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   07/05/08
Text Box: Xtra-News Jamaica Peace at last in the Jungle “Peace! Peace! Peace at last!” is the anthem of the people of Jungle and its enclaves of Craig Town, Hannah Town and Jones Town – in the constituency of South St. Andrew. The fragile peace in the strife stricken community has been holding from before the September 3 election and residents are hoping and praying that this time it will be a lasting one. The feud between rival gangs broke out in 2004 and continued into 2007. Several persons lost their lives, schools were disrupted, businesses closed down and there was a mass exodus of persons from the community. Several allegations have been made as to what triggered the bloody feud among gangs from various sections of the community. Some reports are that the infighting was started by persons fighting to control turf, while some said it was over a gun that was held by men who refused to return the weapon to its owner. Another report suggested that some gang members didn’t like the leadership style of an area leader and became breakaway factions who then teamed up with other influential persons to take control of the area. There are also allegations that the feud was triggered by the revenue intake at the Tony Spaulding Complex, which at the time was raking in big bucks from big matches staged there and only “one set of man was eating food.” Several peace talks led by Member of Parliament Omar Davies, prominent residents of the community and hierarchy members of the security forces fell through as rival gang members continued to unleash terror on the area. With the security forces maintaining a strong presence in the community, gang members shifted their terror tactics to surrounding areas and recruited persons from outside the area to wreak havoc. This notwithstanding, the police were successful in reducing the gangs’ impact with some prominent members killed in shootouts, while some were apprehended and are now serving time in prison. Several residents of Jones Town told XtraNews that, “Things is nice again. No shot not firing and the place a run good.” One man who spoke on condition of anonymity said, “Di war did haffi done. A JLP in now an dem naw guh siddung an meck wan lickle community meck dem look like dem nuh have crime and violence under control. Police a guh get out all a di don and troublemekker dem. Yuh nuh hear Mark Shields say when him done wid dons inna Jamaica, a ongle ‘Claren’-don a go bi the only don. Yuh tink a joke him a meck.” He went on to tell XtraNews that people from Craig Town, Jones Town, Site (Torrington Park) and Top Jungle are walking freely throughout the community. However, one not so optimistic woman said that she was not going to stay in the area for another round of war. “Dis yah peace cyaan bruck anytime cause no gun amnesty no gwaan. It only teck one simple mistake fi hell bruck loose again. Man still a pree dem one another,” she said. Intense operations by the security forces saw some of the gangsters fleeing to nearby communities and some of them even switching political allegiance as they claim “dem set police on wi.” The police were at times even accused of “taking side”. Head of the Kingston Western Division, Superintendent Delroy Hewitt, last week told XtraNews that, “The peace seems to holding. The only place in the community we are having a little problem with is the section called ‘Zimbabwe’ where gang members of neighbouring Ramsay Road in the Maxfield Park area have teamed up with splintering gangs from Jones Town and Mexico, and this is of some concern to us.” Superintendent Hewitt added that, “The people of Jones Town, Craig Town, Top Jungle and elsewhere are sick and tired of the violence and have decided to give peace a chance. I must commend them for taking this initiative as it can only mean good for them and their families.” “The security forces will continue to make their presence felt in the area as we are bent on restoring law and order to every nook and cranny.” Last Revised: 10/9/2007 1 2

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