A VETERAN human rights activist has called for lawyer Wayne Munroe to be stripped of his Queen’s Council status and face the possibility of disbarment over his call for undocumented migrants to be flogged in an effort to deter others from coming to The Bahamas.

Last week, Mr Munroe called for adult migrants to be flogged and those under 18 to be caned for seeking to enter Bahamian territory without permission. He later appeared on a television news programme to add that women should not be spared his proposed beatings, asking “why would we treat them differently in this big age of equality?”

“Wayne Munroe’s comments are as shocking as they are absolutely sickening,” Joseph Darville, vice-president of the Grand Bahama Human Rights Association, said. “His QC status should be immediately revoked by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and the Bahamas Bar Association should consider disbarring him over this disgraceful behaviour. He is advocating the return of the whipping post, a legacy of the darkest days of slavery.”

Mr Munroe has been widely criticised this week for his comments.

Mr Darville said QCs are supposedly chosen for their exceptional ability, competence and understanding of the law, but Mr Munroe, a recent recipient, has already proven himself unworthy of this honour. “These brutal, barbaric suggestions show that he is not only unqualified for this lofty designation; he is also unsuited to be regarded as an officer of the court in any capacity. I call on the Bahamas Bar Association to consider his formal removal from the Bar over these heinous and regressive utterances,” he said.

“Perhaps it is Munroe who should be the first one to be flogged, in a bid to revive his senses, if he is endowed with any at all. This man should be rebuked by our head of state, every church leader, every human rights organisation, every community activist and every right thinking individual citizen. Our collective silence will condone his horrific and demonic pronouncements.”

According to Mr Darville, Munroe has emerged as one of the leaders of the “dark forces” unleashed by Minister of Immigration Fred Mitchell’s immigration policy. Mr Darville said the policy has led to raids and roundups in the dead of night, ramped up deportation without due process, violence and sexual abuse at the hands of immigration officers and a host of other human rights violations.

Next month, the government is planning to place impediments in the way of the children of foreigners seeking to be registered for school, which human rights campaigners claim is a clear violation of the Education Act. He said that perhaps worst of all, the policy has led to a dramatic increase of casual discrimination and expressions of xenophobia by members of the Bahamian public, who seem to be following the example of their leaders.

“Never fear though,” Mr Darville said. “This shadow of darkness will be snuffed out by the light of God’s brilliance, and we are all called upon to lend our light in this one of the darkest hours in our nation.”