This week a nation was shattered in the space of 24 hours, with the news first of the murder of Maline LaCruz, Waveney LaCruz and Sueann LaCruz, and then the abduction and death of eleven-year-old Adrianna Younge. We weep with their families, but this is not enough.
‘All are Involved, All are Consumed.” These lines from poet Martin Carter speak to how we collectively grieve in the face of such violence. But these lines also call us to stand up to such violence, to hold one head in our demands for justice. We all have a part to play.
A number of groups and individuals – including the women of Red Thread – have called for people to join others in front of the Commissioner of Police, Eve Leary Head Office today (Monday April 28), from 12 to 1 p.m. They also call everyone from across all regions to stand in front of police stations for one hour to demand justice for Adrianna Younge.
As Guyanese we have been here before. In January 2003, more than 130 women of all races, classes and ages met; in a press release, they identified as Women Against Violence Everywhere (WAVE), welcoming the support of men and noting: “We want to work on the causes of violence and the effects of violence. We will use the media and public demonstrations to fight against the growing numb- ness to violence, including our own. We will be present and active not only in Georgetown, but everywhere. We will be in touch with families who are victims of violence of all kinds, and will try to respond to their requests for support, both emotional and practical. Whatever capacity we lack now, we will build.” A short letter called for signatories “to express our collective horror at the violence in Guyana, and to register our solidarity with the women of Guyana who…are courageously taking a public stand against this madness. They do this in all our names. STOP ALL THE KILLINGS…..NOW!!” At the first vigil held in Georgetown on January 24, newspaper reports estimated some 400 people showed up.
Today, in memory of those just lost and the ongoing losses to violence, the diaspora column reprints the list of signatories to that 2003 letter, from Guyana, across the Caribbean, and in the diaspora. It includes artistes from Guyana and the Caribbean, like The Mighty Sparrow, Drupatee, 3 Canal, Alison Hinds, Rikki Jai, Machel Montano, Krosfyah, Terry Gajraj, Bunji Garlin. There are names of many no longer with us, like Black Stalin, Dave Martins of the Tradewinds. Some of you reading this column will see your names and remember that moment. Ask yourself: What does this moment demand of us all? The violence has not stopped. We are here again now.
For Adrianna Younge. For Maline LaCruz. For Waveney LaCruz. For Sueann LaCruz. For all those lost to violence. For families and communities forever shattered by loss. Say their names. Stand up for decency and justice. Demand answers and accountability. Do not be silent, and do not back down. All are involved. All are consumed.
