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Soldiers saluted for respect in west Kingston
Published: Tuesday | June 8, 2010 0 Comments and 0 Reactions
Arthur Hall, Gleaner Writer
Police and millitary personnel on the ground in sections of west
Kingston under curfew since Sunday have received high marks for their conduct from several residents of the area.
"The soldier them cool. Them a do them work and them no diss we," a woman said as she sat outside a bar on Luke Lane yesterday afternoon.
"Me no have no problem with them and me wish them would stay here forever," said Mitchell, who was also sitting at premises on Luke Lane.
"Them no deal with me no way but them lick off the lock pon mi house inside the lane (Matthews Lane)," a man said, while at his stall on Princess Street.
"But me expect that because me did over mi woman and nobody never deh home, so them lick off the lock fi go in deh but nothing no destroy," he added.
Across the road, a woman criticised the actions of two policemen even as she heaped praise on the army. She claimed that the cops were indecorous and rude.
"But the soldier them was so nice. Me only vex say them a cut off the light and water," she added, in reference to illegal utility connections.
Metres away, at premises which serve as a nail salon and a residence, another woman applauded the soldiers for their conduct.
"Them come in and tell me fi open the drawer them and them search and then them ask me who and me live, and me tell them mi babyfather. Them go upstairs to him, ask him where him work, search the room and look pon him ID and lef'. Them never trouble we," the woman said, while her dreadlocked common-law husband looked on.
The story was similar across the community, and an elderly Rastafarian was quick to offer his explanation as to why the operation was different from the incursion into Tivoli Gardens and adjoining areas two weeks ago.
"After no road never block 'round here and nobody never try stop them from do them work. If the road them did block, it would be the same," the Rastafarian said.
More than 260 persons, mainly young men, were detained by the security forces as they moved into Matthews Lane and nearby communities on Sunday. Most of those detained were processed and released by yesterday.
Four firearms and 140 rounds of ammunition were also seized during the operation. But there was no report of gunfire and no one was injured when the security forces cordoned off the area early Sunday morning.
That was in stark contrast to Tivoli Gardens and its outskirts, where 73 civilians and one soldier were killed in a half-weeklong battle which erupted when the security forces stormed the community on Monday, May 24.
Two weeks later, allegations of misconduct and extrajudicial killings are still being levelled at the police and soldiers.
Published: Tuesday | June 8, 2010 0 Comments and 0 Reactions
Arthur Hall, Gleaner Writer
Police and millitary personnel on the ground in sections of west
Kingston under curfew since Sunday have received high marks for their conduct from several residents of the area.
"The soldier them cool. Them a do them work and them no diss we," a woman said as she sat outside a bar on Luke Lane yesterday afternoon.
"Me no have no problem with them and me wish them would stay here forever," said Mitchell, who was also sitting at premises on Luke Lane.
"Them no deal with me no way but them lick off the lock pon mi house inside the lane (Matthews Lane)," a man said, while at his stall on Princess Street.
"But me expect that because me did over mi woman and nobody never deh home, so them lick off the lock fi go in deh but nothing no destroy," he added.
Across the road, a woman criticised the actions of two policemen even as she heaped praise on the army. She claimed that the cops were indecorous and rude.
"But the soldier them was so nice. Me only vex say them a cut off the light and water," she added, in reference to illegal utility connections.
Metres away, at premises which serve as a nail salon and a residence, another woman applauded the soldiers for their conduct.
"Them come in and tell me fi open the drawer them and them search and then them ask me who and me live, and me tell them mi babyfather. Them go upstairs to him, ask him where him work, search the room and look pon him ID and lef'. Them never trouble we," the woman said, while her dreadlocked common-law husband looked on.
The story was similar across the community, and an elderly Rastafarian was quick to offer his explanation as to why the operation was different from the incursion into Tivoli Gardens and adjoining areas two weeks ago.
"After no road never block 'round here and nobody never try stop them from do them work. If the road them did block, it would be the same," the Rastafarian said.
More than 260 persons, mainly young men, were detained by the security forces as they moved into Matthews Lane and nearby communities on Sunday. Most of those detained were processed and released by yesterday.
Four firearms and 140 rounds of ammunition were also seized during the operation. But there was no report of gunfire and no one was injured when the security forces cordoned off the area early Sunday morning.
That was in stark contrast to Tivoli Gardens and its outskirts, where 73 civilians and one soldier were killed in a half-weeklong battle which erupted when the security forces stormed the community on Monday, May 24.
Two weeks later, allegations of misconduct and extrajudicial killings are still being levelled at the police and soldiers.
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