The Commission of Inquiry into the July 1990 coup attempt by a group of radical Muslims ended its first session of public hearings today in Trinidad with chairman, Barbadian jurist Sir David Simmons indicating “there will be many more”.
“We have just begun to hold public hearings, and I wish to assure the public that persons against whom allegations have been made, or who have been the subject of adverse comment or imputation will be afforded ample opportunity to answer those allegations or imputations.
“The principles of natural justice in ordinary notions of fairness require that such opportunity be provided,” he said.
The eight-month-old People’s Partnership government agreed to the establishment of the Commission to probe the events surrounding the attempted coup by members of the Jamaat-al-Muslimeen group to remove the government of then prime minister ANR Robinson.
The group’s leader, Yasin Abu Bakr, who has in the past publicly indicated a willingness to testify before any commission, led more than 100 members in storming the Parliament and the lone television station in a coordinated attack hoping to overthrow the Robinson administration.
At least 24 people, including one legislator, Leo Des Vignes, were killed during the six day insurrection that ended on August 1. Bakr and his men were tried for treason, but the Court of Appeal upheld the amnesty offered to secure their surrender, and they were released.
However, The London-based Privy Council, the country’s highest court, later invalidated the amnesty, but the Muslimeen members were not re-arrested.
Several people including Robinson appeared before the five-member Commission and some of the witnesses questioned the absence of former prime minister Basdeo panday, Patrick Manning as well as the then Speaker of Parliament, Nizam Mohammed on the day of the insurrection.
Sir David recalled that he had indicated on the first day of the hearing that there would be a “fairly long list” of persons who, “in our opinion, can contribute in a meaningful way” to the inquiry.
While the names of those witnesses were not released, Sir David said he was again appealing “to all who have evidence relevant to our Terms of Reference to come forward and be interviewed by Commission Counsel with a view to giving such evidence. “ Interviewing of potential witnesses will be an on-going process,” he said, noting that since the inquiry started “a number of persons have, in fact, got in touch with the Secretariat and expressed a desire to give evidence.”
But he again informed that public that it “will be no part of our function to engage in unsupported speculation” and that the inquiry “will be conducted thoroughly.
“In this regard, a Barbadian aphorism is not out of place: “taking one’s time is not laziness”. To this I will add a more popular expression: “Patience is a virtue”.”
He said once the public hearings are concluded it will be the task of the Commissioners to find appropriate facts.
“To that task we will bring to bear our collective experience, our collective common sense and, where applicable, our forensic and judicial experience and expertise,” he said. Adding that the next session of public hearings is scheduled for 21-25 March this year. (CMC)
