The shooting deaths of four mentally ill people by police over the past three months have disturbed Roman Catholic parish priest Fr Martin Sirju.
Delivering his Corpus Christi homily at Our Lady of Perpetual Help RC Church in San Fernando yesterday, Sirju called on National Security Minister Edmund Dillon and acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams to ensure that mentally ill people get the respect and consideration they deserve.
Sirju, who is also the Vicar for the Southern Vicariate, said he was disturbed by the killings.
“I am quite disturbed by the recent shooting deaths of mentally ill people. I think that kind of attitude comes from a mindset. We have to change our way of doing things and make sure that when it comes to mentally ill people in society, we must exercise the protection, caution and care.”
Noting that the police had an obligation to protect themselves in line of duty, Sirju said even though this is so, mentally ill people deserved greater respect as they suffer through too many negative labels.
“The acting Commissioner of Police and Minister of National Security should take this message to heart because it is a message of many concerned people of T&T.”
Urging parishioners to be mindful of the need to take care of the vulnerable of the society, Sirju said too often mentally ill people are stigmatised.
“Our mentally ill friends are not nobodies. We cannot reduce them to being poor, loony, ditzy, mad, crazy and runoff. The language has to change. If we are people who receive Jesus, we must learn to take better care of our mentally ill people,” Sirju said.
He added that other vulnerable groups like the homeless and elderly must also be given care and respect.
“We often think that the first thing we do is love people but I don’t think so. The first thing we have to do is respect people. If we don’t respect people including the mentally ill, we will treat them like animals,” Sirju added.
He called on citizens to take care of others.
“Jesus is saying I trust you to take care of your brothers in the world—the poor, sick, elderly, homeless, children. When we go out in world we have to put vulnerable people at the centre of the world, people that society prefers to keep on the fringes,” Sirju said.
Following the service, parishioners engaged in a procession through the streets before congregating at the church.
Over the past three months, four mentally ill men—Paul Marchan, Raymond Joseph, Daniel Paul and Edison Thompson- have been shot dead by police.
Marchan, 30, was shot dead by officers of the Western Division Task Force on March 16, after he reportedly attacked a family member and tried to stab two police officers at Richplain, Diego Martin.
Joseph, a retired soldier, was shot dead on April 1 while Daniel Paul, 23, was killed for throwing stones on June 5.
Thompson, 45, the latest victim, was shot dead for attacking a soldier with a hammer. Following the incidents, the police service was criticised for the way in which the police responded.
