A MOUNTAIN VIEW OF JAMAICAS POLITICAL VIOLENCE

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINGSTON 001237

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CAR, DS/IP/WHA, DS/IP/ITA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/03/2017
TAGS: ASEC ECON JM PGOV PREL SNAR SOCI XL KPAO
SUBJECT: A MOUNTAIN VIEW OF JAMAICAS POLITICAL VIOLENCE


Classified By: EDWARD WEHRLI REASON 1.5 (b) and (d)

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Summary
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1. (U) Following an ebb in years of extreme election violence
of the 1980's, many Jamaicans predict that the current
ongoing national campaign may see an upturn in violence. Thus
far, the political seems to be concentrated in constituencies
of South East Saint Andrew, East Saint Andrew, and East
Kingston. Spanning but not completely encompassing these
three constituencies is a historically volatile area called
Mountain View. It is not close to corporate Kingston, and
tourists have no reason to visit the area, but Mountain View
Avenue, the main road that spans the three constituencies, is
a corridor to and from Kingston's Norman Manley International
Airport. Much of the violence in Mountain View is not
necessarily politically motivated; however, given the
pervasive nature of politics in Jamaica, very few things,
especially violence, are without some political influence.
Election and political violence in Jamaica may involve
innocent bystanders who happen to be caught in the crossfire,
but there have been no known occurrences of foreigners being
targeted in political or election violence. End Summary.

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History of Mountain View
How did it come to this?
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2. (U) Until the late 1970s, Mountain View Avenue was a
desirable middle-class area with good views from the
hillside. After the 1980s, many houses were abandoned. After
the increase of political violence leading up to the 1980s
general elections, today Mountain View is a low-income
neighborhood whose registered voters are either unemployed or
self-employed carpenters/plumbers/painters. Wareika Hill,
which has many caves and overlooks the Mountain View area,
was once a flourishing cultural center but is now a hideout
for gunmen.


3. (U) Mountain View consists of pockets of Jamaica Labor
Party(JLP) and People's National Party (PNP)-aligned
communities in close proximity. It is not uncommon to see
streets branded alternatively with orange or green flags
(Note: Orange is the representative color of the People's
National Party(PNP) and green is representative of the
Jamaica Labor Party (JLP). End note). The rival political
communities who live on either side of Mountain View Avenue,
one of the main routes to Kingston,s international airport,
often begin firing at each other without warning thus,
putting passing pedestrians and motorists in danger.


4. (U) The entire area spans but does not encompass
completely, three volatile constituencies: East Saint
Andrew, South-East Saint Andrew, and East Kingston. In 2002,
the JLP MP St. Aubyn Bartlett won East Saint Andrew, a
formerly solid PNP constituency. In the current election,
Barlett is challenged by university professor and PNP Senator
Trevor Munroe, who reportedly is making strides in the
constituency because Bartlett is perceived as an invisible,
non-performing representative of his constituents. The PNP
may well win this seat back. PNP MP and Minister of Education
& Youth Maxine Henry-Wilson represents the second
constituency of South East Saint Andrew. Long considered a
safe seat for the PNP, they have won it for the past 20
years; however, Maxine Henry-Wilson won by only a narrow
margin during the last election and, she is facing a strong
challenge from JLP candidate Joan Gordon Webley. Investment,
Technology, Energy, and Commerce Minister PNP MP Philip
Paulwell represents the third constituency of East Kingston,
also considered a safe PNP seat. The JLP candidate is Peter
Sangster.

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What is the situation today?
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5. (U) Since the announcement of elections, there have been
several reported incidents of violence in and around Mountain
View. On July 18th, shots were fired at a car driven by Joan
Gordon Webley;no one was injured. On the evening of July 20,
two people were shot and injured in the Jarret Lane and
Saunders Avenue area of Mountain View. According to the
police, the two injured persons were caught in a crossfire
that started at 5pm and continued for several hours. Saunders
Avenue and Jarret Lane are PNP-affiliated areas off Mountain
View Avenue, while Jacques Road is a traditional JLP
affiliated area.


6. (SBU) The violence seems to have climaxed with the death
of Sanjay Ebanks, who was the office manager for
Gordon-Webley, on July 19. Three weeks before the Ebanks
murder, Courtney Gooden, a JLP activist was fatally shot.
Speaking privately with EMBOFF, Dwight Nelson, Spokesperson
for the JLP, claimed Mr. Gooden had been the first JLP
activist killed in Woodford Park, and said he knows it was
done by PNP activists, because his sister, a PNP supporter,
was an eyewitness. Mr. Nelson did not go as far as saying the
murder was political, because Mr. Gooden had a number of
personal differences with a number of people. In the case of
Sanjay Ebanks, Mr. Nelson said speculation seems to be that
it was a politically motivated murder. There were eye
witnesses, according to Mr. Nelson, able to identify at least
two PNP activists, but they have been threatened and since
have gone into hiding.


