender Empowerment Seal- to address sexual violence in the public sector among other forms of gendered discrimination. Clearly more needs to be done, better, more efficiently, and based on empirical evidence, measuring the impacts and successes of these programmes not in numbers trained but in improved outcomes. Outcomes which also mean accountability for the abusers who have connections and who are in positions of power.
It is well known that behind each reported case of sexual and gender based violence lies a history of abuse by the perpetrator.
The first public reports are often the result of a history of abuse, including sexual assault, rape, sexual harassment, indecent assault, stalking, physical violence, or any of the other forms and types of gender based violence meted out by these perpetrators against women and others.
We know that allegations of gendered abuse were previously made against Deputy Commissioner Fazil Karimbaksh.
What is this saying about the Guyana Police Force when it seems there are no accountability measures when senior policemen face allegations of abuse? What message is this sending to the many survivors, victims and perpetrators of sexual and gender based violence.
Minister of Home Affairs Walrond has reportedly said that the Police Service Commission (PSC) has been defunct since July. How then are citizens supposed to hold the police accountable when the Government is not urgent about the institutions of accountability?
Minister Walrond’s lament that the lack of a working PSC makes it difficult to know what steps to take against a senior police officers is unacceptable and reeks of a cover up. Surely it does not matter if a President or an unemployed person commits a sexual offence, the law must apply without fear or favour.
Minister Walrond must answer these questions. Why is Deputy Commissioner Fazil Karimbaksh still on the job at SOCU even though Minister Walrond had recommended he be placed on administrative leave? An arrest and charge should take care of any uncertainty about if to send the senior officer on leave or not.
Why is special treatment being afforded to the accused Deputy Commissioner? The Sexual Offences Act (SOA) has clear processes to be followed in sexual offences cases, including paper committals and the exchange of all statements by both prosecution and defence lawyers. Can the complainant, Guyanese organizations and citizens have confidence in police investigating police, especially when the accused is a very senior Deputy Commissioner of Police? Justice must not only be served it must appear to be served; therefore, a special independent prosecutor should be appointed immediately to investigate and prosecute this case.
Most alarming and shocking is a report that a confrontation between the accused Deputy Commissioner and the survivor was/is to be held by the police. The Ministry of Home Affairs must account for their ignorance of the Sexual Offences Act (SOA) 2010 which has abolished confrontations. Section 42 of the SOA explicitly dictates that once a report is made, investigators cannot require a complainant to recount their allegations or any part of them in the presence of the accused.
We expect the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security and Minister of Home Affairs to demonstrate compliance in ensuring that the Sexual Offences Act (SOA) 2010 is followed to the letter.
Meanwhile, in all of these cases, we urge the men who are bystanders, the men who remain silent as their colleagues, bosses, friends abuse others, to speak out. Men’s violence against women and others happens in an atmosphere where other men refuse to hold men accountable for this violence. This silence and lack of accountability also prevent abusive men from recognizing the nature of their abusive behaviour, the first step towards behaviour change.
We call on the Commissioner of Police to collaborate with the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security and other groups and organisations to ensure that training of senior officers also includes the publishing of protocols and procedures by which all ranks of the Guyana Police Force can be held accountable. Training without accountability does not result in improved compliance with the law.
Deep respect and empathy must be given to the female police inspector and survivors for finding the courage and strength to refuse to be silent victims of abuse but instead to confront and report the violence. Choosing to do this is a gruelling, difficult and traumatic experience for all survivors. Every effort must be made towards supporting these survivors including psycho-social and trauma counselling so that healing can begin.
We demand that a special independent investigation and prosecutor be appointed for the Karimbaksh case. We demand that the Sexual Offences Act (SOA)2010 be complied with and any confrontation immediately cease as set out in section 42, and if not, those conducting such a confrontation be themselves charged with an offence under the Sexual Offences Act (SOA) 2010.
Yours sincerely,
Alissa Trotz
Amerindian Peoples Association (APA)
Arianne Harris
Blossom Inc.
Breadfruit Collective- Christine Samaroo
Carol Ann Marcus
Citizens Against Rape
Colette McDermott
Colin Klauky
Danuta Radzik
Darsh Khusial
Denise Dias
Desmond Ali
Dr Raquel Thomas
Elizabeth Cox
Ferlin Pedro
Fred Collins
Guyana Organization of Indigenous People (GOIP)
Guyana Presbyterian Church -Rev Patricia Sheerattan Bisnauth
Halima Khan
Immaculata Casimero
Indigenous Peoples Delegation of Guyana – Mark Anthony Rodrigues
Janette Bulkan
Jocelyn Dow
Joe Persaud
Kenrick Hunte
Linda Hustler
Ludex Mc Donald
Makushi Research Unit
Margo Boyce
Melissa De Santos
Mellissa Ifill
Mike Persaud
Nicola Noel
Renuka Anandjit
Reshma Persaud
Sexualities, Women and Genders (SWAG)
Sherlina Nageer
Sonia Noel
Terry Carsar
Transparency International Guyana (TIGI)
Trudie Daniels
Vanda Radzik
Vidyaratha Kissoon
We The People
Wintress White
Discussion