2003 Signatories to a call to end violence in Guyana: 3 CANAL; Abbyssinian, Artist, New York; Abena Cummings; Adam Lynch; Adana Collins; Agnes Griffith; Aileen L. Fox; Aileen Thomasson; Alesia Ferguson; Aletha Wills; Alexis J; Alice Miller-Thomas; Alison Hinds, SQUARE ONE, Barbados; Alissa Trotz, University of Toronto; Aliyah Khan; Allana Persaud; Allison Butters-Grant; Allison Lindner; Alvina Rambarran; Amlata Persaud; Anastasia Persaud; Andre & Natalie Belmonte; Andrea B’Shaw; Andrea Delph; Andrew Ballantyne; Andy Ninvalle; Angela Osborne; Angie Rose; Ann Munroe; Ann O’Brien; Anthony Cummings; Anthony Persaud, Marketing Director ,World Financial Group; Anthony S Persaud and family; Antoinette Bacchus; Ariane Mangar; Arnold Itwaru; Arturo Tappin; Asafa George; Ashmid Ali; Association of Artists & Writers Inc. in New York; Aubrey Gonsalves; Aubrey Woon-A-Tai; Audrey Cyrus; Audrey Lilloo-Fraser; Audrey Bobb; Ayanna Kambui, Washington DC; Ayanna Wickham; Ayenni Dougan-McKenzie; Ayodele Browne; Azad Mohamed; Azad Shaheed; Azar Ali; Azar S. Ali; B. Prashad; Barbara Thomas-Holder; Basil Lucas; Bernard Heydorn; Bonnie Singh; Bernice Walmesley; Bert Haitsma; Beverly Conway; Bibi S. Sultan; Black Stalin, Calypsonian, Trinidad and Tobago; Bob Singh; Brad Tafa Hemmings; Brenan Finch; Brenda Chester DoHarris; Brian Meeks; Bridgit Antoinette Evans The Venus Project New York City; BUJU BANTON; BUNJI GARLIN; C. Wilson; Camille Correia; Camille McKenzie; Camille Willock; Candace Walcott-Shepherd, NJ; Candice Ramessar; Carl Hosannah Jr; Carmen Ann Subryan; Carmen Barclay Subryan; Carmen Outridge; Carole Fraser; Cary Fraser; Cassandra Perry; Cathryn Jackson; Cavelle Lynch; Cecelia Dolphin; Cecilia Green; Cecilia Rose, Geneva Switzerland; Centime Zeleke; Chandra Budhu; Chantalle Smith; Charlotte Williams Writer and Broadcaster, UK.; Cheryl Williams; Chico Khan, Boston, MA; Chris G. Aird; Claremont Kirton, University of the West Indies, Mona; Clement Gail; Clinton Ritchie; Colin Baird; Colin Cholmondeley, Mustard Seed Communities/ROOTS FMJamaica; Colleen Gonsalves; Cosbert, Winston; Cynetta Delisse Halls Freeman; Daiann Singh; Danesh Chowritmootoo; Danny Rampersaud; Daphne De Peana; Dave Martins, TRADEWINDS; David Hinds; David Mahesh, Capitol Engineers, PC; David Scott; Davina Stephenson; Dean M. Jackson; Debbie Singh; Debra Gibson- Welch; Denise DeCaires Narain; Denise Dias; Denise Holder; Denise Robinson; Denyse Bernard; Derrice Deane; Desa Calder; Desiree Gomes; Desrey Fox; Devendra Sahadeo; Devina Sharma; Dhanraj Bhagwandin; Diana Abraham; Dion R Allicock; Dominic Willock; Donna Brown, Guyanase, London; Double XPLOJUN, BARBADOS; Dr. Kimani Nehusi; DRUPATEE, Soca/Chutney singer, Trinidad and Tobago; Dwayne Hackett; E. Hopkinson; E. Ramdin – Toronto Canada; Ebenezer Oloyede; Ed Yhap, UG Guild of Graduates, Ontario; Edith Joan Payne; Elizabeth Gopaul; Emanuel Mendonca, President OBG, Toronto, Canada; Enakshi Dua; Eon Canzius; Erin Lane Schuck; Esther Roth-Dias; Ewart Thomas; F. Yvonne Jackson; Fahd Ahmed; Fareena Mahmood; Farida McDougall; Fedora Galasso; Ferrolisha Griffith; Feyi Rodway; Fianna Holder; Fiona Holder; Frances Shepherd; Francesca