Politics in Police terror tatics?

THE EDITOR: A glaring example of the attitude of our police is the subdued manner in which the police dealt with the volatile situation in Port-of-Spain during the fire at the People’s Mall, and in the days soon after, compared to their behaviour towards the residents of Bamboo. In Port-of-Spain they practiced restraint while in Bamboo they displayed a ferocity born of ignorance. In Mohammedville, San Juan a family erected a tent for a wake at a home on a private street when they were intimidated by a jeep load of police officers who declared that they had to give two weeks notice to erect such a tent and block the private street.

Unfortunately the deceased relative did not give the family two weeks notice that she was going to the great beyond. Activist Inshan Ishmael, a man of courage and conviction, and the people of Bamboo were on the receiving end of this morality as they went about their legitimate protest for an improvement in the infrastructure in their community. Mr Ishmael himself was subjected to undeserved police brutality. Since when is it a crime to publicly protest for a sidewalk along a dangerous stretch of road where school children have to navigate at risk of life and limb? Was this fierce, brutal reaction by the police really called for? Was there a political element that influenced the terror tactics of the officers?

When East Indian communities are purposefully left to suffer neglect and as a last resort are forced to take to the roads, they will be confronted by the heavy, cruel hand of the law.  But we can all learn from the gusty, defiant Inshan Ishmael and the Bamboo residents who have set an example for the powerless and the forsaken who are challenged by the behaviour by the police. Admirably they have indicated they will not waver in this round and are determined to meet head on, this police morality that dictates all situations can be solved by bullying and violent language and actions.

SHIVANNA DIPNARINE,
VIDYA RAMSINGH
KAVITA RAMNARINESINGH,
ANNA LISA BASOO,
VISHANTI MAHABIR, KASSANDRA BELL for WARD
Women Against Racism and Dictatorship