The mining
community of
Bartica was transformed into a virtual
slaughter house last night, after scores of heavily-armed
gunmen launched a brazen 60 minute attack
in the heart of the community, killing 12 people,
including three policemen and wounding five other
people.
Eyewitnesses said that two of the policemen were
slaughtered while huddling in cupboards after the gunmen
stormed the station.
The third was gunned down outside the station.
Mark
Benschop Spreading-goodwill-Mark
Regional Chairman Holbert Knights also confirmed that
five civilians were placed to lie facedown on the
Transport and Harbour Stelling, located at First Avenue,
Bartica, and then shot in their heads.
SHOCKED:
Hundreds of Barticians converge at the river side
yesterday to view the dead bodies as they are
transported from the area into a boat.
Guyana
Chronicle
Those confirmed dead are Lance Corporal Zakhir, two
other ranks identified only as Fredericks and Osbourne;
Ervin Perreira, a 72-year-old security guard employed at
CB&R Mining Enterprise in First Avenue, Edwin Gilkes.
The wounded include a Constable Campbell.
At press time, efforts were being made to transport the
injured to Georgetown.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing the gunmen, numbering about
20, and brandishing assault rifles, driving through the
streets in a police vehicle that they had taken from the
station, and shooting wildly at civilians.
Regional Chairman Holbert Knights also confirmed that
the gang eventually escaped, reportedly by boat, with
arms and ammunition that they had taken from the station
after storming the building.
There are also reports that the gunmen also carted off a
safe containing a large quantity
of gold that they had taken from a First
Avenue jewellery store.
Eyewitnesses said that the surprise attack began at
around 22:00 hrs, when the gunmen came ashore by boat
near the Transport and Harbour wharf.
Reports said that on landing, the gang pounced on five
labourers who were loading a Banks DIH vessel.
From all reports, the victims were ordered to lie on the
wharf and then shot in their heads.
The gunmen then moved on to the Bartica Police Station,
which is also located in First Avenue.
After shooting one of the ranks who was outside, the
gunmen then ran into the building, reportedly mowing
down the two terrified ranks who had hidden in
cupboards. Kaieteur News understands that five ranks
were in the station at the time and about eight more
were in their barrack-rooms.
Kaieteur News was told that Constable Campbell was shot
in the side but managed to conceal himself in the
station until the gunmen left.
According to reports, the gang then removed several
firearms as well as ammunition from the station. At the
time, the station was equipped with shotguns, rifles and
handguns, a source said. After leaving the station, some
of the gunmen then boarded a police van that was in the
compound.
They then drove out of the compound and began driving
brazenly down First Avenue, shooting at buildings and
passersby.
“Imagine, the bandits just collect a police vehicle
and driving through the streets and shooting,” one
resident said.
Meanwhile, some of the other gunmen barged into the
CB&R Mining Enterprise, located on First Avenue,
where 72-year-old security guard Ervin Perreira was on
duty.
According to reports, Perreira was placed in a freezer
and shot dead. The owner of the company, C. Baboolall,
confirmed that the gunmen also carted off a safe
containing a large quantity of gold. One police rank
said that he was just about to go to the station when he
heard heavy gunfire.
Shortly afterwards, he saw a police vehicle heading
towards him. He assumed that the men were police ranks
and was about to go to the vehicle when some residents
shouted that the gunmen were in the vehicle.
He immediately hid until the gunfire had subsided.
Eventually, an eyewitness said that he saw the police
vehicle head towards the stelling. Several men then
jumped out of the vehicle, leaving the engine running.
They then entered a boat.
The resident said that he picked up an injured civilian
and drove the vehicle to the Bartica Hospital.
Many of the residents said that they huddled in their
homes during the approximately one-hour siege. One woman
recalled eventually venturing out of her house and
seeing several bodies strewn on the ground.
“There were just bodies (everywhere). I saw five
bodies at the stelling, a policeman dead by the gate,
and a taxi driver dead in his car.”
At around 02:00 hrs, five of the injured were brought by
plane to the Ogle Aerodrome, before being admitted to
the Georgetown Hospital.
The Joint
Services has
since launched an air, sea and land operation in
response to the attack at Bartica.
A high level team of government officials was preparing
to leave Georgetown early this morning for the
community.
Monday,
February 18, 2008
