State of emergency declared in Jamaica

Entry points to Coke’s community of Tivoli Gardens, which is also in Golding’s West Kingston constituency, has been barricaded ever since the Prime Minister announced last week that he had given the green light to start the process to extradite the wanted

KINGSTON, Jamaica, Monday May 24, 2010 – A state of public emergency has been declared in Jamaica’s capital, Kingston and the parish of St Andrew as violence – including attacks on police stations – erupts over efforts to extradite Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke. 

But Prime Minister Bruce Golding, who took the decision after an emergency Cabinet meeting yesterday, has sought to assure citizens that the threats to their safety will be driven back “with strong and decisive action” by the country's security forces.

The state of emergency will remain in force for a month, unless revoked or extended by Parliament.

In an address to the nation last night, Golding explained that the state of emergency would enable the security forces to exercise extraordinary powers.

"These include the power to restrict the freedom of movement, search premises and detain persons suspected of involvement in unlawful activities without warrant," the Prime Minister explained.

"These are necessary measures to restore order to a community that is now threatened. The security forces will be moving swiftly to bring the situation under control. Criminal elements bent on violence and mayhem will be detained and processed; the criminal elements who have placed the society under siege will not be allowed to triumph.” 

Calculated assault on authority

Golding said that since yesterday morning, violent, orchestrated attacks have been launched on a number of police stations, with two members of the security forces being shot and injured.

The Prime Minister described the situation as "a calculated assault on the authority of the state that cannot be tolerated, and will not be allowed to continue".

Entry points to Coke’s community of Tivoli Gardens, which is also in Golding’s West Kingston constituency, has been barricaded ever since the Prime Minister announced last week that he had given the green light to start the process to extradite the wanted man to the United States on face gun and drug trafficking charges. He had previously resisted the request, which was made since last August, because he said the US authorities had gathered evidence against Coke illegally. 

Coke is a supporter of Golding’s Jamaica Labour Party and a strongman in his community. The Prime Minister’s change of heart has left Coke’s supporters angry and they’ve been protesting the extradition, some of them even vowing to give their lives to protect a man who they say is “next to God” and has fed them and sent their children to school.

Life has been severely disrupted in the area, with even the Jamaica Urban Transit Company withdrawing its bus service from downtown Kingston.

But in his Sunday night address, Prime Minister Golding insisted that "the city is not being shut down”.

“People are assured that they are free to move about and go to work as usual,” he said. "The security forces have been instructed to observe and respect the rights of citizens to go about their lawful business,” he added, although noting that “there will be some inconvenience as the security forces intensify their surveillance and efforts to ferret out the criminals and return the Corporate Area to a state of calm.”

"I appeal to all law-abiding citizens to remain calm and support these necessary measures. My government is determined that Jamaica must be a land of peace, order and security," Golding said.

US, UK, Canada issue travel alerts

In addition to affecting travel to and from the affected areas, the unstable security situation could also have a major impact on the country’s tourism sector.

Just days after Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett said that the Coke extradition matter had not resulted in any fallout for the industry, three major source markets have issued warnings on Jamaica.

The US State Department has issued a travel alert for US citizens travelling to, and for those living and working in the country and both the British and Canadian High Commissions have updated travel advice on their websites, warning citizens about the possibility of civil unrest in Kingston.

Against the background of the travel advisories, the National Works Agency has assured the public that all major corridors, including that to the Norman Manley International Airport will be kept open to vehicular access.