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In the first part of my review of Colin Palmer’s Cheddi Jagan and the Politics of Power – British Guiana’s Struggle for Independence, which was recently published, I dealt with his analysis of the period of 1953, the suspension of the constitution and the effort of the British Government to destroy the PPP as a political party and Cheddi Jagan as a political leader.

These efforts were not successful. The Robertson Commission recommended a period of “marking time…..to create a healthy political environment.” “It was guided by the obsession to contain or destroy the PPP,” argues Palmer. During its hearings it displayed a dismissive and patronizing attitude to Guianese, which was deeply embedded in the consciousness of the entire colonial apparatus, including the Governors, whose private comments on Government Ministers, including Jagan, were unfailingly paternalistic. The interim government installed as a result of the recommendations of the Robertson Commission, represented the interests of the colonial elite and lacked credibility.

Two allegations of rape were made against Julian Assange, the head and founder of WikiLeaks, by two Swedish women some months ago. The allegations were investigated while Assange remained in Sweden and submitted himself to questioning. It was only when the file was closed without any action being taken by the prosecutor that Assange left Sweden, after the prosecutor agreed that he can do so. After the 250,000 US cables were released by WikiLeaks the cases were re-opened by another Swedish prosecutor. Assange was not charged but the Swedish prosecutor made known that he was wanted for questioning. At this time Assange was in the United Kingdom and his whereabouts were known. He offered to make himself available for further questioning at the Swedish Embassy in London but this was refused and instead, a warrant issued for his arrest. He voluntarily submitted himself to arrest in London and bail was refused.

Colin Palmer’s Cheddi Jagan and the Politics of Power – British Guiana’s Struggle for Independence, published a few weeks ago, is “an examination of the ways in which the colonial regime joined hands with the United States and local elites to destroy a political leader whom they distrusted and feared.” Colin Palmer is Dodge Professor of History at Princeton University. His history begins in 1953 and ends in 1964 with an Epilogue encapsulating subsequent events.

The general elections held in Kenya in December, 2007, were determined by international observers to be rigged in favour of the incumbent, President Mwai Kibaki. There was a large scale eruption of violence in which over 1,000 persons were killed. Yet the opposition, the Orange Democratic Movement, led by Raila Odinga, now the Prime Minister under a post-elections agreement brokered by Kofi Annan, former Secretary General of the United Nations, had refused to take court proceedings. The opposition alleged that the courts had long been subverted by the governing party which had been in power since 1963. They could, therefore, not be relied upon to give a fair decision even on the massive evidence of rigging which had been exposed.

Killers are on the rampage in Georgetown and the streets are positively dangerous. The spectacular and gruesome public execution with heavy guns of five persons in Cummings Lodge, including a mother and child, one in South Georgetown and two in Campbelville suggests either that rival gangs are at war or that a number of people, some of whom are ‘known’ to the Police, are the victims of one or more gangs of killers or that criminals have fallen out. No one knows why and if the Police does, they are not saying, except for a tantalizing hint. Most people assume that these gangs are involved in drug running. The Police hinted that missing drugs was responsible for the slaughter of the five persons in Cummings Lodge including a young mother and her child. It is not known whether the continuing slaughter is for the same or a some other reason.  The methodology used by these criminals is obviously designed to send messages.