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Submitted by Anthony Davis

As discussion continues about the massive search for missing woman Karen Harris last weekend, a watchman at Buttals Plantation in St. George is reporting he was harassed by three members of the search party – Barbados Today

This case is unprecedented in the annals of search and rescue in Barbados!

It is obvious that in such a case one will find the George Zimmermans who think that Blacks are there for a blood sport where they have the dogs and, like during Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s campaigns, they could loose them at people whenever they want. If my memory serves me correctly, we are in the twenty-first Century – and not the seventeenth, eighteenth or nineteenth. Yet we have three Caucasian males treating Mr. Sam as if we were still in one of the latter three, and he was a runaway slave whose Human Rights they could contravene with impunity.

It does not fall under their purview to interrogate anyone in this country. They were part of one of the biggest manhunts in Barbadian history which was searching for a missing Caucasian female. Perhaps the three really thought that they were part of a massa day hunt when they found Mr. Sam, a watchman, carrying out his nightly duties at Buttals Plantation, and wanted to take him back to the one he had run away from.

This smacks of racism, and must be vehemently rejected.

This episode will put Barbados and its population in the limelight for all of the wrong reasons, and this Government – and especially the Minister of Tourism, Richard Sealy, should start doing some damage control by denouncing what went on at Buttals in the strongest terms if not Barbados will find itself on the list of countries which condone Human Rights violations, and as fast as tourism has picked up, it will plummet.

I would like to hear ASP Welch’s views on this manhunt by those three vigilantes who violated Mr. Sam’s rights as laid down in the Constitution of Barbados which give those who reside here – or even visit us – the right to go about their business without let or hindrance – unless they are known to the police. Does anyone know what the consequences of this unprovoked and dastardly attack on this man who was only carrying out his duties – alone – at that plantation will be?

What nightmares could he have?

He says that he will continue working there, but who knows what will happen with him later on.

Who will pay the doctors if he has to go for therapy?

Most importantly though is: Will these three slave hunters be brought to justice?

Mr. Sam’s Human Rights were violated in several ways:

1. He was hunted down with a vehicle
2. He was interrogated by the three Caucasians
3. He was coerced into giving up his boss’ phone number
4. There was mental abuse also.

I am of the opinion that if Mr. Sam had not stopped running they would have run him over, and the RBPF would have another case on its hands. I hope that the search for them will be just as elaborate and extensive, and they will be soon found!