"Blood run done, CEASE, NOW PEACE".
5 December 2002
To the Editor (Garfield Grandison), The Gleaner Company Ltd, PO Box 40, 7 North Street,
Kingstown
Fax: 922 6223 - Email letters@gleanerjm.com
Copies: To anyone I can think of that seems appropriate.
The Editor, Sir:
I have come back to Jamaica to bury a member of my family who was violently robbed and
brutally murdered in cold blood.
I am sad to find the war zone state that this land of my birth is now in; indeed before
coming here I was somewhat afraid. Our beautiful Island paradise is in danger of becoming
a wasteland like Afghanistan. The war is for the hearts and minds of men, and a mindset
based upon greed and lack of respect for life of a small minority of the population, who
do sometimes corrupt others.
I would like to add some suggestions (by asking and begging certain favors of certain
people) to the multi strategy approach that needs to be adopted to return Jamaica to
peace. To end the war and reduce the violence in Jamaica it will take a combination of
measures that have been discussed at length, such as poverty reduction, youth employment,
changing the messages of covetousness and violence broadcast by some media (I have
estimated that with the lots of TV I watch, I will have probably seen more people die that
all of my past generations put together.), capital punishment, justice, improved detection
and prosecution (where the law is not enforced anarchy will reign), higher moral and
ethical leadership, return to religious and other higher values, the carrot and the stick
etc. etc.
In summary I would like to ask everyone to try their best to agree, declare, implement,
monitor and enforce a ceasefire for the whole of next year 2003. It will help to reduce
the killings and play a major role in the decade of the culture of peace that we are now
in. To end a war and gain peace somewhere along the line you must have a ceasefire.
I have called the campaign "Blood run done, CEASE, NOW PEACE". People may be
able to give it a better name.
I would like to ask and appeal:
1. To Civil Society to support the Arms Reduction Coalition (ARC) (see www.action-for-un-renewal.org.uk )
international campaign calling for the states of the United Nations (UN) to agree a
legally binding instrument requiring member states to reduce the amount of resources spent
on arms by between one and five percent per year for a period of 10 to 25 years. I hope
you agree this is a reasonable request. Especially as it is based on Article 26 of the UN
charter wherein states commit to and charge the Security Council (SC) " to promote
the establishment and maintenance of international peace and security with the least
diversion for armaments of the world's human and economic resources". ARC was
officially launched in the UK parliament in June 2002. Even a 1% reduction in the US$840
billion (JA$42 trillion) spent on armaments last year, will provide over US$8 billion per
year (over US$80 billion over 10 years) that will make a positive difference to earthism
programmes such as poverty reduction, sustainable development, conflict prevention,
peaceful resolution of conflict, protecting the vulnerable, maintaining the environment,
and effective implementation and still leave over US$830 billion per year (over US$8,300
billion over 10 years) to be spent on things to kill people. I hope Civil Society will
support ARC (perhaps even forming their own ARC group here) and the Government will add
whatever support it can to it at the UN.
2. Everyone, If you see an illegal Gun then smash it up; bruk it up so that it cannot kill
anyone else. We need to reduce the amount of guns in the country as guns are made to and
do kill people.
3. To the young people especially men who find guns attractive or are attracted to guns,
Young man, Turn away, turn away from the path of destruction. Young man, Turn away, turn
away from the guns of death. If on average people who study hard and learn dem book and
get good qualification or go through the pains and toils of apprenticeship to learn a
trade and become a craftsman, earns US$10,000 per year more than others, how much is that
worth in total over your working life. Plus you have yu liberty, yu noh lock up a jail and
yu get to live past 30 years old.
4. To the Trigger Happy Ugly Thief (THUT). Me Seh. Yu mumma never born yu Fe thief. Excuse
me; if you don't understand the vernacular, let me translate. Your mother did not bear you
for nine months, give birth to you, nurse and nurture you for you to grow up to steal,
rob, and murder. Yu mumma never born yu Fe be a murderer.
5. To the dons and leaders of the gangs and posses. If your life here on earth is to have
any meaning, then declare a ceasefire for the whole of next year 2003. This means
agreeing, declaring, implementing, monitoring and enforcing a cease-fire. No gun shots for
a whole year. Imagine how much benefit that would bring to the whole of society. To every
one including the possies who's greatest problem is the gun. After a gun is fired you not
only bring down your enemies upon you but also the security forces. I give you a choice,
declare a cease fire for the whole of next year and do something useful with your life
here on earth. Or continue with the cocaine trade, gun crimes and remain another poisoning
evil criminal murderer. Tell THUT if him a gunslinger, sling him gun under house bottom
for 2003, if him carry gun a pocket, just rest it under him pillow and leave it a yard.
Consider this request deeply, as the only disadvantage I can see to it is the validity you
will get if you can deliver.
6. To dem people associated with THUT, don't take any of THUT's money. Ask whey him get
any money him a give you. Because if you accept it you will be guilty of the crime of
receiving / handling stolen goods. A blood money. In some case you will become the
equivalent of those birds that feed on the flesh. If THUT is your friend, end that
friendship now or be always prepared to die. Because the reason he is a THUT is he is evil
and covetousness and will sooner or later kill you for one reason or another. The poverty
story only works up to a point. Over one of the worlds six billions people live in extreme
poverty. A noh all a dem a tief and murderer. The vast vast majority struggle with life
and bear their burdens like the rest of us. De bad seed inna THUT and dem woman will have
to work hard fe get it out a fe dem generation. Dem woman have to careful because some a
dem sell poison to kill people and mash up dem life.
7. Although like all of us, they have some of God in them, they are so controlled by sins
and devils that that has withered. Brethren pray for them. If they should lay down their
arms, surrender themselves, confess their sins and show true remorse go lightly on them.
Many of them can still be saved.
8. Everyone needs to adopt the philosophy of "do not reap what you do not sow".
Doing otherwise is unfair to the cultivator and often causes contentions, war and
violence. Ask before yu tek, and expect the answer to be no. People are very generous
(e.g. Church People read 1 Peter ch4 v 8) and will and do help when they can and feel it
appropriate. The international community can help provide some resources to help reduce
the root causes of the violence such as reducing poverty. Indeed salt fish price is so
high now because almost no more cod fish left. The whole world needs to adopt this
philosophy or else we wont have enough birds, animals, fishes, plants and trees left, and
life will no longer be sustainable on earth.
9. Everyone. Have a nice Christmas. Do what you can to help get and support the ceasefire
for 2003. After boxing day wear a flower, red outside and white inside to show you want a
ceasefire. "Blood run done, CEASE, NOW PEACE"
By Karl Miller, Secretary, Arms Reduction Coalition, C/o. Action for UN
Renewal, 3 Whitehall court, London, SW1A 2EL.
Notes:
Blood run done,Cease now peace
was a combination of:1. My ideas - Mainly the call for the ceasefire and ARC.
2. Discussions with local people. - Although I argued strongly against capital punishment many Jamaicans I spoke to wanted it - I don't believe it will solve the problem and do not advocate it. Most people I spoke to were scared, felt terrorised and very concerned by the killings and violence. Many people will not go out at night - so much so it is affecting attendance at some events. It was discussed by everyone including the newspapers, business people, radio talk shows and TV.
3. Poetic licence.
I summarised my Ideas and some of the unusual points from many of the discussions I had.
The consensus was that a multi strategy approach entailing a combination of measures is
required.
Regards ... Karl