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FM
Former Member

The jackasses wailed how the PPP were against press freedom. Now we see slop can boy artfully dodged around posting this article.

Capitol News cameraman arrested

10
 

– in Kaieteur National Park

A fact-finding mission into the Joint Services Operation in the Kaieteur National Park (KNP) took a drastic turn when a cameraman from Capitol News and a Chenapau resident were arrested on Sunday.
Rudy Morris and Anthony Melville were both taken into custody at the Muri Muri Landing in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), and were expected to be brought to Georgetown later today. According to ranks at the location, the men “will be prosecuted”.
Amerindian Peoples Affairs (APA) Executive Michael Mc Garrell travelled to the Potaro-Siparuni region to investigate the claim of illegal mining in the Kaieteur National Park. He took along some members of the media, including Morris.
A few weeks ago, some 21 residents of Chenapau Village, Region Eight, were arrested for allegedly mining in the KNP. They were brought to Georgetown and charged, but in an “act of goodwill” the charges were later dropped. However, the persons arrested vehemently denied mining in the KNP and provided documentation to show they were operating on legal mining claims. Some also said they were hunting and fishing when soldiers rounded them up. The arrest and charging of the residents caused an uproar in the Amerindian village as residents protested within the village and at the Ministry of the Presidency.
Since the arrests of the residents, the military presence in the KNP has been amped up; hence, the APA decided to undertake a fact-finding mission.
Upon arriving at the KNP Arrival Centre, it was discovered that it has been converted into a base camp for the Joint Services operation. Mc Garrell said that this concretised the allegation of the KNP becoming a militarised zone.
The officer in command also told Mc Garrell that no one would be allowed to traverse the trail traditionally used by the Chenapau villagers to hunt, fish, and access farms and mining claims.
However, Morris and Melville used a boat to go investigate the boundaries of the KNP and as they were returning, the men were arrested and told they would be charged. The two men were still detained at the Muri Muri Landing up to press time.
Mc Garrell said that he was concerned about the arrest of a member of the press corps for just executing one of his functions as a member of the fourth estate. He posited that the officers, upon verifying Morris’ identity, should have just asked the men to leave the area.
“All we have to do now is to wait until they bring out these two men and see what they will do. I have no idea what they will charge them with, but I was informed by the Officer in Charge that they will be charged,” Mc Garrell related.
The arrest of the duo was criticised by members of the community and they are calling on the authorities to explain the arrests.

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Drugb posted:

Capitol News cameraman arrested

10
 – in Kaieteur National Park
The officer in command also told Mc Garrell that no one would be allowed to traverse the trail traditionally used by the Chenapau villagers to hunt, fish, and access farms and mining claims.

 

Perhaps, the military is now in control of this village and dictating what Chenapau villagers can and cannot do in their normal way of life.

FM

No argument with the military being their to protect the park. However why arrest a journalist? Perhaps the GDF have their own illegal mining activities in the park which is why they don't want newspaper people snooping around. 

FM

‘Cameraman released

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Capitol News Cameraman, Rudy Morris

…GDF says his ‘bread and water sure’

CAPITOL NEWS cameraman, Rudy Morris, who was detained by soldiers on Sunday at Kaieteur National Park (KNP) has been released and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) said the media worker’s subsistence and accommodation are guaranteed.
In a statement, the Guyana Press Association (GPA) said it was assured by the GDF that Morris would be brought to Georgetown on Monday, after being detained on Sunday. According to the GPA, Morris and a group of other journalists had received the permission of the National Parks Commission (NPC) after paying the required user fee and landed at the Kaieteur airstrip Saturday morning. The reporters were there to cover unfolding events related to a Presidential order for the Army, in joint operations with the Police, to enforce the law which prohibits mining within the boundaries of the KNP, the GPA said.
It added that on Sunday, Morris, accompanied by Amerindian leader Anthony Melville, a former Toshao, and Chief of Chiefs of the Patamonas, visited the area of Muri Muri by way of boat, to take videos there when they were detained. On Monday morning, they were both allowed to leave and return to Kaieteur top. “Officials of the GDF have assured the GPA that while arrangements are being made to have Mr Morris return to Georgetown, his subsistence and accommodation are guaranteed. The Guyana Press Association (thanks the GDF for their cooperation to have this matter resolved amicably. The Guyana Press Association will never condone its members violating specific security measures in any area of Guyana when good, sufficient and legal reasons exist for such orders. Similarly, we will not stand idly by and have our freedoms violated,” the GPA statement ended.
Meanwhile, the Amerindian Peoples Association (APA) said it was not part of, or organised the expedition into the KNP, in an attempt to verify the boundary of the protected area. This is in response to an article published in Monday’s edition of the Stabroek News entitled “Cameramen, Chenapau resident detained by soldiers while trying to verify Kaieteur Park boundary”.
The aforementioned article stated that “Cameraman Rudy Morris, was part of a four-member media team accompanying Amerindian Peoples’ Association (APA) representative Michael McGarrell who had travelled to KNP on Saturday morning,”
Although Michael McGarrell is employed by the APA, his visit to the KNP was done of his own personal accord and not under the capacity as a representative of the Association. Moreover, the organisation was not involved in organising any recent visits to the KN Park with the intention of verifying the boundaries of the protected area

FM

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