Pires; Frank Henry; Gary Girdhari, Editor, Guyana Journal; George Mentore; Gery Barry; Gilbert Campbell; Gina James; Gina Singh; Glenn Fraser; Godfrey Chin; Gordon Watson; Grace Aneiza Ali; Grace Nicholls, Poet, UK; Hannah Buck; Harold Drayton; Dr. Harold R. Persaud Radio/TV Talkshow Host; Harry Hergash, UG Guild of Graduates; Hemraj Muniram; Henry Ramnath; Hilbourne Watson; Hollis France; Honor Ford Smith; Horace Benjamin; Horace Campbell; Horace Henriques; Hubert C. Roberts; Hubert Devonish; Hugh Hartley; Imran Bacchus; Indira Anandjit; Ivor Ramroop; Iwer George, Soca singer, Trinidad and Tobago; Jacqueline Massiah; Jai Parsram; Jan Lo Shinebourne; Jean Forbes; Jean Sankies; Jeanette Singh, UG Guild of Graduates, Ontario; Jennifer M. Stewart-Page; Jennifer Roman, Antigua; Jennifer Singh; Jerry King; Jewel Whinfield; Joan Anne Jordan; Joan McCloggan; Joan T. Seymour; Joan-Ann Gravesande; Joanna Helen Campbell; Johann Trotz Singh; John Agard, Poet, UK; John Rickford; John Slingshot DrePaul (calypsonian); Jonelle Reynolds; Joseph B. Collins; Joseph Sealey; Joy A Noble; Joyce Ramsubick; Juanita De Barros; Judith McLean; Judy Butters; Juliet Tucker Chalmers; June Bobb; June Gibson; K. Zaman Ali; K.K. Bhagwandin; Kafi Gordon; Kafi Langevine Payne, Oakland, CA; Kamal Singh-Matthews, Artist, UK; Kamala Kempadoo; Kamau Bobb; Kampta Karran; Karen Abrams; Karen Alexander; Karen Jardim; Karen Sutherland; Karen Wharton; Kathleen Drayton; Kathleen Gittens; Keith Corsbie; Keith Moses Toronto Canada; Keith Thom; Keith Waithe, Musician, UK; Kerry Rittich; Kevin “Ital-K’ Smith of WLRN Radio + Afiwi.com, Miami; Kevin Yelvington; Kim Cook; Kiran Mirchandani; Kiroon N Singh (Faye); Krishna Madan, Maui Hawaii; Kristina Balram; KROSFYAH, Barbados; Kumar Tiwari; Lance Thomas; Learie Bain; Lee Shepherd; Leila Parris; Leon Christian, Atlanta; Leon Ramessar; Leslie Camacho; Leslie Nedd; Linda Peake; Linden F. Lewis; Lindsay Davidson; Linzi Manicom; Lisa B. Thompson; Lisa Shadir; Lloyd Conway; Lourdeth Ferguson; L’roi Jones; Lucretia John; Lynda Bonnett; Lynette Gibson; Machel Montano, Soca singer, Trinidad and Tobago; Maggie Kosmoll Mew; Mahesh Kissoon; Makeda Burton; Malaika Cummings; Malaika Scott; Malcolm Cho-Kee, Chairman of United Guyanese Organization; Malcolm Robinson; Marc C. Arthur; Marc Matthews, Poet/Storyteller, UK; Marcia Bumbury; Marcia Gomes; Marcia Shury, Italy; Margaret Kosmoll; Margot Vigilance; Marieann Harvey; Marie Brandon, Australia; Marie Correia Marissa Williams; Marilyn Baird; Mark Jacobs; Mark McWatt; Mark S. Weekes; Martin Jaundoo; Maurice L. Linton; Maximus Dan; Maxine Moore – London, England; Maya Trotz, Stanford University; May-Lou Prince; McDougall, Farida; Megan Grant-Gravesande; Melanie Newton; Melissa Pollard; Melissa Yearwood; Michael Ashley; Michael Bobb; Michael Earl Lambert; Michelle Bolin; Michelle DeAbreu, Maryland; Michelle Singh; Michelle Small; Mlilwana Osanku; Militant; Mrs. M. M. Khan; Mohan Lall; Monetta Edwards; Moonsammy Raymond; Myrtle Richards; N. Ally, UG Guild of Graduates, Ontario; Nadira