AFTER SOME semblance of due process two men have been summarily executed by firing squad. Their crimes? Robbery and disrespect shown to the leadership of the 'state'. The state? An inner-city enclave under the rule of community dons. The two recipients of jungle justice, last week, were among four men who allegedly held up and robbed a delivery truck of more than $100,000 in cash plus goods in Craig Town, south St. Andrew.Such robberies, along with extortion, are not particularly unusual means of economic inflows into deprived communities. It is alleged that the matter was brought to the attention of community leadership who ordered that the men return the stolen goods and cash. The order was apparently a strategic diplomatic response to the heavy presence of the security forces of the Jamaican state in the area and the wish of the leadership not to have them invade their territory. The alleged robbers, perhaps over-confident in their exploits and the economic contributions made, refused. They were captured, tried and found guilty, and summarily executed. The dons are reportedly searching for the other two men allegedly involved.
Meanwhile, the One Order gang, flush with its successes in urban St. Catherine, is reported to be moving to 'organise' the town of May Pen. As we reported on Sunday, an 'official' letter is in circulation to raise funds for 'community development'. Failure to contribute will 'result in a whirlwind of problems' for any establishment. The police are investigating; but so powerful is the One Order name that the business community is gripped by fear. We must give every support to the business community in the fight against extortion. We are pleased that the May Pen business community is resisting the gang. The police must move swiftly to root out this problem. It must not be tolerated.
According to the latest Gleaner-Don Anderson poll 64 per cent of those polled in Clarendon perceive crime and violence to be the biggest problem in the parish. There has been an explosion of violence and murder mostly drug-related. Some observers believe that the Highway 2000 development has facilitated the mobility of criminal elements from Kingston and other parishes.
We have reached a stage where don rule cannot simply be written off as 'criminal' conduct. Many communities are forced to rely on these alternative arrangements for order and security, and some economic opportunity, filling in the gaps of neglect by the formal state and government.
The police say they are working with a crime pattern analyst to predict criminal activity and relying on scientific methodology. While the citizen, from business person to inner-city resident, has difficult choices to make with life and death implications, there should be no surrender to extortion. Report every threat to the police. That is a civic duty.
