Crime the target - PM announces West Kingston enquiry

Patterson

A COMMISSION of Enquiry into the recent civil conflict in West Kingston, which left at least 25 people dead, was formally announced by Prime Minister P.J. Patterson during a broadcast to the nation last night.

However, the terms of reference and the membership of the commission will not be known until later this week.

The Prime Minister had hinted on Thursday during a ground-breaking ceremony for a housing development in St. Catherine, that he was considering the establishment of a body with the requisite skills and appropriate terms of reference to thoroughly examine all aspects of the matter.

"Based on the unprecedented nature and magnitude of these events I have concluded that a Commission of Enquiry is necessary. Jamaica and indeed the whole world must know exactly what transpired," Mr. Patterson said last night.

He explained that the commission will have broad terms of reference and will be "charged to enquire into the causes and circumstances, which resulted in such an upsurge of violence and created the ravages arising in the aftermath."

It will also be mandated to propose concrete steps in light of previous recommendations and current policy initiatives to see how "quickly and decisively" the battle against criminal behaviour can be won. According to the Prime Minister, the commission "must be allowed to get to the root of the matter".

Opposition Leader Edward Seaga has insisted he will not hold talks with the Prime Minister until he agrees to a Commission of Enquiry. But it was not immediately clear last night whether the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) leader had changed his position.

Mr. Patterson used the opportunity of the broadcast to defend the security forces which have come under sustained criticisms from several quarters, including the JLP, since the ill-fated operation led by Senior Superinten-dent Reneto Adams, Head of the controversial Crime Management Unit. He was the officer in charge of the unit that went into West Kingston near Tivoli Courts in Tivoli Gardens, as well as Denham Town in the early hours of Saturday, July 7, reportedly in search of guns and gunmen.

The security forces reportedly came under heavy and sustained fire from heavily-armed men, from several directions. During the exchange of gunfire which lasted over two days, 25 persons, including two members of the security forces were shot and killed. Two other policemen lost their lives during roadblocks precipitated by the incidents in West Kingston.

In the wake of the incident, Mr. Seaga has called for the removal of SSP Adams.

But the Prime Minister has thrown his support behind the security forces. "Let it be clearly understood. We stand firmly behind our security forces and the mandate given to them to maintain law and order throughout the country," he said. He reiterated his Government's intention to provide the necessary resources wherever there were weaknesses in terms of training, equipment and technical know-how. He said help would be sought overseas to bolster the effectiveness of the security forces in dealing with "new and unaccustomed forms of criminal terrorism".

Mr. Patterson, at the same time, said excesses by the security forces would not be condoned by his Government.

In clear reference to Mr. Seaga, the Prime Minister asserted that no leader or community could exclude the police from carrying out their legal duty to preserve the peace, detect crime and apprehend those found committing or reasonably suspected of criminal offences. "The rule of law must be supervised by the police and not determined by 'dons' of any kind or private armies of any organisation or entity," he said.

The Prime Minister brushed aside arguments that the more than two months of violence in West Kingston, which has claimed more than 40 lives, was politically motivated. He also dismissed claims that the police presence in the area was based on political instructions.

Instead, he said the security forces were not only shot at but were at one time outnumbered and pinned down for hours, by what he called "new levels of criminality spurred by international dimensions ... dedicated to overwhelm our security forces and any institutions which stand in their way". He said "this is a clear challenge to our security forces by paramilitary groups, well-organised, highly-armed and determined to confront the nation's security forces."

Mr. Patterson said "no one can be allowed to dictate to the security forces when they should enter a particular area, when they should leave, or where they can search. The security forces cannot accept conditional safe passage out of any troubled area in the midst of their operations."

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