THE PRESSURE for peaceful elections mounted yesterday with several organisations appealing for calm and endorsing recommendations to ban rallies as politically-linked violence continued unabated in some areas.
The latest calls for peace came from the Jamaica Council of Churches (JCC) and The Methodist Church in Jamaica. On Tuesday, the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) and lead hoteliers John Issa and Gordon 'Butch' Stewart implored Jamaicans to end the violence which has escalated since Nomination Day.
In its statement, the JCC said that it endorsed the work being done by the Electoral Advisory Committee (EAC) and the Prime Minister and Opposition Leader which led to the appointment of the Political Ombudsman and the steps which he has taken to defuse potentially volatile situations.
"The JCC is, however, deeply troubled by the incidents of violence which have surfaced in various constituencies in recent days. While we understand that these activities are often associated with a fringe and fanatical group for the most part, we believe that this element is demonstrating a determination to destroy the gains that have been made in the improvements to the electoral process and the election campaign," JCC said.
The statement was made after several bloody clashes over the weekend between People's National Party (PNP) and Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) supporters left at least five persons dead and scores of others injured.
Police Commissioner Francis Forbes on Tuesday agreed to an EAC request not to grant permission for motorcades, political meetings, rallies and tours in six constituencies.
The statement from the Methodist Church in Jamaica said it was concerned about the deteriorating situation. "For the people of Jamaica to believe that there will be a fair, free and peaceful election, there must be credible attempts on the part of the candidates and other influential persons within the ranks of the parties to ensure responsible electioneering and campaigning."
For its part, the People's National Party (PNP) yesterday accepted the Electoral Advisory Committee's (EAC) ban on some forms of campaign activities including motorcades in six constituencies as a result of election-related violence.
In a statement from the PNP's campaign office yesterday, PNP General Secretary Maxine Henry-Wilson said the Party's leadership and constituency organisations had accepted the ban in the interest of fostering peace. She said that following a meeting between the leadership of the constituencies involved and the EAC yesterday, the PNP agreed that in accepting the proposed ban it would be setting the right example needed to calm escalating political tension.
The Party also rescheduled a mass rally planned for Sunday to Monday October 14 in Mandeville. The party said that the change is to facilitate a JLP meeting scheduled for Montego Bay that same (Sunday) evening and to ensure that there was no confrontation between supporters of both parties as they travel to and from the meetings.
While both PNP and JLP have publicly called on their supporters to shun violent activity. They have also accused each other of inciting violence.
