FIRE ON ARMY

A new round of turbulence erupted in Denham Town Thursday afternoon as a pregnant woman clashed with soldiers – the second major conflict in the crime-plagued western Kingston community which has been under a security blanket for almost five years.

The latest allegation is the second abuse claim in consecutive days after soldiers were recorded in amateur video striking a woman and man amid escalating tensions between civilians and the army.

Footage of Thursday’s confrontation appeared to show a service member kicking at, and using his gun to brace, repeated advances by the pregnant woman.

One of the capital’s poorest and socially explosive neighbourhoods, Denham Town has been a powder keg of volatility since the April 16 fatal shooting of 32-year-old Horaine Glenn by a Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) soldier in controversial circumstances. Days of fiery protests followed.

A woman and her mother, relatives of the pregnant woman, were detained Thursday as they pressed claims that residents were the targets of abuse by soldiers.

Residents called for state intervention in the increasingly poisoned relations the community has had with the JDF, which the Holness administration has enlisted as muscle to enforce a zone of special operations in Denham Town.

But householders claim that the unfolding turmoil and soured interactions with security forces were painful reminders of the blitzkrieg-like military sweep of Tivoli Gardens and nearby communities in May 2010 to root out now-convicted gunrunner Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke and his band of militants.

“This come in like incursion. Three nights straight, dem a attack the people dem. All we deh pon ‘a babymother’, him still a deal with her rough,” a resident, who requested anonymity, said in a Gleaner interview.

“Him kick her and lick her inna her chest and point the gun pon her. A just talk she a talk and him start assault her.”

The incident reportedly occurred at the intersection of Bond and Charles streets.

The Gleaner was informed that the pregnant woman was taken by her family to get a precautionary ultrasound.

A resident said they expect more lives will be taken at the hands of the security forces, who they accuse of victimisation because of the death of Glenn.

“Every day, dem want to war with somebody. Every day, dem want to beat somebody. From the incident, things can’t settle. We help dem with Internet connection and charge for them phone, and the relations mash up,” a man said.

Residents have accused the soldiers of using excessive force.

In announcing a probe into the prior gun-striking clash on May 4, the army pledged that appropriate action would be taken as deemed necessary.

But the JDF hinted at the adversarial relationship its service members were having with the residents of Denham Town.

“We continue to urge residents of communities within which the security forces are required to operate to cooperate with our personnel as they seek to ensure the safety and security of citizens within these spaces. The JDF is committed to working with the Jamaica Constabulary Force in re-evaluating how the challenges in the community may be better managed,” the military said in a statement issued Thursday afternoon.

The army has not responded to the May 5 incident.

The recurrence of discord and violence in the Denham Town ZOSO is a black eye to the Holness administration and the joint forces, which have pitched the security measure as a hybrid of force and social intervention viewed as more favourable, and effective, than states of emergency.

Tens of millions of dollars have been pumped into the ZOSO by the State and partners such as the European Union Delegation, which announced Wednesday it would invest 30 million euros over the next five years towards security initiatives and other sectors.

While violent crime has dipped in Denham Town, the social reform and subcultural benefits of that investment have been questioned as marginal.

andre.williams@gleanerjm.com