- Norman Grindley Poet Ras Eli, from Portland, calls for justice at yesterday's march and rally in Braeton, St. Catherine organised by Families Against State Terrorism (FAST). Looking on at left is the convenor of FAST, Yvonne Sobers.
STATE Terrorism Breeds Criminal Terrorism..." "Take Offenders to Jail, Not Mor-gue..." "Injustice Anywhere is a Threat to Justice Everywhere", read some of the placards carried by supporters of Families Against State Terrorism during a march yesterday morning in Braeton, St. Catherine to protest against the shooting of seven youths from the community on March 14 during a police raid.
The march and rally in Braeton attracted about 50 supporters, many of whom were wearing T-shirts with the portraits of the victims atop the slogan: "Missing You".
"Seven at a blow...it was not flies, it was not mosquitoes; Alas! Alas! Human bodies, en masse.... was there no other alternative, no other choice to choose?" Ras Eli, a poet from Portland questioned.
He told The Sunday Gleaner that he attended the march because he believed that Jamaica had become "a police state."
In the afternoon, members of the group, still carrying placards, assembled at the Braeton Methodist Church for the funeral of 19-year-old Lancebert Clarke, one of the seven youths killed in a house in Braeton Phase III.
The small church could not contain the number of friends and family of the deceased, many of whom stood outside for the duration of the service. Although the mood was sombre, there were few tears shed.
Mr. Clarke was five months away from celebrating his 20th birthday when he was killed. The funeral programme indicated that his family had moved from Portland when he was nine years old. He attended the New Testament Basic School and later, the Braeton All-Age School. He was also a student of Jamaica College and the Greater Portmore High School, and was affectionately known as "Craig".
Call for justice
The minister presiding at the funeral service called for justice.
"We cannot undo what has already been done, but we can work for the establishment of more justice in our society," said Reverend Marco Depestre.
Mr. Clarke's coffin could not be opened, because of the condition of the body. He was shot in the head. His mother was deeply saddened yesterday.
"It just doesn't make any sense," a dejected-looking Janet Clarke told The Sunday Gleaner during the service.
A resident of the United States, Mrs. Clarke said three years ago she had filed with the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) for her son and his two sisters, Nadia and Dezirae, to join her abroad.
"My other two children live with me, since September of last year," she explained, "but there was an error on his papers. They had promised it would be corrected, and we were waiting on (the INS)..." her voice trailed off.
Four others who were in the house with Mr. Clarke, and who were among the seven killed there, are scheduled to be buried today, the same day Hartlands All-Age School Principal Keith Richards, who the police said was killed by members of the Braeton seven.
Mr. Richards was shot dead while running for his life, after a group of men held up patrons at a shop in Braeton where he was watching a game of dominoes. The police say that two of the seven youths killed, had been positively identified as Mr. Richards's killers.
