Demerara Waves
March against slothful police probes into killing of homosexuals
- Saturday, 11 January 2014 19:07
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“Sex
workers rights are human rights”, “Sex work is work,”, “LGBT rights are
human rights”, “Anti-man rights are human rights” and “We want to
justice,” were among the chants by members of the transgender and sex
worker community who marched through sections of Georgetown to demand
justice for the number of gays who were killed last year.
The march was held to coincide with the first anniversary of the killing of 19-year old Wesley “Tiffany” Holder on January 11, 2013 and the dumping of his body near the St. Phillip’s Anglican Church. The others were Delon Melville whose body was found aback Mocha in August and 36-year old Nandkumar Purnwassie also known as Vishaul, Champa and Darshinie whose battered body was found on a street at Anchor Ville, Port Mourant, Corentyne in November.
Guyana Trans United (GTU) Director Quincy “Gulliver” Mc Ewan told Demerara Waves Online News at the end of the march near the St. George’s Cathedral that since Holder’s killing there has been an escalation in the number of homosexuals being killed.
“Since then, it has been a trend in it…We are saying in the space of one year, three LGBT (Lesbian, Gay Bisexual and Transgender) persons have been murdered and nothing has come out of its, nobody has been locked up. We are asking for justice because we believe because we are part of the LGBT community, it has a lot of stigma and sometimes nobody wants to investigate this matter,” said Mc Ewan.
Joel Simpson of the Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD) said the police have showed little enthusiasm in solving those crimes, apparently because they have been committed against homosexuals. “There’s a lack of will to investigate these incidents against transgender people because of trans-phobia and homophobia in the police force,” said Simpson.
Another humbug, he said, was the police lacking the resources to carry out forensic investigations that could lead to successful arrests and prosecutions.
The SASOD official said the sex worker and transgender community planned to seek recourse at the level of the Ombudsman and the constitutional Women and Gender Equality Commission. “This is a murder of a transgender female sex worker so we are hoping that some of these commissions that exist in the face of a failing judicial system, they would be more equipped to take reports, take documentations to help to further some of these causes,” said Simpson.
The estimated 20 persons also carried placards that read “We are citizens, we must be protected,” “Sex work is work,” “Stop the violence,” and “We are not the problem. We are part of the solution.”
Director of the Guyana Sex Worker Coalition, Miriam Edwards expressed solidarity with the plight facing the sex worker and transgender community. “This is a good initiative because after years of being abused the trans community came together and formed their own organisation because it takes a lot of courage to do such a march and also to stand up for your rights because we know the trans community is being highly stigmatized.”
The march was held to coincide with the first anniversary of the killing of 19-year old Wesley “Tiffany” Holder on January 11, 2013 and the dumping of his body near the St. Phillip’s Anglican Church. The others were Delon Melville whose body was found aback Mocha in August and 36-year old Nandkumar Purnwassie also known as Vishaul, Champa and Darshinie whose battered body was found on a street at Anchor Ville, Port Mourant, Corentyne in November.
Guyana Trans United (GTU) Director Quincy “Gulliver” Mc Ewan told Demerara Waves Online News at the end of the march near the St. George’s Cathedral that since Holder’s killing there has been an escalation in the number of homosexuals being killed.
“Since then, it has been a trend in it…We are saying in the space of one year, three LGBT (Lesbian, Gay Bisexual and Transgender) persons have been murdered and nothing has come out of its, nobody has been locked up. We are asking for justice because we believe because we are part of the LGBT community, it has a lot of stigma and sometimes nobody wants to investigate this matter,” said Mc Ewan.
Joel Simpson of the Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD) said the police have showed little enthusiasm in solving those crimes, apparently because they have been committed against homosexuals. “There’s a lack of will to investigate these incidents against transgender people because of trans-phobia and homophobia in the police force,” said Simpson.
Another humbug, he said, was the police lacking the resources to carry out forensic investigations that could lead to successful arrests and prosecutions.
The SASOD official said the sex worker and transgender community planned to seek recourse at the level of the Ombudsman and the constitutional Women and Gender Equality Commission. “This is a murder of a transgender female sex worker so we are hoping that some of these commissions that exist in the face of a failing judicial system, they would be more equipped to take reports, take documentations to help to further some of these causes,” said Simpson.
The estimated 20 persons also carried placards that read “We are citizens, we must be protected,” “Sex work is work,” “Stop the violence,” and “We are not the problem. We are part of the solution.”
Director of the Guyana Sex Worker Coalition, Miriam Edwards expressed solidarity with the plight facing the sex worker and transgender community. “This is a good initiative because after years of being abused the trans community came together and formed their own organisation because it takes a lot of courage to do such a march and also to stand up for your rights because we know the trans community is being highly stigmatized.”
