March 24, 2001
JAMAICANS UNITED AGAINST POLICE BRUTALITY Dear Friends, What are the possibilities that the execution of seven youth by the Jamaican police will go unpunished? If precedent is to be used as a guide we believe that they will eventually be exonerated by the judicial system. Not because they are innocent as common sense and the evidence suggest, but because Jamaica has the trappings of an absolute state inherited from its colonial past. The state that emerged after independence was not the result of revolutionary struggles but was a parting gift to the dominant classes by British colonial authorities. The constitution was cooked up in a smoked filled back room by Jamaica's elite. The masses were never consulted. There are no entrenched guarantees against state abuse both in law and in practice. The state is absolute. Jamaica's history is replete with violent repression of the marginalized poor. The most notorious was the 1865 suppression of the rebellion by starving, over-taxed peasants in Morant Bay, St. Thomas. The British authorities led by Governor Edward Eyre killed more than five hundred people, flogged five hundred more and burned down at least a thousand homes. For this crime British liberals led by John Stuart Mill (and opposed by the likes of Charles Dickens) attempted to put Governor Eyre on trial. They were thwarted in their efforts. This historical event could be said to be the beginning of the modern practice of the police killing with impunity. The Jamaica Constabulary Force was set up shortly thereafter with the express purpose of protecting a planter class determined to preserve its privileges at all cost. There have now been more than a hundred and thirty-five years to develop a political and juridical culture of utilizing the police to ride rough shod over the rights of the poor. What now appear as deficiencies in the system as far as holding the police accountable have in fact been carefully crafted over the years. Successive governments merely continue the policy (though they have the power to change it) for the simple reason that in a perennially stagnant economic climate, with 25% of the workforce without jobs, brutal police methods is the most pragmatic response to social and political problems which arise from that fact. Having said that the police are likely to be exonerated in a court that serves the interests of the state doesn't mean that we, the people, are powerless to force a change and to bring about a conviction. Despite the passive and timid role being played by the media, despite the attempt at intimidation by the politically and morally bankrupt PNP administration, there is evidence that Jamaicans overwhelmingly believe that the police force is brutal, corrupt, engages in extra-judicial killings and there is hardly anyone who does not believe that he or she is at risk to be brutalized by the police. The state cannot rule by brute force alone and its lease on life is tenuous when its security forces are hated by the people. Let us therefore resolve to bring about justice for the seven youth killed by the state. The first step is to counter the police smear, aided and abetted by the media who accept police statements as fact, that any of these youth were involved in crimes. The police have presented ABSOLUTELY no evidence to support to support such claim. For example, after claiming that one of the youth was involved in the death of a policeman in Above Rocks we now read that someone has been charged for that murder and a weapon recovered. As for the death of the headmaster, was he mistakenly killed by a policeman's bullet? Are the police aware that there are people who were with the suspected youth at a different location at the time of the killing? In any event regardless of the allegations the court is where the evidence should have been presented rather than the police acting as judge, jury and executioner. The police story that they shot through concrete walls and aluminum windows to kill seven people in different parts of a house is ludicrous. The truth is that police were let into the house by the occupants. They opened the door when they recognized the voice of the man now charged with killing the Above Rocks policeman. Unbeknown to them the police were using him to gain entry. There was ABSOLUTELY no shootout. This was cold-blooded murder. As we have said before the judicial system is deficient in every respect as far as prosecuting policemen for extra-judicial killings are concerned. Now is the time, therefore, to push for necessary reforms such as a mandatory hearing before a Coroner's court in ALL cases of police killings and the establishment of an independent, professional body to investigate police killings, among other things. As for the politics of sanctioning police killings, until our political rulers indicate their willingness to change this policy, we must support the broadest mobilization of the people to force change. All human rights organizations have a role to play in this mobilization effort. Now is the time to come together to discuss a common strategy. JUAPB for its part will continue to work towards heightening international awareness of this criminal state policy, and will work to help create the awareness that one way of forcing change is to consider a boycott of Jamaica as a tourist destination. On Monday March 19 a small protest was held outside the Jamaican Consulate in New York and we will continue to picket the Consulate on a chosen day each week. The Jamaican state representatives in New York should take no comfort in the size of the protest. They should worry more about the righteousness of the cause and our steadfast commitment to bringing about respect for the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Lloyd D'Aguilar
