THEY MADE US PAUSE - Women of west Kingston ... Bold

Howard Campbell and André Lowe, Gleaner Writers

WHEN Prime Minister Bruce Golding went to Parliament on May 11, 2010, and announced he had given the go-ahead to start proceedings for west Kingston enforcer Christopher 'Dudus' Coke to be extradited to the United States, residents in the constituency he represents in Parliament were incensed.

Many of them were women who turned out in large numbers in front of the Denham Town Police Station one day later to proclaim their support for Dudus, who was wanted by US authorities for alleged drug and arms-running.

Their placards spoke volumes: "Mi Love Dudus more than mi love God!" was the most memorable.

Their opposition to the State won them few admirers. When security forces moved into Tivoli Gardens on May 24, engaging gunmen in a bloody firefight that resulted in over 70 deaths, many across the nation were of the view 'They deserved it'.

In the aftermath of the two-day exchange, the women of west Kingston were again in full cry. Mothers, daughters, and grandmothers channelled their anger towards the security forces, and Golding, who succeeded former prime minister Edward Seaga as member of parliament in 2004.

Pauline Perez, a 51-year-old mother of three from Denham Town, partially supported the action of the security forces. However, she was not sure about Golding's future as West Kingston member of parliament.

"Mi don't even know if him can come back inna the area," she said two days after the incursion.

Protest misunderstood

The Reverend Patricka Hall, pastor at the Faith and Hope Deliverance Church in Tivoli, said the pre-raid protest by women in west Kingston was misunderstood. She told The Gleaner last June that their behaviour was influenced by similar expeditions in 1997 and 2001, which helped develop distrust of the security forces.

"To most Jamaicans, their behaviour was inappropriate, but it had been reported in the media that persons were held hostage in the community by Dudus," she said. "They felt angry about that and decided to go on the road and show this was not so."

According to polls conducted after the west Kingston blitz, most Jamaicans supported the actions of the security forces.

Women in the community have long been associated with its colourful dons such as Claudius Massop, Carl 'Biah' Mitchell, and Lester Lloyd 'Jim Brown' Coke, all of whom met tragic deaths.

They are still struggling to cope with life after Dudus.