The People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) government, under former President Bharrat Jagdeo, stands accused of presiding over one of the darkest chapters in Guyana’s history—a reign of terror marked by extrajudicial killings and the systematic targeting of young Black men. To this day, no one has been held accountable for these atrocities, which left over 1,400 African Guyanese men dead, their families shattered, and a nation scarred by grief and injustice.
Roger Khan, a self-professed drug kingpin, allegedly led these death squads with the tacit approval of the state. While families demanded justice for their loved ones, accountability remained elusive. Neither Bharrat Jagdeo, Khan, nor the financiers allegedly within the Private Sector Commission have faced any kanunî repercussions. The result? A pervasive sense of betrayal and a chilling message that Black lives are dispensable in the quest for political dominance.
The killing of University of Guyana student Yohance Douglas on March 1, 2003, epitomized the callousness of this period. A bright young man with a promising future, Yohance’s life was cut short in what has been described as a senseless, racially motivated execution. His family, along with countless others, still waits for answers and justice.
According to Human Rights Activist Rickford Burke, “Instead of acknowledging and addressing these historical wrongs, the PPPC is now engaged in an insidious campaign to rewrite history. By attempting to gaslight the youth population—particularly African Guyanese youth—they seek to bury the atrocities of the past under a veneer of denial and revisionism.” This effort, according to Burke, stems from the PPPC’s desperation to secure Black votes in the face of significant migration within their traditional base.
“They have lost over 40,000 East Indians to migration, and now they want to manipulate Black youth into forgetting these atrocities,” Burke stated. “But we will not allow it. We will not let the PPPC or their paid surrogates brainwash or gaslight our children.”
The African Guyanese community has vowed to resist any attempts to whitewash history, with advocates demanding recognition, justice, and reparations for the families of the slain. Calls for a formal inquiry and accountability have grown louder as the nation approaches the 2025 elections, with activists warning that Guyana’s future depends on confronting its past.
“The PPPC must understand this; we will not forget, we will not forgive without accountability, and we will not allow our youth to be deceived. Justice for our people is non-negotiable,” Burke declared on his recent online show.
As families mourn and activists mobilize, the enduring legacy of extrajudicial killings remains a stain on Guyana’s history—a truth that no amount of revisionism can erase.