A second piracy attack on a fishing boat in Suriname waters, nearly a week after the first, which left 16 fishermen missing, has resulted in the death of Guyanese fisherman Hardeo Beechan.
Beechan, called Ganesh, age 32, of Woodley Park, West Coast Berbice, was reportedly shot and beaten before being thrown overboard.
The attack, Surinamese news agencies reported, was carried out on the coast of Matapica Canal, approximately eight miles from the Paramaribo River mouth. Four other crew members were reportedly injured during the encounter.
Meanwhile, there is strong evidence that the latest attacks are no ordinary or random acts of criminals robbing fishermen of their catch or other valuables. Several sources indicate that a turf war between Guyanese fishermen is going on over ‘rights’ in Suriname’s fishing grounds.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Jerry Slijngard, director of Suriname’s National Coordination Center for Disaster Management, there is credible intelligence that a gang of 9 to 11 criminals led by two Guyanese brothers is responsible for recent attacks on fishermen. He said one of the brothers is based in Guyana while the other has residence in Suriname.
In the meantime, Surinamese authorities have passed the names of several suspects to the Guyanese police in a bid to bring them to justice.
