TT remembers failed 1990 coup, but uprising leader unrepentant

A.N.R. Robinson lays a wreath to mark the July 27, 1990 attempted coup against his NAR government. Inset: coup leader Yasen Abu Bakr surrenders

Arthur N.R.Robinson laid a wreath at the eternal flame at the Red House in Port of Spain Sunday to mark the 18th anniversary of a violent uprising that almost toppled his government. Notably absent from the proceedings were Prime Minister Patrick Manning and Opposition leader Basdeo Panday.

The event was marked by more calls for a Commission of Enquiry into the events that led to the Jamaat al-Muslimeen seizing the Parliament and taking Robinson hostage while other members of his group took control of the national television station and announced that they had toppled the government.

Diego Martin MP Leo Des Vignes and 29 others were killed during the insurrection. Robinson had called on the army and police to attack with "full force", and was shot in his leg. The rebels also burned down the police headquarters in Port of Spain.

Reflecting on the failed uprising, Robinson said, “People should have recognized the stupidity of it by now, that it achieves nothing for anybody.”

He added, “If it had succeeded it would have been disastrous for everybody and the nation as a whole.”

The former prime minister who later became president said after 18 years the greatest need is for citizens of Trinidad and Tobago “to understand what it means to be a nation in an international community.”

Just opposite from where the event was being held, hostage survivor of the attempted coup and executive member of the National Alliance for Reconstruction, Wendell Eversley, staged a one-man silent protest.

"I am fighting for justice for the people of Trinidad and Tobago. There must be a commission of enquiry. The truth must be told," said Eversley.

He was there from six in the morning and moved only to lay a wreath.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives noted the poor attendance at the solemn event. Barry Sinanan drew loud applause when he remarked, "People need to be more aware of the significance of this event."

Journalist Dennis McComie, who worked at what was then Radio 610, called for closure to 'this dark period' of the country's history. And like so many others said an enquiry is long overdue.

"I would welcome that investigation into the events proceeding July 27, 1990, that has been called for so many times, a call which has been studiously ignored by each government that has held reigns of power over the past 18 years," he said.

He said there must be a professionally managed effort to gather and document all the data relevant to the attempted coup. The nation, he said, has a responsibility to ensure that July 27, 1990 does not repeat itself.

"May we understand that in order to ensure that it does not recur-as current endemic and murderous violence seems to have all but taken over our society-we cannot and must not relapse into the wilful ignorance that pre-dated July 27,1990," he said.

The man who led the uprising, Yasin Abu Bakr, has refused to apologize to the country for the events of July 27, 1990.

Speaking on I95.5 radio, Bakr said, “I am sorry about the citizenry.” But he made it clear that he was not apologizing for the deaths and widespread destruction of Port-of-Spain.

“If I do that I would be telling the citizens they don’t have the right to defend themselves,” Bakr explained.

Would he do it again?

“There is a different way to do things, you have learnt from your mistakes. We made a few errors, but for security reasons, I won’t divulge that."

Read a New York Times report on the TT uprising