Ross Sheil, Staff Reporter

With an election approaching and political tension threatening to spill over into violence in some inner-city communities, the UnitedNations (UN) is readying a gun-control programme for Jamaica.

The programme is not deliberately coinciding with the election but is part of the UN's wider emphasis on security in Jamaica, stressed country representative Arturo Hein-Caceres, who has experience with arms control in Serbia-Montenegro. During the 1990s, that region was flooded with guns as a result of the Balkan conflict.

To be run by the UN Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UN-LiREC), the programme aims to bring about behavioural change in communities and will also train security forces in searching for illegal guns. The Government recently announced a new unit within the élite Operation Kingfish, of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), which has been mandated to search for illegal guns.

Following an assessment of the situation in Jamaica and final agreement with the Ministry of National Security, the training is scheduled to begin in July, first with soldiers and police, and then with civic groups.

Training sessions

Members of Parliament, historically blamed for politically motivated gun violence, will also be invited to attend training sessions and engage in dialogue with civic groups.

However, said Mr. Hein-Caceres, educating communities and especially young males, remains the priority.

"Yesterday (Wednesday), I went to Grants Pen," he said of the inner-city St. Andrew community, which has made much publicised gains against gun crime but with few illegal firearms being seized by police. "I was there to speak to students and I was surprised by the way they speak (against guns) with this different training and these are young men who are experienced with small arms."

Political tensions

However, some young men The Gleaner has spoken with in Grants Pen have reported recent political tensions between rival areas and made clear their intention to return fire if attacked; a sentiment common in many inner-city communities.

Sheila Nicholson, programme director for non-governmental organisation, People's Action for Community Transformation (PACT), maintains that such young men can be positively influenced, if educational initiatives are sustained. It was a PACT session, part of a 12-month educational programme for 35 males aged between 14 and 24 years from Grants Pen, that Mr. Hein-Caceres attended.

"I think they are looking for ways out, for somebody to take an interest in them," said Mrs. Nicholson. "Many of these young men stay in these communities and don't go anywhere else."

She expressed optimism for the young men with 11, out of 12 who attempted, achieving qualifications with the HEART Trust/NTA; one of whom expressed an interest in becoming a lawyer.

He has now been assigned to a law firm that is helping him pursue his ambition, she added.

ross.sheil@gleanerjm.com