Michael Abrahams | Jamaicans for Justice: Beaten black and blue

Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ) is a non-profit human rights organisation. I joined JFJ because I have a keen interest in human rights and empathise with people who have been abused or treated unfairly by those charged with the responsibility of protecting them.

However, despite the JFJ’s noble intention, which is to support and advocate for victims of abuse by the state, including security force excesses, we have become one of the most despised organisations in the country. We have been called terrorists and murderers and compared with Nazi sympathisers. Our executive directors have received death and rape threats. We advocate for justice but are seen by many as obstructors of justice and enemies of the state.

But why? To assess the negative backlash following the recent JFJ protest, I must direct much of my empathy toward the organisation’s detractors. I also wish to add that in voicing my opinions I speak as a member of the organisation, and not on behalf of it.

First, I empathise with members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF). Our murder rate is so high that people are killed here at a rate comparable with a country at civil war. And the savagery and brazenness of the criminality has reached a phenomenal level. Children are killed with alarming regularity.

People are being sprayed with bullets in broad daylight in busy public spaces. There are mass shootings at gatherings such as funerals and wakes. People have been shot to death while appearing live on social media platforms. And the weapons being used by some criminal elements are more powerful than those available to our security forces. The country is under siege by criminal elements, and the police have no choice but to go hard at them.

WEARY AND FED UP

And I empathise with our citizenry. We are weary. We are fed up. We have been feeling unsafe for too long. The recent announcement that our murder rate had fallen significantly during the month of April to the lowest level in 25 years was, therefore, music to the ears of Jamaicans.

So, when the JFJ announced a protest, many Jamaicans wondered what the hell is wrong with us. What is there to protest about? Why now? Is this politically motivated? I do understand the negative reactions and annoyance with the organisation and our perceived tone-deafness. However, there is a rational explanation. Along with the welcoming statistic that murders are down, is another that is cause for concern. And it is that police killings for the first quarter of this year have increased significantly.

Over 100 persons have been killed by security forces in the first three months of the year, an increase of over 150 per cent over the corresponding period last year. To place this into perspective, New Mexico is the state in the US with the highest per capita rate of police killings. About two dozen people were killed by the police in that state last year. In Jamaica, we surpassed their figure for the entire year in under a month.

Many of these fatalities result from shootouts, where gunmen engage members of our security forces. However, there are instances where eyewitness accounts and video footage are at variance with police reports. Indeed, eyewitnesses will sometimes lie. But there have been occasions where the police have been dishonest, too. We all hear reports of brutal crimes in the media. But to be fair to JFJ, our members also hear stories you do not, by people who have witnessed or have been victims of excessive force by members of our security forces. And some accounts are horrific.

People often ask why JFJ is silent when civilians and police are murdered? It does appear that the organisation is selective in its outrage. It is not that its members are not concerned about other killings. But the purpose of the organisation is to advocate for victims of abuse by the state. These are the cases that fall within the purview of our mandate.

UNFORTUNATE AND UNTRUE

The accusation of the organisation being anti-police is unfortunate and untrue. The call to wear blue to support the police and counter protest protesters wearing black was unreasonable, unnecessary and divisive. It set up an “us vs them” scenario. Supporting the police and asking for transparency and accountability are not mutually exclusive. This is not like a Manchester United vs Manchester City match where you wear red or blue to support your team. I am a member of JFJ, and I fully support the JCF. Asking more cops to wear body cams, if possible, when they go on operations not only provides transparency for us but also protects them against false accusations by family and community members when they execute their duties professionally.

The mandate of the organisation is simple: to advocate for people who come into conflict with the state and are treated unfairly. It is not that difficult to comprehend. However, many people are convinced we are only concerned with defending criminals. So, if our mission is easy to understand, and so many Jamaicans do not understand our purpose, we must accept much of the responsibility for the misunderstanding. It suggests that we have not been as effective as we could have been in our messaging, our communication and our strategy. We have not read the room and made ourselves relatable.

There are some realities we must face. For example, with our excessive murder rate, more of our citizens would have known people killed by criminals than by security forces. So, when Jamaicans grieve for their loved ones who have been brutally slain and see people demanding justice for those they perceive as criminals, even though they may not be, they become annoyed and angry.

If we are to be effective in executing our mandate, we must humbly pause, introspect, pivot, and “rewind and come again.” Maybe we should consider broadening or re-defining our advocacy. Whatever we do, our people need to know that we are here for them.

Michael Abrahams is an obstetrician and gynaecologist, social commentator, and human-rights advocate. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and michabe_1999@hotmail.com, or follow him on X , formerly Twitter, @mikeyabrahams