(Photo taken from Kaieteur News Sat 29th August 2009)
Aron Smith: On Friday last I happened to be passing in the vicinity of the PNC/R's Headquarters, Congress Place when I noticed a small group of placard-bearing picketers congregating in the vicinity of the said location, just in front of the Masjid.
A perusal of the messages contained on the placards revealed that their protestations were directed at the PNC/R and its leader.
However, what bothered me most was the way in which supporters and members of the PNC/R alike reacted to the peaceful and constitutionally guaranteed actions of this 'concerned' group of Guyanese, as they titled themselves, and the lack of public denunciations from those who present themselves as pagans of virtue and the 'guards' of the constitution.
Does the PNC/R and its affiliates hold a monopoly on the right to protest?
This was the question that solely came to my mind as I witnessed the abuse hurled at this group of mostly Guyanese of African descent. Is there anything in the law or otherwise that prevents persons or groups from venting their disapproval of the actions of those at Congress Place who purport to represent a sizable portion of the Guyanese populace? It is surely not allowed internally; just ask Van West Charles, Winston Murray, Vincent Alexander and company!
In spite of all that I have described above, to this date I have not heard one single word of condemnation from those that are usually vociferous in their chanting of "the right to freedom of expression". Maybe they are a bit slow on this one or it is possible that they might not have been aware of the actions of the PNC/R activists on Friday, but it was carried on NCN's 6 O'Clock News and MTV News Update on Friday night as well as the Kaieteur News and Guyana Chronicle on Saturday 29th of August last, hence, their silence is mind-boggling!
A perusal of the messages contained on the placards revealed that their protestations were directed at the PNC/R and its leader.
However, what bothered me most was the way in which supporters and members of the PNC/R alike reacted to the peaceful and constitutionally guaranteed actions of this 'concerned' group of Guyanese, as they titled themselves, and the lack of public denunciations from those who present themselves as pagans of virtue and the 'guards' of the constitution.
Does the PNC/R and its affiliates hold a monopoly on the right to protest?
This was the question that solely came to my mind as I witnessed the abuse hurled at this group of mostly Guyanese of African descent. Is there anything in the law or otherwise that prevents persons or groups from venting their disapproval of the actions of those at Congress Place who purport to represent a sizable portion of the Guyanese populace? It is surely not allowed internally; just ask Van West Charles, Winston Murray, Vincent Alexander and company!
In spite of all that I have described above, to this date I have not heard one single word of condemnation from those that are usually vociferous in their chanting of "the right to freedom of expression". Maybe they are a bit slow on this one or it is possible that they might not have been aware of the actions of the PNC/R activists on Friday, but it was carried on NCN's 6 O'Clock News and MTV News Update on Friday night as well as the Kaieteur News and Guyana Chronicle on Saturday 29th of August last, hence, their silence is mind-boggling!
Hypocrisy abounds when so called "Concerned Guyanese " specifically the GHRA remains silent on the actions of the crime ridden PNC/R. GHRA is quick to condemn the actions of Government in cases like these but is silent when the very acts it accuse the Government of is perpetrated by other parties.
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