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Amnesty International Report.

http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-upda ... s-20080401

Document - Jamaica: "LET THEM KILL EACH OTHER" Public Security In Jamaica`s Inner Cites Full Report. - html

........LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS 1.
SUMMARY 1.
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 4.
CHAPTER 2: BACKGROUND 8.
...The political roots of violence 10.
CHAPTER 3: LIVING WITH VIOLENCE IN THE INNER-CITY 14.
...Garrison communities:`a state within a state` 18.
...Fighting violence with violence 19.
...The stigma of belonging to an inner-city community 25.
CHAPTER 4: THE FAILURE TO PROVIDE SECURITY 29.
...Excessive use of force and impunity 30.
.....Inadequate investigations 31.
.....Other factors contributing to impunity 33.
...Lack of comprehensive security policy 35.
...Corruption 37.
...Living with fear and want 40.
...Discrimination and political violence 42.
CHAPTER 6: POLICING FOR THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS 46.
...A human rights-based police force 50.
...Human rights standards in the use of force and fire-arms 51.
CHAPTER 7: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 54.

peace

Jamaica "Let them kill each other" amnesty full report:
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset ... 0012008eng

GANGS & POLICE CRIPPLE JAMAICA`S INNER CITIES/AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL REPORT - 31 MARCH 2008:

Poor inner city Jamaicans are left at the mercy of gangs and abusive police officers who are rarely , if ever, brought to justice for human rights abuses.

A new Amnesty International report exposes how the Jamaican authorities are wilfully neglecting the poorest communities by failing to tackle the violence - and its causes - that is shattering inner cities. This particularly includes abusive policing methods that lead to hundreds of fatel shootings and extrajudicial executions.

"Poor inner city Jamaicans are paying the price of this public security crisis with their lives. They are being held hostage in an endless confrontation between gangs and police officers who kill with impunity," said Kerrie Howard, Deputy Director of Amnesty International`s Americas programme.

Jamaica has one of the highest murder rates and police killings in the Americas with around 1,500 homicides and 272 police killings in 2007. Gang leaders use the vacuum left by the absence of the state to control huge aspects of inner city people`s lives - including the collection of "taxes", allocation of jobs, distribution of food and the punishment of those who transgress gang rules.

"Criminal gangs make up a small proportion of the community population but their actions are devastating they keep thousands of people living in consistant fear and provide an excuse for government officials and the society in general to label all community members as criminals." said Kerrie Howard.

Despite violence, community members are reluctant to report abuses due to fear of reprisals by gang leaders, lack of confidence in the judicial system and mistrust of police officers working in their communities.

18-year-old Ravin Thompson was shot by police and soldiers in July 2007, while talking to his aunt at her house. The officers had been pursuing another young man who ran into the home.

Ravin`s aunt insisted on accompanying him to the hospital in the officers jeep but while on route, she claims a soldier pushed her out. When she finally arrived, Ravin was dead. The autopsy later revealed that he had four gunshot wounds. Yet Ravin`s aunt and others present at the shooting were certain he had only been injured in the arm and shoulder. They claim he was murdered in the jeep, before arriving at the hospital.

The police recorded the incident as a "shoot-out". They initiated investigations but, to Amnesty International`s knowledge, no officer has been charged in connection with Ravin`s death.

"There are many good serving police officers in Jamaica who risk their lives every day to help improve security for Jamaican citizens. However, until human rights absuers are brought to justice and corruption purged they won`t be able to make a change." said Kerrie Howard.

Amnesty International has called on the Jamaican authorities to take urgent and effective measures to tackle the underlying causes of this public security and human rights crisis - including the reduction of homicide rates in the inner cities, the introduction of human rights-based policing and the reform of the judicial system to improve access to justice.

"The conversation that needs to take place in Jamaica is no longer about `ifs` or `hows` but about when will the urgent changes be made in order to stop the crisis taking ant more lives - and the answer must be today." said Kerrie Howard.



peace

Wat a woe! always de same evil tings - babylon stop your corruption an brutality

JAH Fya will be Burning on dat Day!

BLESS

Its sad that public figures like Damian Marley have a somewhat gangster persona when gangs are killing his people.

So many tuff guys and not enough with the guts to stand against pop culture.

Yer, too busy being a pop star in the USA.
peace