The police, and above all the army, are in operation and have carried out assaults in several Kingston neighbourhoods since Monday morning. The security forces are currently controlling areas on the outskirts of Tivoli Gardens, but have still not arrested "Dudus" (see news of 24/05/2010). Some say he is no longer in Tivoli.
The tension, barricades and clashes have spread to other Kingston neighbourhoods and as far as Spanish Town, west of the capital.
Earl Witter, the Jamaican equivalent of an ombudsman, has been able to confirm 44 deaths, mostly young men. He does not rule out, however, that other bodies will be recovered as the hours go by. The "Public Defender" was also able to visit Tivoli Gardens with representatives of the Jamaican Red Cross to report on the living conditions of the population and to ensure that intervention procedures were being respected.
On the political front, the opposition is already demanding accountability: it accuses the government of taking advantage of the state of emergency to eliminate from certain neighbourhoods those euphemistically referred to on the island as "criminal elements".
To better understand the Jamaican situation, you can read our Focus: behind the Dudus affair.
Source: Photo : The Gleaner