THE EDITOR, Sir:
THE NOTED historian, Ansell Hart, once remarked nearly 50 years ago: "The mass of the people of Jamaica tend to dramatise individually but not in the aggregate. Perhaps that is why the organisation of revolt during the period of slavery was a difficult job; and why, also, until incited by political leaders, the people of Jamaica are habitually peaceful...".
Today, Jamaicans endure suffering of the worst type because so many opinion leaders (especially in the media) are horrified by any talk about resistance. Remember the outcry that sent Bruce Golding into retreat when he promised some unspecified 'bangarang' from some unspecified source, if the police continued to oppress the people.
RURAL WORKERS PLIGHT
Citizens of a bygone era remember, without shivering, the fearless speech made at Parade by Bustamante when he became upset by the Government's failure to defend the people. Having returned to Kingston after witnessing the plight of the rural workers, he declared from a public platform:
"The Governor has made it plain that he is prepared to declare war against agitators, but I want the Governor and all his Cossacks to know that Alexander Bustamante is prepared to fight, and that he has 100,000 people behind him ... At Frome I saw poor defenceless men and women writhe in agony and pain and die. Why did not the police aim at the feet of the people if they wanted to restore law and order, as they say? No, they aimed deliberately at the heart of the people who were agitating for their bread. I saw one woman who would in the next four or five months become a mother, suffer and die from a bullet wound in the forehead. Trouble will spread from Negril Point to Morant Point if something is not done quickly to help the poor and distressed ... Long live the King, but Denham must go..."
That was when Jamaican leaders had the guts to demonstrate intolerance of oppression. Today, in a situation more oppressive and corrupt than in the 1930s, there seems to be no politician with courage enough to confront the devilry around us.
I am, etc.,
KEN JONES
allerdyce@hotmail.com
