AFFIDAVIT – Statement by PPP agent Chandrashekar – 1985 Elections – Appendix L

From 6:00 p.m. to 6:50 p.m. the following incident occurred, which, when taken into consideration, was sufficient time to have the Ballots counted at the Polling Places and negated the claim by the PNC that it is logistically impossible to have the votes counted soon after polling closed. Residents in the surrounding area converged on their bridges, eagerly looking out for the removal of the Ballot Boxes. There was no riotous behaviour of the people; no attempt by them to block the road or the entrance to the Polling Places Nos. 624 and 625. The crowd was very peaceful, refuting the Chronicle’s accusation that PPP campaigners were urging PPP supporters to prevent the Ballot Boxes from being removed from Polling Places.

At 6:15 p.m. a jeep driven by a soldier – an open-back vehicle – carrying (3) three Tactical Service Unit soldiers dressed in khaki drill uniform, armed with machine guns and sten guns, drove in followed by a truck with a battalion of TSU members, similarly dressed and heavily armed, some with sten guns some with machine guns.

Army truck No. DF 8105 arrived with a battalion of GDF soldiers, equally armed. This manoeuvre was highly provocative as the situation did not warrant such behaviour, but the people remained calm and refused to be provoked. All three of the vehicles stopped on the Public Road, at the junction of Baijnauth Sawmill, where Polling Places No. 624 and 625 are situated obliquely opposite each other in a North-South direction. The Jeep and the Truck proceeded, turned and drove out of the area leaving GDF truck DF 8105 on the scene.

At 6:20 p.m. three soldiers with guns in hands ready for combat, descended from GDF truck DF 8105, crossed the road in a easterly direction and marched on Baijnauth Sawmill road, one following the other proceeding to the waterfront. After spending some 5 minutes, they turned around and retraced their journey, rejoining the truck where it was parked on the road.

At 6:25 p.m. a Region 6 jeep No. PAA 7641 arrived followed by another jeep with the soldiers holding their guns ready for shooting followed by a truck with the battalion of TSU soldiers, still heavily armed and ready for action. The Jeep turned and parked immediately behind the ruck. Cde. Boodhram Mahadeo then drove his car and parked it behind the Jeep. Cde. Mohendranauth Poonai then drove in with his car and parked behind Cde. Mahadeo’s car. Both PPP candidates were witnessing the truck with guns in battle action, stood in the centre of the drama.

Immediately after that, GDF soldiers stepped off the road and blocked off the road, thus putting a halt to all moving traffic. This was ample testimony that, from here on, the Army took complete control of the situation to seize the Ballot Boxes, for there was no ugly scene of disorder by the population, to prevent eh removal of the Ballot Boxes. In fact, men, women and children stood by their roadside bridges, most peacefully, witnessing the proceedings, as if viewing a cinema show. This was a real drama they were witnessing for the first time.

After the traffic was blocked, 3 soldiers descended from the GDF truck in battle gear. They entered the Polling Place. At 6:30 p.m. the Ballot Boxes from two Polling Places which were lodged there earlier, were brought out, escorted by the three soldiers and lodged in the jeep. At 6:32 p.m. three soldiers in similar style entered another nearby Polling Place. The Ballot Box did not come out of the Polling Place until 6:45 p.m. again being escorted by the three soldiers and was lodged in the jeep.

At 6:50 p.m. the jeep drove off, followed by a second jeep followed by Cde. Mahadeo in his car, Cde. Poonai in his car then the TSU truck No. GBB 8941 and Army truck of the December 9^th, 1985 general elections for residents of Crabwood Creek. They had heard of the Army intervention in Guyana politics. Today they witnessed the drama.