Tearful farewell - As hundreds say goodbye to West Kgn victims

By Glenroy Sinclair, Staff Reporter

It was a sombre moment for hundreds of mourners who gathered yesterday at the Denham Town Community Centre in West Kingston to say goodbye to 13 of the 23 civilians killed in the gunfight between members of the security forces and gunmen two weeks ago. - Dennis Coke

THE TOP brass of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) sat together on the second floor of the Denham Town Community Centre, overlooking the 13 caskets on the ground floor, with the bodies of victims who died in the West Kingston unrest two weeks ago.

Below, relatives of the deceased sat in the front row, clutched their chests and wept aloud. Sharon Bartilow wept uncontrollably for her mother Sylvia Easy. Beside her, a young woman who identified herself as "Kim" covered her face and cried. She was mourning for Clive Caffe.

Lilieth James, an elderly woman, stood and stared at the casket carrying the remains of Dave Thomspon, the boy she raised as a child, then the scream came, too loud for her frame, it seemed to rock her from her seat.

A tribute by Patricia Pious, singing a version of the Grace Thrillers' recorded song "Oh What a Sunrise", brought down more tears.

Opposition Leader Edward Seaga, cried openly and had to be consoled by his wife Carla, Councillor Desmond McKenzie and Member of Parliament for Central St. Catherine, Olivia "Babsy" Grange.

By then tears were flowing freely and Mr. Seaga clutched a white handkerchief in his right hand and wiped his eyes.

"To ensure that justice prevails, a team of lawyers is now taking statements to file a civil action against the state to recover damages for the families of the victims and for the injured," Mr. Seaga told the hundreds of mourners who turned out to say goodbye to the victims.

"I journey abroad tomorrow (today) to petition human rights agencies for help from those who will help us to ensure that never again in our history will Jamaicans be slaughtered like animals and left to be eaten like animals, killed by men who act like animals, who take orders from others who can only be classified as animals," the Opposition Leader said.

The tears continued to trickle as Mr. Seaga gave the eulogy for the victims and told the story of how some were killed while venturing outside their home to buy food. He said others were gunned down while trying to leave their homes for work, about five others died at their homes because the violence prevented them from obtaining medication.

Pointing to the casket bearing the remains of Clive Caffe, Mr. Seaga said his mouth had been eaten by dogs before his body was finally removed from the streets days after he was killed. The Opposition Leader identified most of the victims as the ordinary, there was no gunmen among them, he said. "Fifteen dogs, one cat and one goat were killed too," said Mr. Seaga.

He stressed that a monument will be erected with all the victims' names so that even if they forgive, they will not forget."

Led by the Tivoli Gardens Marching Band, the caskets were transported from the Denham Town Community Centre to the May Pen Cemetery on a large trailer, through the streets of West Kingston.

The packed community centre was decorated in tradition green and black colours of the JLP. People from all corners of the island came to pay their last respects.

Prior to the start of the funeral service, a sound-system set up in the centre slid smoothly from gospel music to reggae and a convoy of police vehicles patrolling political boundary lines of Craig Town and West Kingston drove up the road.

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