Kingston – The nation’s security forces have been commended for demonstrating bravery in challenging lawless elements across sections of the corporate area. Both the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) and the Jamaica Defence Force have been battling thugs aligned to Tivoli Gardens don Christopher “Dudus” Coke, who is wanted in the United States on charges of drug and gun trafficking. Five members of these forces – three soldiers and two policemen – have been killed and 14 others injured by gunmen attempting to prevent the security forces from gaining access to Coke who has barricaded himself in Tivoli Gardens. Commissioner of Police Owen Ellington yesterday advised men and women under his command to take swift and decisive action to protect themselves in the face of orchestrated attacks on police personnel and facilities by criminal gunmen supporting Coke. “Do not hesitate to respond quickly and take decisive action when attacked by these criminals as it is now patently clear that they are hell-bent on causing mayhem in the society by their calculated, vile and cold actions against police personnel,” Ellington told the police early yesterday morning. The directives of Ellington came after two policemen were killed and six others shot on Mountain View Avenue on Sunday night. At the same time, Opposition Leader Portia Simpson Miller expressed condolences to the families and members of the JCF. “I am saddened to have heard of the death of two police officers. The policemen gave their lives in the service of defending our nation from criminals,” Simpson Miller said. She also wished for a speedy recovery for the officers injured in the line of duty. Dwight Nelson, the Minister of National Security, also extended condolences to the family, friends and loved ones of the two policemen. He said the police made the ultimate sacrifice with their lives in the pursuit of their duties to uphold law and order. Nelson vowed that the armed criminals would not prevail in the war that they have been waging against law and order. “We will not be deterred, we will not back down,” said Nelson. “We are determined to crush criminality.” Peter Bunting, the opposition spokesman on national security, said that police have “exercised restraint and, in some cases, have been heroic in their response to this concerted assault on the state and its citizens”. He said that now was the time for all people of goodwill to support the security forces in their lawful response to the criminal organisations. Meanwhile, human rights group Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ) said it was deeply disturbed and saddened by the deadly attacks on members of the security forces. “The lawlessness displayed in some areas and by some persons since the announcement that the extradition request for Christopher “Dudus” Coke would be signed are utterly deplorable and cannot be tolerated in a free and democratic society. “They have resulted in severe breaches of the rights of other citizens and been an assault on the rule of law. These lawless activities have culminated in the brazen assault on police and police stations in sections of the corporate area and severe disruption of the lives of many thousands of persons. This cannot be permitted to continue,” JFJ said. (Jamaica Gleaner)
