Letter of the Day | Settle Maroon sovereignty claim amicably

THE EDITOR, Madam:

The claim of the Maroons to sovereignty has resulted in clashes with the police, without any ensuing casualties; however, further confrontations may occur, leading to serious injury or death. No one wants such an outcome.

It may be said that the Maroons’ claim can be settled in the courts. But the issues arising from their claim transcend the courtroom. After all, the Maroons occupy an important and pivotal place in our history and culture. They were the first colonised enslaved group to defeat the British or any other European slaveholding country, 65 years before the enslaved in Haiti defeated the French. They were the first colonised people to defeat the British, 30 years before the Indians – who were not enslaved – in the famous Anglo-Mysore war, 1767-1769. The fact that they agreed with the British to return enslaved runaways does not nullify the significance of their achievement, though I believe their leadership should be more forthcoming in seeking a rapprochement with the Jamaican people about this regrettable part of their history; something akin to a truth and reconciliation process may be needed.

I represented Jamaica in international fora for several decades. I cannot tell you how many times I described to my foreign counterparts how the Maroons courageously employed crafty military strategies which forced the British to sue for peace.

In order to promote a clearer understanding of the interests of the Maroons, the Government should establish a committee to examine and report within a short time on the several issues that arise from the Maroons’ claim to sovereignty. This committee should consist of a lawyer with an excellent grasp of constitutional law and international law, an eminent historian, and a distinguished sociologist or anthropologist.

JUSTICE PATRICK ROBINSON