by Wendella Davidson, Calvin Marshall and Amanda Wilson
Guyana Chronicle
June 6, 2001

ALBION Village on the Corentyne remained tense up to late yesterday afternoon as angry residents continued the demonstrations which turned ugly the previous day when one man was fatally shot and three others wounded. A magistrate was abused, assaulted and his car set alight and attempts were made to burn down the Police Station.

Police confirmed that Mohammed Shamshudeen, 43 of Albion High Reef, who was wounded during a confrontation between the Police at Albion and protestors when the latter group attempted to torch the Station, died Monday night.

Throughout yesterday residents maintained the protest, starting from about 09:00 hrs with a group of 500, and which by mid-morning grew to 2,500.

Chronicle staffers who were in the Albion area up to late yesterday afternoon reported that residents kept the Police and firemen busy, as they continued to light fires, block the roadway and pelt the Police with bottle bombs.

Earlier, the demonstration was focused mostly on and around the main road in the vicinity of the Police Station, but by afternoon it had spread further down the village.

Both men and women who were involved claimed that the protest action was neither racial or political, but it was because they felt that they were being neglected, and their concerns not being addressed.

As a result they called for the removal of Commissioner of Police, Laurie Lewis and the replacement of the entire ranks at the Albion Police Station, whom the residents alleged are taking bribes.

The residents claimed that they had made several complaints to Police in the area, in relation to criminal activities, and charged that the Police don't care.

"They (Police) always reach very late when called, but are prompt to harass innocent persons," they alleged.

Police Commissioner Lewis last night told the Evening News, Channel 28, newscast that he was responding to the concerns raised by the residents and investigations were underway.

Lewis appealed for a return to normalcy and urged residents to return home while the investigations continue into the complaints.

Commander `B' Division, Assistant Commissioner Paul Slowe when reached earlier in the day had described the situation as tense.

He said that at about 09:00 hrs a group of about 500 protestors gathered on the Albion Public Road and marched to the Port Mourant Hospital.

On their return they were joined by more persons and by the time the procession reached Albion the crowd was estimated at about 2,500.

They converged east outside of the Albion Police Station from where they continued to voice their concerns.

Commander Slowe later in the afternoon, reported that the Police had the situation under control, adding that security in the area had been significantly beefed-up.

However, despite the increased Police presence some protestors continued to keep them busy as they periodically blocked the roadway and lit fires.

The Divisional Commander said the dead man was identified as Shamshudeen Mohammed also called `Spoon', while the three wounded persons were treated at the Port Mourant Hospital and sent away.

Mohammed reportedly met his death when the Police were forced to shoot after the crowd stoned the Police Station and attempted to burn the building down by hurling `Molotov cocktails' or bottle bombs at the structure.

The Police were, however, able to douse the flames but three scorched areas on the building remain as evidence of the attempts.

The entire Police compound is said to be strewn with bricks and almost all of the windows have been broken.

A Police release stated that during the demonstrations on Monday, a section of the crowd entered the station and demanded the release of a motorist who was in custody.

It said that a Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) lorry was attacked and robbed of several cases of aerated drinks by a group of about "30 East Indian and African males".

Also, several vehicles were prevented from having free access to the Albion public road, in the vicinity of the Police Station, and that a passenger of a minibus was assaulted when the angry protestors stopped the bus.

Detective Corporal Mc Allister was assaulted as he kept duty outside the Police Station.

The protestors unlawfully removed a lamp pole from inside a Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Company motor lorry and used it to block the roadway just outside the Police Station.

They also used a trailer to block both the eastern and western ends of the Corentyne Highway.

Slowe said an investigation has already been launched into the entire incident including the torching of Magistrate Persaud's car.

An eyewitness to the incident in which Magistrate Persaud's car was set alight, said the Magistrate was on his way to New Amsterdam but was forced to stop when he reached Albion due to the demonstrations and the setting-up of road blocks by the protestors.

