THE EDITOR, Sir:

THERE IS an awkward silence in the Jamaican media. It is not the silence of the poor or the citizens affected by the escalating violence. Their cries are heard everyday. It is not the silence of the criminal elements of Jamaican society. Their gunshots shout poignantly in the daily headlines of our country.

The silence I am referring to is the silence of the political leaders of Jamaica. Consistently, the political parties' names are called out in discussions of violent outbreaks. In many articles, the citizens of these communities refer to political parties as being directly or indirectly involved in this violence.

For instance, on March 13, 2005 we read that, "Residents say the perennial violence in the area, which involves persons with allegiances to rivalling political factions, has got particularly worse in recent weeks."

However, amidst all these accusations, where are the voices of the politicians? If someone maligned your name in the public media, would you not do something to defend yourself legitimately?

Denials are not enough. Denials can be outright lies. What is harder to do is outright condemnation of these groups with "political ties". Where are the politicians that are standing up to condemn those who are involved in this alleged semi-politically-motivated warfare that Jamaica is enslaved to? There is only an ominous silence.

It is the responsibility of Jamaica's politicians to publicly and consistently break all ties with these gunmen and mean it. In the heart of the honest Jamaican citizen, the politicians' silence is implicating them as a legitimate part of the problem and not a part of the solution.

I am, etc.,

ANTON WILSON

Duluth, Georgia

Via Go-Jamaica