How Jamaica Reacted to the Police Killing of 7 Youth. (1) The Prime Minister, architect of the Crime Management Unit which assassinated the 7 youth and others since its inception said nothing. (2) The Minister of National Security and Justice for most of the week refused to comment. However, he finally broke his silence and said that ‘no group will force him to improperly interfere with the course of justice.' In other words the police will investigate themselves after which, based on their investigation, the Director of Public Prosecutions will decide if there is enough evidence for the case to go before a Coroner's Court! The Minister left no doubt about his true sentiments by attending a counter-demonstration organized by POLSAC (PNP satellite group, and fanatic police supporter), organized to intimidate a Jamaicans For Justice (JFJ) demonstration against the killings. (3) The police commissioner having said that his men had no choice but to kill the 7 youth said nothing more. (4) The media were not unduly outraged and did no more than to wring their hands at police brutality. The Gleaner called for "greater levels of sophistication" within the force "which cannot be achieved without dramatic change" whatever that means . Significantly, there was no ‘sophisticated' analysis or investigation of the killings which would have required taking a more decisive position on what were clearly executions. By taking the passive route the media have helped to take spotlight off the police practice and state policy of executing so-called criminal suspects. There was never a time more needed for an examination of this policy than the present moment. (5) Wilmot Perkins' ‘Perkins On Line' remained heads and shoulders above all other talk show hosts in uncompromisingly confronting the stench of police brutality. (6) The Council of the Jamaican Bar Association raised the possibility of "cold-blooded" murder and called on the police to "strengthen the investigative aspect of its work and to resist the temptation to preempt the court and to undermine the due process of law." (7) The head of the Crime Management Unit, Senior Superintendent Reneto Adams, who is singularly responsible for the executions was in the aftermath of the killings said to have gone on voluntary leave to ponder his future. That leave prompted the police to quickly quash rumours that he had been removed as head of the Unit and to reconfirm his position. A very cocky and confident Adams turned up for the POLSAC counter-demonstration. (8) The opposition Jamaica Labour Party said little as might be expected since their government equally relied on brutal police methods while in office. Their release mentioned a "new policy leading to extra-judicial killings" which they know to be not new at all. (9) Jamaicans For Justice (JFJ) organized a protest action against the killings and called for a public enquiry into what happened. (9) Families Against State Terrorism (FAST) along with Amnesty International were responsible for securing the services of a Danish pathologist, who will observe Friday's post mortem of the bodies. FAST is working with the families and the community to organize a protest rally on March 31. (10) Jamaicans Against Police Brutality (JUAPB) organized a picket outside the Jamaican Consulate in New York city. There is to be another one on Thursday and a weekly picket thereafter until action is taken against Supt. Adams and the rest of his men responsible for the executions. (11) Angry family members of the seven youth failed to show at a meeting with the Minister of National Security and Justice. Obviously they hold him equally responsible as the policemen who fired the bullets.
PRESS RELEASE A PICKET ORGANIZED BY JAMAICANS UNITED AGAINST POLICE BRUTALITY (JUAPB) WAS STAGED OUTSIDE THE JAMAICAN CONSULATE IN NEW YORK CITY ON MONDAY, MARCH 19. THE PICKETERS WERE PROTESTING THE RECENT KILLING OF 7 YOUTH BY THE JAMAICAN POLICE FORCE. LEAFLETS WERE HANDED OUT ACCUSING THE JAMAICAN GOVERNMENT OF BEING "CRIMINALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE POLICY OF EXECUTING SO-CALLED CRIMINAL SUSPECTS RATHER THAN BRINGING THEM BEFORE THE COURTS." ACCORDING TO JUAPB: "WE MUST ACT TO LET THE GOVERNMENT KNOW THAT WE ARE PREPARED TO DO EVERYTHING WITHIN OUR POWERS TO PUT AN END TO THIS CRIMINAL POLICY OF POLICE EXECUTIONS. "IF THE GOVERNMENT REFUSES TO CHANGE THIS POLICY WE MUST BE PREPARED TO CALL FOR A BOYCOTT OF JAMAICA AS A TOURIST DESTINATION. SANCTIONS WORKED IN SOUTH AFRICA. IT CAN WORK IN JAMAICA." MANY JAMAICANS ENTERING THE BUILDING ON 3RD AVENUE NODDED THEIR AGREEMENT WITH THE PROTESTERS. ONE YOUNG MAN ACCUSED THE POLICE OF BEING GUNS FOR HIRE AND SAID THAT THE "YOUTH MUST ORGANIZE.' JUAPB HAS PLEDGED TO CONTINUE WEEKLY PICKETING OF THE CONSULATE UNTIL ACTION IS TAKEN AGAINST SENIOR SUPERINTENDENT RENETO ADAMS AND HIS MEN FOR KILLING THE SEVEN YOUTH. A DELEGATION WENT INTO THE CONSULATE TO SPEAK TO CONSUL GENERAL DR. BASIL BRYAN BUT WAS TOLD THAT HE WAS NOT IN OFFICE. Click here to return to Jamaicans United Against Police Brutality homepage. |