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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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