THE EMOTIONAL pain and suffering that accompany death and tragedy are always more poignant the closer persons are to the victims. And so it is that the demands for justice in response to the country's debilitating crime and murders are loudest from different sectors as people and groups are affected individually.
This week's call from church leaders for strong action to be taken to tackle crime should, therefore, be seen for what it is a painful cry from a wounded soul. But the church's cry is the society's. And as we have said on this page repeatedly, there is hardly anywhere that has remained unscathed by the scourge afflicting the island.
The challenge facing our country is a serious one. We can choose to cower in fear hoping that we do not fall victim to the sometimes random criminality, or we can fight back to reclaim our land. If we choose the latter course, we then have to decide how that will be done.
We have already seen that brute force and suppressing citizens' rights in pursuit of criminals do not work. More often than not, innocent civilians are made the victims rather than the targeted hoodlums. It is still debatable how much purpose is served by providing the security forces with more lethal fire power than the criminals'. It is not that they should be any less powerfully-armed that would be foolish. Rather, the question is to what extent that serves the intended purpose of ridding the society of the criminals.
A multifaceted approach has been implemented. The society must support these efforts collectively. It has also already been demonstrated that when the police work harder at talking and listening to citizens, they can reduce crime by cultivating the confidence of the community. Efforts in this area must be intensified. When citizens are suspicious of each other the sense of community upon which neighbourhood life depends is eroded.
The fear and stigma of being an informer can be reduced when more and more people are made to realise that theirs and their children's survival depends on a willingness to work with the security forces.
We must give all the financial, logistical and emotional support required to the security forces, while insisting that they treat with respect all citizens at all times.
THE OPINIONS ON THIS PAGE, EXCEPT FOR THE ABOVE, DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE GLEANER.
