By Sunita SamarooTestifying before the Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the death of Dr. Walter Rodney, General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Clement Rohee, yesterday said that the politician’s killing was, without question, an act of State-sponsored terrorism.Rohee, current Minister of Home Affairs and a long-standing member of the party, made his second appearance before the Commission yesterday to continue offering his evidence in chief.PPP General Secretary, Clement Rohee in the witness stand yesterday.Dr. Rodney, a scholar, social activist and co-founder of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA), was killed in an explosion on June 13, 1980. At the time of Rodney’s death, Rohee said that he was out of Guyana.He served the PPP as a member of the Central Committee from 1978 to 1980. Rohee told the Commissioners that when the Ministry of National Development was destroyed by fire on July 14, 1979,Authentic Atlanta Falcons Jersey, several opposition activists were rounded up and charged with arson.Among them, he recalled, were Rodney and WPA activist Karen De Souza, but none of his party members had been arrested.According to Rohee, two days after the arson Ulric Pilgrim and Clarence Pryce, two top Commanders of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) were removed. Attempting to explain the move, Rohee said that it was widely held in influential quarters at the time that the WPA had penetrated the military.Rohee told the Commissioners that the then People’s National Congress (PNC) administration was of the view that the penetration could not have happened, unless it was being facilitated by the military’s hierarchy.The defence and police force,Cheap Atlanta Braves Hoodies, Rohee said, were under “tight control” at the time and the move to shake-up the army was seen by those in the Opposition circles and “many who were not formally in the Opposition but associated with the struggle” as a move to gain greater control of the military.By extension, Rohee viewed this as a means of weeding out the WPA, which was suspected to have influence in the army.Harassed, Victimized and ArrestedThe Minister recalled that PPP and the WPA faced serious surveillance from the then ruling administration and had been subjected to public attacks and harassment in various forms.According to him, thugs from the House of Israel and the Death Squad were unleashed with greater frequency on the political opposition.“All this was happening at the time when there were moves to change the constitution.” Rohee explained there was a push for democracy and moves were apace to mobilize and educate people.He said that as a result of the constant holding of these public meetings, there was a more frequent response from the administration to break up the public meetings.Rohee told the Commissioners of one such meeting which was held on North Road and Orange Walk, Bourda. The wrath of the thugs was unleashed on Gail Teixeira, who functioned as Personal Assistant to Dr. Cheddi Jagan during 1978 – 1980, he said.He said that Teixeira, now Chief Whip, was mistaken for Janet Jagan,Air Max 97 NZ, wife of the then PPP’s Leader, Cheddi Jagan. According to him, she was chased up a road, cornered and dealt several lashes by the group.Rohee went on to say that there was no doubt that the thugs from House of Israel and Death Squad came directly from the PNC headquarters. Supporting his point, the Minister said too that at the time the thugs moved in PNC vehicles. He emphasised that there was no “need for an emblem to be placed on the vehicles for them to be identified.”He said that his party suffered immensely during that period.Rohee believed that the amicable relationship shared between the WPA and PPP fostered the perception that they were working to remove the government of the day.He said, too, that frequent searches were conducted on the homes of party members. Rohee recalled that one such search led to the former President, Cheddi Jagan being arrested and charged with the possession of ammunition.? The case was dismissed at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, he said.Rohee affirmed that supporters were harassed, victimized and arrested. “There was a way of doing these types of activities and everyone known or seen to be opposing the government” would be subjected to the harassment.He said that the harassment even extended to those in the Guyanese diaspora.Rodney’s Death“People were under a tremendous degree of stress. The nation suffered from food shortages, long lines outside of supermarkets and groceries. The economic and social condition that prevailed was one which made people want change.”The General Secretary claimed that the then government did not have the answers and they were in the process of negotiating with Internation