A handwritten letter penned by 11-year-old Zakariya Pitilal, of Cocorite, addressed to Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley begged him as head of the nation to have his father returned to him, his younger brothers and his mother. Zakariya’s brothers are Idris, nine, and Muhammed, three.
The letter was hand delivered on Tuesday to the Office of the Prime Minister, St Clair.
Zakariya’s father, Dominic Pitilal, is one of five Trinidadians detained in Venezuela since 2014 on suspicion of terrorism. The other detainees are Wade Charles, Asim Luqman, Andre Battersby and Leslie Daisely.
The letter, dated October 2, 2016, starts of by saying: “Good day Mr Keith Rowley, the Honourable Prime Minister of T&T. My name is Zakariya Pitilal. I am the eldest son of Dominic Pitilal.
“My father and his friends have been locked up in Venezuela for two years and six months. Can you please help them?”
Zakariya told Rowley his father was very sick and was in need of medical attention. He also took the opportunity to relay the last conversation he had with his father, who he said told him that he was now going to engage in a hunger strike.
“The last time I spoke to him he told me that he was going on a hunger strike and that I may never see him again because he will not stop until he is freed,” Zakariya said in the letter. He added that despite him being only 11 years old he believed that he had a duty to help his father.
“I don’t want my father and his friends to suffer anymore. Mr Rowley, please, I am kind of begging you to help my father, please,” Zakariya pleaded.
“My father has been everything to me. Now I feel like I don’t have anything,” he added.
Zakariya pleaded with the Prime Minister not to ignore his letter:
“Can you please don’t ignore my letter and my pain and the pain of my father. No one can even imagine what effect this has on my brothers and mother. Can you please help put my family and the other families back together? I know you can do it.”
The little boy’s ended: “Thank You,” along with his full name. Two months ago, on July 11, 2016, Zakariya’s mother, Saadiqua Mohammed, also sent a letter to Rowley seeking a meeting with him.
Her letter stated: “We are aware of the meeting that took place on May 23, 2016 with President Nicholas Maduro and yourself.
“You made a public announcement of the repatriation of prisoners. It has been two months now and we are left in the dark as to what is the next move by the two governments. I am seeking this meeting with you so you can update and give us some sort of answers.”
When contacted yesterday, Mohammed said she had not received any response from Rowley about her letter.
Asked about her son’s letter, Mohammed said she was moved in her heart by his intention. She admitted she did help him pen it but said that most of it came from his heart.
“In the beginning we tried to shield the kids from what was happening but we couldn’t after a while and Zakariya is always asking for updates as to what is going on,” Mohammed said. She added she really hoped Rowley’s heart would give in to her son’s letter.
“I know there is a protocol to go through before the Prime Minister gets his letter but I hope that when he does that this brings hope by the grace of God,” she added.
Speaking with the T&T Guardian yesterday, Umar Abdullah, Islamic Front leader, said there needed to be a definite answer on where the situation had reached especially given that all charges of terrorism and espionage had been dropped against the five detainees. He said he strongly believed that there was no due process in the judiciary system in Venezuela.
“There are delays in giving a verdict on the matter right now but we have vowed to keep the pressure on. We will rally support from the entire nation behind us on this.
“Our nationals are just important as the ones who are feeling the effects of Hurricane Matthew right now,” Abdullah said. He also gave an ultimatum to Rowley based on Zakariya’s letter. He said Rowley should give a response to the boy’s letter by today or the situation would be made known to the International media.
At recent talks in May between T&T and Venezuelan leaders, Government officials asked that the matter be expedited during discussions on repatriation of people detained in each others country on immigration issues.
Government officials later stressed the issue of the five men was in Venezuela’s hands and subject to its judicial system.