An interesting read, asking questions that have never been answered in
one of the quietest and perhaps most forgotten coups in our
hemisphere.
" ITS TIME TO FACE IT.
By Peter OConnor, for
publication Sunday 26th July 2009.
Tomorrow, July 27th 2009, marks nineteen years since the murderous
attack upon our sitting Parliament and our television and radio
stations, and the bombing and burning of Police Headquarters. All of
us, except the very young, have a reasonable knowledge of what
occurred on the surface that day, and during the following days,
when our government and media were kept hostage, under terrifying and
inhuman conditions.
During that time we knew that our city was burning and was looted. We
knew that discussions were ongoing regarding the demands being made by
the terrorist leader Abu Bakr. But we had no idea of the course this
discussion was taking, nor who was representing Us in the talks. We
had no idea what had caused the Muslimeen to take up arms, and invade
Parliament and TTT and Radio Trinidad. We only knew that it had
happened, and that Trinidad and Tobago seemed to be in the hands of a
terrorist group, holding hostages, and threatening to blow them
upclaiming that the hostages had been wired with explosives.
To this day, nineteen years later, we still do not know anything. All
that happened during those dark and dreadful daysat least twenty
seven persons were murdered, including Parliamentarian Leo Des Vignes
remains secret. We know nothing of how or why the Muslimeen planned
and mounted these attacks. We know nothing of who rallied forces to
heroically save our country. And the forces which rallied to our
rescue were the Army, the Police, the Fire Services, workers of T&TEC,
WASA and TELCO, and of course, the members of Government who were not
held hostage, along with lawyers and private citizens, who stood by
their country to end the crisis, and bring all of the hostages home
alive.
In those our darkest of days, there were many who left their homes and
families to plan the strategies to rescue our country, and they did
this for you and me. Whatever else these people have achieved in
lifebefore or sincethat was their Finest Hour.
But who were they? To this day we still do not know.
It is time to shine the light of history upon those dark days. It is
time to examine all that went before, during and after the coup
attempt, and this includes examining the local Court rulings which set
the Muslimeen free. It is time we know the facts about who helped save
our country, who were the heroes of this time, and how did they
achieve the surrender of the terrorists and the release of all of the
hostages. The hostages, people whom we all know or knew, lived under
the spectre of unbelievable terror for several days. They lived under
the rattling of gunfire and the stench of the dead rotting nearby.
Even they do not know how their rescue was achieved, and they too are
heroes of that time, at least most of them are.
It is time to shine the light of history upon thoseother than the
insurgentswho betrayed you, and our country, during those days. Those
who may have had knowledge, but said nothing. Those who may have had
knowledge, but left the country. Those who may have had knowledge, but
who left early or stayed away from parliament that day. Those who said
Wake me when it is over, or Thats just a quarrel between friends,
and never to this day condemned this atrocity. Those who shared the
purported Amnesty document with the terrorists, helping them avoid
prosecution. Those who, while in Parliament, seeing their colleagues
wounded or dying, offered support for the terrorists.
Who among us can stand and say all that is past, and opening it to
enlightenment has no value? Who can claim that, while we reel under a
crime wave which has its roots in the Muslimeen and in the horrors of
those dark days?
When Patrick Manning can accuse Winston Dookeran of being part of a
plan to share power with the Muslimeen , as he did in 2007, then the
light of truth becomes an imperative.
How long will we deny ourselves the right to know what went on as
people made and executed the plan which saved all the hostages, and
saved our country? Of what are you afraid? Of discovering, without
doubt, the betrayal by persons who now lead you?
I now call for an open Citizens Commission of Inquiry into the events
of July 27, 1990. I will be calling relevant Citizens Groups to help
set this up, and call upon all including the Muslimeen, to appear
before this Commission, and explain their actions, or lack of actio
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