7. (U) The violence in Mountain View is emblematic of much of
the violent crime that occurs in Jamaica. Yet it is a unique
constituency, because there are pockets of 400 or fewer
people, off Mountain View Avenue, who are of opposing
political party affiliations. The residents of this area all
know each other, as they have grown up and gone to school
together. Often when disagreements start, they can escalate,
become violent, and erupt along political lines. Besides
those directly involved, people walking or driving in or
around the area when the violence erupts get shot in the
crossfire. This is especially common because Mountain View
Avenue can be used as a convenient route to get to and from
Norman Manley International Airport, the main airport in
Kingston. There have been no reported cases of violence
directed against tourists or foreigners in this area.


8. (SBU) Along with the suspected political violence in the
East Saint Andrew constituency, there is also gang violence
in adjoining constituencies of East Saint Andrew and East
Kingston. While this gang violence does not seem to be
politically motivated, it is difficult to distinguish between
the two. For example, in East Saint Andrew, there have been
violent shootings stemming from gang rivalries in the
community. On July 23, three persons were shot, one fatally.
The three were victims of the crossfire between the many
gangs in the area. The situation is further complicated,
because the residents of Mountain View area often defend the
gangs against the police, who enter the area to apprehend
suspected gang members and criminals. The residents exhibit
loyalty to the gangs because of a combination of intimidation
and the desire to share their booty. Because of Jamaica,s
bloody electoral history, and because the Jamaica
Constabulary Force has in the past used its muscle to support
political causes and candidates intervention by the police in
an apolitical criminal situation nowadays almost
automatically, in the minds of many Jamaicans, carries a
political overtone. On July 23, as reported by Radio
Jamaica, the police were accused by PNP supporters of bias in
favor of JLP supporters in the neighboring community.

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Official Jamaican Reaction
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9. (C) On July 27th Charge James Heg spoke with Minister of
National Security and member of the PNP Peter Philips
regarding election violence. Philips expressed concern about
the negative tone of the campaign as well as the long
campaign period (Note: Philips also expressed concern about a
decision made by party leader Portia Simpson-Miller (PM)
regarding the length of the campaign, a very controversial
issue. The concern he espresses is suggestive, because the
two bitterly contested the party leadership position when
former PM P.J. Patterson resigned just over a year ago. End
note.) Philips expressed optimism regarding the Jamaica
Constabulary Force(JCF). He thought the JCF were handling the
current outbreaks of violence with diligence. He pointed to
citizens' groups that are trying to calm the atmosphere and
church groups that are calling for a meeting between the
Prime Minister and Bruce Golding, leader of the opposition.
In closing, Philips expressed concern specifically about the
areas of East Saint Andrews, Saint Thomas, and South East
Saint Elizabeth.


10. (SBU) Regional Security Officer (RSO) has been meeting
with Jamaica's National Security Advisor and senior police
officials to discuss election violence, especially along
Mountain View Avenue. RSO has been advised that extra police
patrols have been deployed along this road, and that police
checkpoints have been used to target criminal suspects in the
area. This has resulted in vehicular traffic being re-routed
away from this area when violence and gunfire have occurred.
The U.S. Embassy has advised its employees of the dangers of
driving on Mountain View Avenue. The Consular Information
Sheet for Jamaica also advises American citizens about the
gang violence and shootings that occur in this and other
areas of Kingston.


11. (C) In a meeting between withNarcotics Affairs Officer
and Regional Security Officer, Deputy Commissioner of Police
Mark Shields, stated that the JCF was concerened not only
about pre-election violence, but also about post-election
violence, particulary in close, constituencies that might
change hands from PNP to JLP, or vice versa. Shields comments
were echoed in an August 3 meeting between the Acting DCM,
NAS Director, ICE Attache and Ministry of National Security
staff; both the Ministry's Permant Secretary, Gilbert Scott,
and the Minister's Special Advisor on Intelligence and
Security, Vincent (Dave) Anderson, expressed their concerns
about pre- and post-election violence.


12. (U) In a press conference on July 18, the Police High
Command of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) announced
plans to prepare for potential election violence. About
12,000 polling station security assistants or one-day
policemen have been recruited to assist police. The High
Command also has suspended leave for officers effective July

31. All vacations after July 31 will be suspended, and those
officers on vacation will be recalled to duty. The Deputy
Commissioner also identified specific communities that will
receive special attention because of their history of
election violence. On July 28-29, the Jamaica Defense Force
(JDF) had an election exercise in which they blanketed the
island's polling stations, counting centers, and nomination
centers so that troops would be familiar with their
surroundings on election day.


JOHNSON