Friday was not a good day for democracy in Trinidad and Tobago. Citizens exercising their democratic right to protest were hounded and intimidated by police who beat some protesters with batons; they arrested prominent trade union David Abdullah.
According to media reports "women were pushed by heavily armed policemen and batons were swung and struck several of their male comrades".
It was a small protest - just about 100 people - and there was no need for such high-handed police action.
Even the acting police commissioner admitted that his officers may have used too much force. But James Philbert is content to say only that he would review the video of what happened.
Government House Leader Colm Imbert called it a politically motivated protest, as if those who oppose his government are lesser citizens and should not enjoy freedom of speech and equality before the law.
"I don’t think there was anybody there who was not a politician or an aspiring politician, or was not involved in political activity in one form or the other," he was quoted as saying.
He didn't challenge the right to protest but he also suggested that the demonstrators might have contributed to bringing on the police action. "If it had just been a quiet protest, I don’t think there would have been any issues at all," local media quoted him as saying.
Nonsense. People have a right to protest and to do it so their voices can be heard.
The fact is police acted forcefully to put down a legitimate and peaceful protest by citizens. Imbert's assertion that it was politically motivated makes it even more disturbing.
It's a blemish on our democracy but it is in line with the Manning regime's attitude to dissent, especially from those who oppose the government.
Imbert used the same "politically motivated" term to denounce and malign lawyers earlier in the year when he dismissed their non-confidence vote in Attorney General John Jeremie.
If liberty and equality are essential components of a democracy, then Imbert needs to understand that they will be best attained when everyone - not just the government - can have an opinion even when it is in contrary to the ones held by those who control the state.
No government in a democracy has the right to suppress dissent through intimidation and police brutality.
There were shades of the 1970's in Friday's action against innocent civilians whose only crime was they didn't agree with a legislative measure and wanted their voices to be heard on the issue of an unpopular property tax.
What is most disturbing is that intimidation of citizens and the assault on freedom of expression seem to be a part of the Manning regime's policy of dealing with dissent.
Manning went directly to a radio station earlier this year to demand action against two broadcasters who were critical of his government's budget. And he has been talking about licensing the media.
Trinidad and Tobago is still a democracy. Citizens have a constitutional right to protest and to have the protection of the police when they do so.
That is not what happened on Friday.
And that is why citizens must stand up and fight to save their precious freedom. If we are not vigilant, we'll lose our freedom.
We need to read our history. Right next door Eric Gairy tolerated no opposition dissent and his Mongoose Gang made sure that those who disagreed with his government's policies were beaten into submission; some of them disappeared.
We have not reached there yet, but we are seeing steps in that direction. This is the sign of dictatorship. And no one who values freedom must allow it to happen.
Police have a sworn duty to protect and serve everyone equally. During a state of emergency they get extraordinary powers but there was no emergency on Friday and no justification for the provocation.
What happened was a clear example of a government that is out of control and a police hierarchy, taking its cue from the state, intent on keeping the public in line.
We agree with former Prime Minister Basdeo Panday, other opposition politicians and civil activists, that Friday was a sad day for democracy and "an overwhelming wake-up call for the public."
No democratic government has the right to take away freedom or to suppress public opinion.
A nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open marketplace of ideas is a nation that is afraid of its people.
We trust that those who care enough about the state of the nation, including the media, would see this incident as clear evidence that they need to stand up to the Manning regime and shout it to all who can hear, "we aint taking it no more."
1 comment:
Whilst the Police with brute force oppress citizens outside the Parliament, inside the Parliament, Ministers were laughing and asking how much was there outside, twelve??? (Le Gendre).
The minister of Finance indicated that most people are in support of the property tax, this according to PNM constituency meetings, (well that says it all). But let’s assume this is true and considering what happened outside the Parliament on Friday, it means that there are those who support the tax and ...then there are those who are beaten into submission.
This Govnt would do anything to carryout it's "mandate" (which by the way has nothing to do with improving our lives. But there are a blind few that continue to defend this "evidently corrupt" regime, they ask "who we go put" but knew exactly who to put when the UNC squandered our resources, other say the PNM is the lesser of the evils, may god (if he exist) help us. There is a slogan "PNM til ah dead" well hear mine "anti-PNM about to dead"
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