Rastafari Movement wants apologies from Lewis, Gajraj
The Rastafari Movement of Guyana is calling on the Minister of Home Affairs, Ronald Gajraj, to make an apology to the movement for reporting to the widow of Mohammed Shafeek that "two Rastas" had caused the man's death in the Brickdam lock-ups. At a press conference held by the movement at the African Cultural and Development Association (ACDA), one of the group's spokespersons, Ronald Waddell, also called on Commissioner of Police, Laurie Lewis, to make an apology to the movement as he was the one who reportedly told the minister that "two Rastas" had caused the man's death. The group is also supporting the public outcry for an inquiry to be held into the death of Shafeek. Shafeek of Canal Number One, West Bank Demerara died in the Brickdam lock-ups on the weekend of September 2. The police had stated that the man was arrested at the Wieting and Richter wharf early that Saturday morning. There have been several explanations as to how the man might have died, one of them being that he was beaten by two Rastas in the lock-ups and another that the crew of a Venezuelan boat, Donna Maria, had "restricted" him in some measure. The latter story was told by Lewis at a press conference. At that same press conference Lewis had recalled that initial police reports had concluded that two men of the Rastafarian religion had beaten Shafeek and had said he was prepared to apologise to any group that felt offended by such remarks. He had said he respected the beliefs and lifestyles of others as long as they conformed with the laws of Guyana. Waddell said his movement, which has a membership of some 7,000 persons, was disappointed and appalled that a senior minister in the government could make a statement deriding an entire group in the country. He said that he was even more disturbed that the minister made the statement before he had any factual information on hand. According to Waddell, Section 149(B) 1 and 2 of the Constitution of Guyana prohibits Minister Gajraj and Lewis from making discriminatory statements about any group. He stated that the movement was the only religion that was publicly slandered by various persons. He said the movement did not intend to allow the issue to rest and was calling on President Bharrat Jagdeo to instruct the commissioner and the minister to apologise. It was stated that the movement had written a letter to Gajraj demanding an apology but had received no reply. The movement contended that the issue was one that touched the very root of democracy in the country. It is also calling on the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) to make a statement on the issue. And Ras Cali and Aaron Blackman of the movement are questioning the methods used to recruit members of the Guyana Police Force. They claim that the majority of the new recruits were not qualified in anyway and that was one of the causes of the increased reports of alleged police brutality. They called on the government to have young policemen trained.
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