Stabroek News
Justice urged for transgender murders during vigil
Posted By Staff Writer On January 13, 2014 @ 5:06 am In Local News | No Comments
One
year after sex worker Wesley Holder was brutally slain and his bloodied
body left near a city church, police are yet to apprehend those
responsible.
In
his memory, his
relatives, friends and members of the Society Against Sexual Orientation
Discrimination (SASOD) held a vigil and walk on Saturday.
The small group of about 20 persons holding a banner, flag and placards first gathered at the site where Holder’s
body was found on the morning of January 11, 2013 – just off of High
Street behind the Carnegie School of Home Economics. The area is now
overgrown with high grass but all of those taking part in the vigil
walked to the spot where Holder’s body was found.
Wesley Holder
Tears
flowed and the grief was evident. A moment of silence was observed
before the group headed to Smyth Street as they chanted “We
need justice! We need justice!” The group continued into Brickdam and
then to King Street en route to the Brickdam Cathedral where the then
19-year-old Holder often went. As the group passed the police station,
police officers occupying the barracks could be heard shouting
derogatory remarks before erupting into bouts of laughter.
Wiping
tears from her eyes, Holder’s aunt Paula Niles said, “me ain’t feel
nice a tall because since me nephew dead, up to now me ain’t really
hearing nothing.” She told Stabroek News that persons were held in
connection with the murder but they all claimed they had nothing to do
with it. Niles said that since then, she has heard nothing about whether
a suspect was being sought or any other aspect of the police
investigation. “I personally feel hurt because ah day like today he
woulda deh with we. He was so
loving, enjoyable… If he wasn’t enjoyable and if he wasn’t so nice he
wouldn’t have been having this today,” the woman wept as she followed
the procession.
The
woman stressed that they need justice, noting that visiting the spot
has brought back memories. She said that since his body was found last
year, this was the first time she had returned to the spot.
Asked
if she still has confidence in the police after such a long time had
passed, Niles responded in the negative. “Honestly we don’t have no
confidence that the police are gonna do anything, because this is a year
already and we the family is every day you does hear somebody say
something different about my nephew’s death,” she said.
The
woman said the persons responsible for Holder’s killings will
eventually pay for it. She said she was certain about this and as such
has left the matter in the hands of God. “Whoever do it and lef me in
such a grief and a hurt you will pay for it… Y’all hurt we. Y’all tek
away we whole joy; everything y’all take away from us,” she sobbed.
Co-chairperson
of the Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD), Joel
Simpson (right) and secretary Zenita Nicholson during the walk in memory
of Wesley Holder..
She said that despite her nephew’s sexual orientation he, like every man had the right to life. “Come on people, stop this
killing,” she shouted.
Meanwhile
co-chairperson of SASOD, Joel Simpson told Stabroek News that the vigil
was not only in relation to the anniversary of Holder’s death but to
highlight other incidents of violence particularly against transgender
sex workers which occurred within the last year.
He
reminded this newspaper of a similar case in Berbice a few months ago
in which the victim was killed and his body left lying on the roadway
and the countless brutalities committed against persons who fall into
this category. He said the cases become “cold cases” since there is no
follow up by the police.
Simpson
said that there is an “inner epidemic of
hate inspired crimes” adding that his organisation was seeing more
murders on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in
Guyana.
The
vigil was the initiative of the Guyana Trans United, a new transgender
group focusing on the rights of people who fall into this grouping but
SASOD was present to lend its support. Simpson said his organisation’s
message to the police was that they need to take incidents against
transgender people seriously, investigate and follow up. “There are so
many incidents that have become cold cases. I can’t think of a single
incident in recent years where there has been a prosecution for the
murder of a transgender person and that in
Two of the persons participating in the walk holding a placard.
itself is telling,” he said.
Asked
if this was a surprise to him, Simpson said it was more disappointing
because it would be hard to convince him that in these cases there are
no suspects or evidence leading to any of the perpetrators. He expressed
the view that at least one of these incidents, which has occurred in
recent years should have led to a prosecution and the fact that this has
not occurred is troubling. “It is saying that the police are not doing
their jobs,” he said.
Simpson
said one of the challenges is that murders of lesbians, gays,
bi-sexuals and transgender people (particularly the last grouping when
they are sex workers) seem to have fallen on the “lowest scale of
priority when it comes to
investigating homicides and that is troubling. My message is to treat
every human life as important. (And) to investigate all of these murders
to their best based on the resources that the police have available.”
