SEVERAL days after security forces and gunmen traded bullets inside their community, residents in Tivoli Gardens were yesterday still suffering from shell shock.
“In all my life living in Jamaica this is the worst thing I have every heard happening in any community in the country,” senior citizen Annett Hylton told the Sunday Observer yesterday.
Seventy-six people, including three members of the security forces, were killed last week during the stand-off between security forces and men loyal to reputed don Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke; prompting Hylton to liken the events to “genocide”.
Up to yesterday, the police said 58 people — 30 soldiers and 28 cops — had been injured. The joint police/military team also seized 28 illegal weapons; 8,885 rounds of assorted ammunition; explosive devices; as well as police and military uniforms and paraphernalia.
As families inside Tivoli Gardens attempted to pick up what was left of their lives, they all had one topic on their lips — death.
They all declined to give their names, but were willing to talk.
Scores of residents related that “death came” mainly for young men between the ages 17 and 35.
“You don’t see the community? Look how the place empty, a few men left in a de place,” said one woman, who remarked that she felt like the community had been neglected, “as all stood by” and allowed their community “to be attacked”.
Scores of young boys, who said they were “fed up”, were also seen packing up their belongings and leaving the community yesterday. Some of them vowed never to return.
“A leave me a leave this place, yu nuh si how them just come in an kill off the young youth them? Man can’t stay here so and survive,” one young man told the Sunday Observer.
Yesterday, large groups of soldiers and police closely monitored the area as residents moved about. All who came in and out of the community had to stop at checkpoints, showing some form of identification.
Over on Keith’s Avenue, residents alleged that soldiers kicked in their doors and stole items from their homes.
“That is one of the reason why me never leave,” said one male resident. Adding that “as soon as you leave, them come take over yuh house and steal all you belongings.”
The resident also explained that when instructions were given by police for persons to leave the community, two things happened.
“When me hear people a talk ’bout why we never leave, is days after we hear about that. When them give out instruction, nuff people never hear because them cut off all light ina the community. No radio, no TV was working,” the resident said.
He also claimed that many residents felt it was a trap, as they came under heavy gunfire when they attempted to leave their houses.
Several metres away in an area called Vincent Path, several women were yesterday observed crying. Confirmation had just come that “a few more young men” from the community had not been in the detention centre as they had hoped, but were instead in the morgue.
“Me just hear say the lady who live around the road lose her two sons,” said one woman. This was followed by screams of horror, as the women wept openly.
Meanwhile, a curfew was yesterday imposed in sections of the Corporate Area (Police Divisions within Area 4). It was set to run from 6:00 pm to 6:00 am.
Areas covered by the curfew were as follows:
* North along Nathan to Seventh Streets, to Asquith Street and Studley Road;
* West along Maxfield Avenue from Spanish Town Road to Nathan Street;
* South along Spanish Town Road from Maxfield Avenue to Industrial Terrace to Marcus Garvey Drive to Port Royal Street;
* East along Slipe Pen Road and Princess Street.
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