Yardies, Street Corner “Dans” – 74 Dead in Kingston, Jamaica

To Americans, what is happening in Jamaica may be incomprehensible. I mean – it seems pretty rational that the Police would act to shut down gangs. But this is Jamaica – and what may seem to be one thing on the surface is quite another underneath.

Since the 70’s street gangs have operated closely with Political Parties. Or even the role of the US Government in the fray. In 1984, this led to a virtual Civil War on the streets in the same Kingston neighborhood which is the power base for drug kingpin “Dudus”. 800 people were killed.

What no one wants to talk much about today, is the relationship between Dudus’ gang, and the ruling Party.

As a historical lesson in how Jamaica got to the situation today – this video from 1984 examines the relationships between the drug gangs…

And the political parties.

Current reports vary from 45 to 74 killed so far. It is unclear how many – if any of the dead are gang members. The Jamaican Army has moved in, and gang members have set up snipers even in downtown Kingston – bringing commerce to a complete halt.

 

Jamaica – Fighting In the Streets

Jamaica: Forces Attack Gang Leader’s Stronghold

Security forces fought their way into the warren-like complex that is the slum stronghold of a Jamaican gang leader facing extradition to the United States, and sporadic gunfire could be heard late into Monday night. More than 1,000 police officers and soldiers attacked heavily armed gang members defending the western Kingston base of the gang leader, Christopher Coke, who has been indicted in the United States on drug and arms trafficking charges. The number of casualties was unclear. The authorities said two officers had been killed and at least six wounded since Sunday, and at least one Jamaican soldier was shot dead during Monday’s fighting.

In the meantime, the US has suspended visas for American travelers to Jamaica – According to P.J. Crowley – State Department Spokesman: “The immigrant visa, non immigrant visa and non essential American citizenship services operations will be suspended due to the deteriorating situation in Kingston.

 

Drug Gang Blockades Kingston Jamaica

You basically have an all out war between the Mexican Government and the Drug Cartels there. Looks like Jamaica is heading in the same direction…

Jamaica: State of emergency in Kingston

Jamaican authorities declared a state of emergency in Kingston after gang members supportive of an alleged drug lord wanted by the United States attacked police stations and blockaded a large swath of the city.

Two police stations were evacuated after being hit with Molotov cocktails, while the status of a third was unclear.

Gang members blocked off a miles-long area of Jamaica’s capital city — mostly in West Kingston — using vehicles, sandbags, barbed wire and anything else they could find.