According to the eyewitness, the protestors mobbed the Magistrate, verbally abused him, and while some banged on his car others forcibly removed the windscreen wipers and rear view mirrors.

And, as he left the car heading for the Police station to seek protection, some members of the crowd pelted him with objects, one of which hit him behind his head.

The mob then turned their attention to the car which they pushed into a nearby trench.

The eyewitness said Magistrate Persaud returned to the scene at about 18:30 hrs in an attempt to retrieve his vehicle, but was forced to leave after he was again manhandled by the crowd.

Later, when Minister of Home Affairs, Ronald Gajraj attempted to speak to the protesters, he too was pelted with stones. When the Police sought to protect him they (protestors) hurled bottle bombs at the Police Station.

It was at this point that the crowd set Magistrate Persaud's car afire, the source said.

A report from the Chronicle correspondent said that a 16:30 hrs meeting was scheduled for Monday at the Albion Sports Complex for Minister Gajraj to address the residents on issues affecting the community, including an upsurge of criminal activities in the area and the lack of Police protection.

A small crowd which was outside the venue by then grew larger within the hour, and had made their way into the building when some of the residents, males, apparently under the influence of alcohol demanded that the meeting be kept on the roadway.

An unsuspecting Minister Gajraj acceded to the request and proceeded to the road where a huge crowd over-spilled the roadway some loudly chanting "we want guns", and refused to listen to the Minister.

They intensified their abuse towards the Minister and maintained roadblocks which they set up throughout the entire day along the Albion road, from the bridge near the Police Station to a street leading to the Albion Sports Complex.

As a result of the roadblocks, vehicles could not travel to neither New Amsterdam or the Corentyne, and commuters were forced to disembark from vehicles and walk to the end of Albion, to join other vehicles to continue their journey.

Meanwhile, Magistrate Persaud in an invited comment expressed his hurt over the burning of his car, claiming he "has not done the people (protesters) anything."

He said he was aware that the community had a problem with the Police but felt that he would have been allowed to pass, since he felt he did not have a problem with them.

The Magistrate was however stunned when the protestors began abusing him saying, Magistrates are taking bribes, and are dismissing too many criminal cases.

What Magistrate Persaud said caused him more pain is the fact that he served in the said Albion district as an acting Magistrate some ten years ago.

Remarking, "I am not the serving Magistrate of the district at the moment," Magistrate Persaud said the protestors have also been accusing the Magistrates, saying they too must be blamed.

He said while he had nothing against the people as they have a right to demonstrate if they feel their concerns are not addressed, he is thoroughly against the method being used to do so.

According to him, from the development it is obvious that the Police need to adopt a more personal approach in the way they handle such situations, as well as treat people properly.

There is also a need for the Police to do some brainstorming sessions in an effort to foster better relations between them and the public.

The Magistrate, who claimed that he is also a businessman, said the burning of his vehicle will greatly inconvenience him, as he is now left with no transportation to go to work or carry out his personal business.

Albion residents stung by teargas RESIDENTS in Albion on the Corentyne Coast, especially children, yesterday suffered eye and skin irritation as cops repeatedly fired teargas into yards and along the main road during yesterday's stand-off between Police and protestors.

Villagers said cops recklessly hurled teargas cannisters and even fired shots at them as they were protesting in the vicinity of the Albion Police Station.

One woman, who lives a few houses away from the Police Station said she had to take her two children to stay by relatives because of the fumes.

When this newspaper visited the area yesterday afternoon, residents were seen running for cover as ranks fired teargas into the crowd and yards located along the Albion main road.

Firemen, who were at the scene extinguishing fires lit by protestors on the roadway, were forced to run for cover.

"All they doing is firing teargas. They not even looking to see if the children are there or the elderly. These Police taking advantage of we. Innocent people getting hurt. We have a right to protest if something not going right", one man said.

Residents are appealing to the relevant authorities to look into the misuse of teargas. Over the weekend, they have been protesting against the manner in which crimes in that area are handled by the Police. (Amanda Wilson)