GOPIO HOLDS RALLY AT THE UN TO PROTEST VIOLATION OF RULE OF LAW IN TRINIDAD
A large sized, tumultuous and vocal crowd gathered on July 31, 2006 in front of the United Nations in New York at a GOPIO initiated rally to protest the actions of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago against the independence of the judiciary, the process of constitutional law, and the violation of human rights in Trinidad and Tobago. The crowd was comprised of people from the Caribbean residing in the USA and Canada as well as from Trinidad and Tobago who came to participate in the rally.
The purpose was to condemn the undemocratic actions of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago relating to the government’s pursuit to arrest or force the resignation of Chief Justice Satnarine Sharma, and to demand the United Nations and other international agencies to seek remedy of the situation. The protest rally was initiated and arranged by GOPIO International (GOPIO), and co-sponsored by the local GOPIO New York Chapter (GOPIO-NY), the Queens Caribbean Bar Association (QCBA), Trinidad & Tobago Civil Rights Association (TTCRA), the Indo-Caribbean Council (ICC) and several other local, regional and global organizations.
It was an exhilarating crowd of protesters in front of a large banner captioned “PROTEST AGAINST VIOLATION OF RULE OF LAW IN TRINIDAD”, and they were very vocal with their demands for "JUSTICE", "RULE OF LAW", "DEMOCRACY", "JUDICIAL PROCESS", "HUMAN RIGHTS". The crowd demanded prompt actions to correct the present threats to stability in Trinidad and Tobago that would have implications in the Caribbean region as well as globally, if left unchecked. The protesters had placards condemning what they consider the undemocratic actions of the government. They repeated their demands calling for the restoration of democratic rule and independence of the judiciary. They also had a coffin that bore the sign "RAPE OF DEMOCRACY".
The demonstration started with welcome by GOPIO-New York President Lal Motwani, who urged everyone to stand together in pursuit of justice. GOPIO Secretary General and the protest rally initiator and organizer Ashook Ramsaran stated in his opening statement that “the rule of law is the cornerstone to any democracy and a progressive society. The United Nation Charter on Human Rights guarantees due process and the UN must bring pressure to bear on the government to respect the rule of law and the constitution".
An array of notable speakers included GOPIO Chairman Dr Thomas Abraham who reminded the crowd that GOPIO has been on the forefront in speaking out against violations of human rights against people of Indian origin (PIOs). Dr. Abraham referred to the historic 2000 Zurich GOPIO resolution which states, “When any person of Indian origin is abused, attacked or discriminated against in any part of the world because of his or her ethnicity, all persons of Indian origin around the world will deem such an act or action directed against all of them and will stand together in the pursuit of justice.” Dr. Abraham continued that “we at GOPIO are vigilant on behalf of all Indians in the Diaspora and we take up the issue when their interests are at stake”.
A very dynamic and compelling speech was delivered by Ramesh L. Maharaj, Chairman of the Trinidad & Tobago Civil Rights Association (TTCRA). The former Attorney General of Trinidad & Tobago told the audience the crowd that his mission “in accepting an invitation to attend the rally as President of the Trinidad and Tobago Civil Rights Association was to make the international community more aware of the serious breaches of the rule of law in T&T especially as it relates to the violation of the constitution in removing the CJ from office”. Maharaj charged that the government violated High Court and Privy Council orders on the Chief Justice issue. He said whenever "a government disobeys orders of the High Court and interferes with the independence of the justice system, the government is no longer a democratic government. Dictatorship and tyranny then become the order of the day".
Maharaj said he regards "T&T as a dictatorship and a police state under the guise of constitutionalism". He continued, "the government's handling of the Chief Justice issue has fully established the dictatorship of the government because the government has openly decided not to follow the constitution of the country and to openly defy the orders of the Supreme Court". Maharaj stated that when law ends tyranny begins and "that is the position of T&T which makes the enjoyment of individual rights and freedoms not guaranteed". He said "the treatment of the CJ gives the perception that an individual cannot get independent justice from the courts. The judges have been terrorized by the government's action in the Chief Justice issue. It sends a signal to them that the government can use the coercive powers of the state to effectively remove them from office without the government following the procedures established by the constitution for their removal". Maharaj called upon the Caribbean people to wake up and stand up for democracy in T&T. Maharaj said "this rally is the first of a series of international exposure which will be repeated in Trinidad and elsewhere”.
Attorney-at-Law Kawal Totaram, Chairman of the Queens Caribbean Bar Association (QCBA), gave his “full support to this rally to bring about the rule of law in Trinidad and Tobago”. Attorney-at-Law Albert Baldeo followed with his encouragement for continued “rally for the observance of the judicial process”. Dr Parveen Chopra, Commissioner of Nassau County Human Rights Department, re-iterated his “concern about the abuse of the rule and the violation of human rights that bode ill for the democratic process”. Dr. Chopra voiced his support “all civil measures to seek remedy of the current situation in TnT as a necessary action to be taken by the government”.
Dr. Ashford Maharaj insisted on “the respect for and observance of the judicial process that must be maintained for TnT”. He informed the crowd to “sign the petition to be sent the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and Amb. Luis Alfonso de Alba, President of the UN Human Rights Council”. Guyanese East Indian Civic Association director Prakash Singh reminded the crowd “of their obligations to be supportive of efforts such as this protest rally that defend your rights”.
Linda Guillebeaux of FREE MUMIA COALITION was very emphatic in her appeal for “rule of law, democracy, human rights and respect for the judiciary. We are all in this struggle together and we give strength for this common cause”. ICC Secretary Roop Narayan Prasad expressed his “appreciation for GOPIO's efforts to bring this issue to the forefront and to bring more awareness for the world to know” Other speakers included Rev. Seopaul Singh and Pt. Upadhaya. Ramesh Kalicharran of ICC and a founding GOPIO life member, reminded everyone of the “worthy cause we are defending here today as the struggle continues for rule of law and democracy in Trinidad and elsewhere”.
In closing, GOPIO Secretary General Ashook Ramsaran repeated “the unprecedented actions by the Government to thwart the judicial process” and the need to continue to raise our voices in protest. Ramsaran expressed thanks “for all the sponsors, supporters and all those who worked so hard and so diligently to make this event a success”.
The rally planners further say that a formal report on the abuse of law in Trinidad and a petition will be filed with the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, the Secretary General of the U.N, and the Commissioner of the International Commission of Jurists.
Attached Photos:
Photo 2 – Ramesh Maharaj with demonstrators.
Photo 3 – Another view of the protest rally.
Photo 4 – A New York African American community activist Linda Guillebeaux speaks at the rally.