Persaud; Nalini Mayroo; Nalini Seenauth; NAN SINGH; Nancy Rickford; Naresh Gurpersaud; Narindra Dat; Natalie Nesbith; Natalie Samuels Myers; Natasha Moonsammy; Nekoda Clarke; Nesha Cole; Nesha Z. Haniff; Neville & Dawn Patrick; Neville George; Neville Munroe; Nicole Barnwell; Nicole Moore-Clarke, Barbados; Nigel Bolland; Nigel Westmaas; O. Pindling, VISAGE BAND, Bahamas; Olga Hinds; Orin Greene; Orin King; Orissa Karshi Samaroo; Pamela Chase; Pamela Ramdial; Patricia Kempadoo; Patricia London,; Patricia Rodney; Patricia Sheerattan-Bisnauth; Patsy Lewis; Paul Buhle; Paula Holmes; Paula Jackman-Duncan; N.Y; Paula Jordon Noble; Pauline Melville, Novelist, UK; Pearlie Wood; Pedro Noguera; Peggy Antrobus; Penny Defreitas; Percy Hintzen; Perry Mars; Pet Hope; Philip Richards; Rachel Hazel; Rae Vanderhyden; Raj Persaud; RAJA-Soca Chutney Singer of Guyana; Rajindra Sankarpersaud; Rakesh Rampertab; Randolph B. Persaud; Rannie Whyte; Rasheeda Forbes-Riley; Raul Christopher Seecharran; Ravi Jaundoo, Web Developer, Graphic Designer; Ravi Somar; Raymond King; Raza Ally; RED RAT, Reggae Artist, Jamaica; Rhoda Reddock; Richard Bhola; Richard Drayton ; Ricky Rampertab; Rikki Jai, Calypsonian, Trinidad and Tobago; Rishee S. Thakur; ROBERT GRAHAM; Robert S.Drepaul, The Association of Guyanese Overseas(AGOS); Roberta Parris; Robin Hazel; Rochelle Clarke; Rocky Fraser; Rohan Sooklall; Rohilda Goodluck; Rohit Coonjah, Engineer, Guyana; Roianne Nedd-Waldron; Rolston Osborne; Ron Bobb-Semple; Ronette Carr; Rosalind Hintzen Baptiste; Roshini Kempadoo; Roslyn Baichoo; Roy Sears; Rozanna Ali Beaumont; RUPEE, Soca singer, Barbados; Rupert Lewis; Ruth White; Ruth-Anne Lynch; SALIMA HATIM; Salina Allie; Sally Bacchus; Samuel Legay LL.B; Samuel Walker; Sandhya Jokhu; Sandra Parris; Sanjhevi Kempadoo; Sara Abraham; Sarah Wilkinson-Eytle; Sarita Khan; Sattie Bulkan; Roy Sears ; Selwyn Seyfu Hinds/New York City/author; Shamita Singh; Sharmila Sadik; Sharon and Jacqueline Brusch; Shelly Ann Anthony USA; Sherene McDougall; Shirley Cameron; Shivani Jagmohan; Shiyama Rickford; Shurmine Smith; Simone Gill; Simone Holden; Sister Hazel Campayne; Sonia Rosen; Sophia Gallina; Sravasti Persaud; St Elmo Hughes; Stacey Payne; Stacey Phillips; Stella Otto Beard; Stephanie M. Huelster; Steve Semple; Storm P. Jackson; Surya Rambarran; Taharimoon Ali, UG Guild of Graduates; Tahseen Nasir; Tameca Sukhdeo; Tarique I. Nageer; Taryn De Mendonca; Tavis Jules; Terence Roopnaraine; Terrence Richard Blackman; Terry Gajraj Soca/Chutney artist CT USA; THE MIGHTY SPARROW; Toni Wilson; Tony Farnum; Tony Phillips, Painter, Australia; Trevor Karran; Uso Fraser; Vaidwattie Naraine; Valerie Glasgow; Valerie Mahadeo; Vandre Fonseca; Vanessa Baliram; Venus Tahal; Vera Moore; Vibert Cambridge; Victor Moses; Vidushi Persaud; Vidya Jaisaree; Vince Ramcharran; Vivette Glen Lewis; Vonetta Edwards; Vonna Lou Caleb Drayton; Walter F. Edwards; Wayne Motayne; Wézon, St Lucia; William (Bill) Moore; Winston Cosbert; Yeon Adams; Zainul Bacchus, UG Guild of Graduates, Ontario; Zennie Jardine