He noted that a larger issue is that there needs to be an improvement in
the level of criminal science, crime scene investigation and forensic
science. “I think that we are still in the 20th century where that is
concerned and more resources need to be dedicated to that,” he added.
He
said that while he was not affiliated with Holder, he knew he was
involved in some of the organizations that are standing up for the
rights of transgender persons and sex workers.
Holder,
known as “Tiffany” and “Ole Boy” of Cross Street,
Werk-en-Rust, was found dead clad in a green fishnet dress. A
post-mortem examination found that he died from haemorrhaging and shock
as a result of stab wounds and blunt trauma from a blow to the head.
Holder’s
handbag and a knife which he walked with for protection along with his
slippers were all found at the scene of the crime. The police
subsequently said that the items mentioned above and a number of used
condoms which were wrapped in toilet tissue were discovered.
Persons who knew Holder are convinced that he was killed because of his lifestyle.
It
was based on information received that police arrested a teen boy who
reportedly confessed to
being present when the crime occurred. He had confided in a relative but
after being arrested he changed his story. Police later released him
after they said there was a lack of evidence to charge him.
Article printed from Stabroek News: http://www.stabroeknews.com
URL to article: http://www.stabroeknews.com/2014/news/stories/01/13/justice-urged-transgender-murders-vigil/
Guyana Chronicle
http://guyanachronicle.com/sasodgtu-stage-march-against-slothful-police-probes-into-homosexuals-killings/
SASOD/GTU stage march against “slothful” police probes into homosexuals killings
SOME 20 persons recently staged a march in the city against what they dubbed as “slow police probing” of cases in which homosexuals were murdered.
The march was held to coincide with the first anniversary of the murder of 19-year-old Wesley Holder on January 11, 2013 and the dumping of his body near St. Phillip’s Anglican Church.
The others were Delon Melville whose body was found aback Mocha in August and 36-year-old Nandkumar Purnwassie, also known as Vishaul, Champa and Darshinie, whose battered body was found on a street at Ankerville, Port Mourant, Corentyne in November.
Bearing placards with slogans that read, “Sex workers rights are human rights”, “Sex work is work”, “LGBT rights are human rights”, “Anti-man rights are human rights” and “We want justice”, members of the transgender and sex workers community marched through sections of Georgetown, demanding justice for homosexuals who were murdered over time.
Guyana Trans United (GTU) Director Quincy “Gulliver” Mc Ewan said that since Holder’s killing there has been an escalation in the number of homosexuals being killed.
He added that because of the stigma attached to homosexuality in Guyana, police are reluctant to properly investigate such matters.
Joel Simpson of the Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD) said the police have shown little enthusiasm in solving those crimes, apparently because they have been committed against homosexuals.
The SASOD official said the sex workers and transgender community planned to seek recourse at the level of the Ombudsman and the constitutional Women and Gender Equality Commission.
The estimated 20 persons also carried placards that read “We are citizens, we must be protected”, “Stop the violence”, and “We are not the problem. We are part of the solution”.
Director of the Guyana Sex Worker Coalition, Miriam Edwards expressed solidarity with the plight facing the sex workers and transgender community, noting that the march was a good initiative. She added that the ‘trans community’ has been abused for many years and has mustered the courage to stage the march and stand up for their rights.
The others were Delon Melville whose body was found aback Mocha in August and 36-year-old Nandkumar Purnwassie, also known as Vishaul, Champa and Darshinie, whose battered body was found on a street at Ankerville, Port Mourant, Corentyne in November.
Bearing placards with slogans that read, “Sex workers rights are human rights”, “Sex work is work”, “LGBT rights are human rights”, “Anti-man rights are human rights” and “We want justice”, members of the transgender and sex workers community marched through sections of Georgetown, demanding justice for homosexuals who were murdered over time.
Guyana Trans United (GTU) Director Quincy “Gulliver” Mc Ewan said that since Holder’s killing there has been an escalation in the number of homosexuals being killed.
He added that because of the stigma attached to homosexuality in Guyana, police are reluctant to properly investigate such matters.
Joel Simpson of the Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD) said the police have shown little enthusiasm in solving those crimes, apparently because they have been committed against homosexuals.
The SASOD official said the sex workers and transgender community planned to seek recourse at the level of the Ombudsman and the constitutional Women and Gender Equality Commission.
The estimated 20 persons also carried placards that read “We are citizens, we must be protected”, “Stop the violence”, and “We are not the problem. We are part of the solution”.
Director of the Guyana Sex Worker Coalition, Miriam Edwards expressed solidarity with the plight facing the sex workers and transgender community, noting that the march was a good initiative. She added that the ‘trans community’ has been abused for many years and has mustered the courage to stage the march and stand up for their rights.