Buchanan questions detention, due process in Cooper’s Pen demolition

WESTERN BUREAU: Opposition spokesman on human rights, Isat Buchanan, has raised serious questions about the treatment of residents during the demolition operation at Cooper’s Pen, Trelawny, alleging that up to 30 men were detained for approximately 13 hours as authorities moved into the informal settlement early Tuesday morning.

Buchanan, who accompanied Opposition Leader Mark Golding and other members of his team on a visit to the community on Thursday, acknowledged the rights of private property owners but insisted that those rights did not remove the State’s obligation to observe due process.

“Notwithstanding that there are private property rights, there is process and procedure,” Buchanan said.

“The Government has a duty to maintain human dignity and deal with the processes, even as simple as the notice period.”

He said particular attention should be paid to the circumstances surrounding the detention of several men in the community.

“There were at least 19 to 30 men who would have been detained at 3 a.m. for 13 hours, fingerprints taken, photos taken, phones [taken],” Buchanan alleged.

He argued that the circumstances raised questions about the residents’ right to privacy as well as possible “false imprisonment and wrongful detention”.

“These are issues that touch and concern the Government’s responsibility,” he said.

The informal settlers said they were shocked and traumatised by the incident, noting that they were given little or no opportunity to remove their belongings before the demolition exercise began about 3:00 am.

About 20 homes were demolished. Residents said furniture, appliances, clothing, tools and other possessions were destroyed, while one business owner reported losing equipment and stock.

The detained men, who were taken to the Falmouth Police Station and later released, said they were told police were searching for guns but were not charged or processed.

The residents acknowledged that they did not own the land but complained that they should have been given adequate notice to retrieve their belongings.

- Janet Silvera

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