‘Get rid of them!’
Terrified residents in Mount Salem pleading with authorities to purge their community of criminals
IN A harrowing exodus from the war-torn Mt Salem community of Montego Bay in St James, one family of seven has fled their home, seeking safety from the escalating violence.
As a wave of bloodletting between the ‘Junglist’ and ‘Alliance’ gangs rages on, other residents have been issued urgent warnings to seek refuge until the latest storm of brutality, which seems to be unending, subsides.
Over the last two weeks alone, the neighbourhood has witnessed three lives lost and two victims caught in the crossfire of the warring factions. The tight-lipped and fear-stricken inhabitants see a dark future even with the recent implementation of a state of public emergency (SOE).
“We firmly believe that the situation will only deteriorate ... unless the authorities take decisive action to eliminate the presence of these menacing players from our community. We already know that jailing them is not working because they are able to order deaths from behind bars,” was the ‘confidence expressed by a resident who asked not be identified.
Among the fatalities was the stepfather of two key figures in the ongoing conflict. Two deaths were reportedly as a result of the enigmatic killing of a man referred to only as ‘Reds’, on December 31, 2021.
“Despite numerous warnings to relocate for his own safety, the stepfather obstinately clung to the belief of his invulnerability, ultimately falling victim to the turbulent circumstances gripping Mt Salem,” a police contact who spoke on condition of anonymity told The Gleaner.
Both the officer responsible for the zones of special operation in the area, Deputy Superintendent of Police Ainsley McCartney and his boss, Senior Superintendent of Police Vernon Ellis, opted not to speak with this newspaper due to the sensitivity of the situation.
Efforts to get a comment from Assistant Commissioner of Police Clifford Chambers, who has responsibility for Area One, also proved unsuccessful.
However, as the spectre of violence looms large and the plight of innocent lives caught in the crosshairs intensifies, there is an urgent need to restore peace and security to the community, which was tagged a model ZOSO ‘graduate.
“We stand at a precipice, yearning for the day when we can once again find solace and tranquillity within our own streets. A nuh nutten good,” stated another resident who admits no confidence in even walking across the street from his to a neighbour’s home.
This resident is of the opinion that all warring factions have to die for peace to return, “but they can’t be allowed to kill each other”.
When asked what was meant by that comment, the resident said: “Take whatever you want from that. The police need to get rid of them.”
According to residents, the gunmen have turned on their own community, so it is now either them or the community “because they are not going to spare anyone”.