HUMAN rights groups, Families Against State Terrorism (FAST) and Jamaicans For Justice (JFJ) yesterday hit out against the extension of the state of emergency, saying it should be used in cases of crisis but not as a tool to fight crime.

Speaking to reporters and editors at the Observer's weekly Monday Exchange, head of FAST Yvonne McCalla-Sobers said her organisation supported the initial call for the state of emergency by Prime Minister Bruce Golding, after civil unrest erupted in the aftermath of his apology and announcement that a warrant of arrest to proceed with the extradition of former Tivoli Gardens strongman Christopher 'Dudus' Coke had been issued.

"The state of emergency I think, was needed to rein in a situation that was dangerous and threatening to be anarchic. It is an extreme measure for an extreme situation," McCalla-Sobers said. "It was merited in the first place but in the second place it seems to be a measure to address crime. A state of emergency cannot address crime."

Gomes, of the JFJ also voiced her support for the initial imposition of the state of emergency, but was also cautious about the effectiveness of extending it.

"THE JFJ was in support of it when it was called, but not in support of its extension. The constitution is quite clear and those conditions no longer exist now," she said.

After a bloody gun battle in West Kingston, which resulted in the loss of 73 civilian lives, the security forces took control of the community and calm returned to sections of the city. However, when the one-month period for which Golding had announced the state of emergency would last had run out, he sought and got approval from Parliament to extend the measure for a further month. Golding also announced that the state of emergency would be extended to the neighbouring parish of St Catherine.

Some private sector groups had also supported the extension of emergency measures.

Since the state of emergency, close to 2,000 people have been taken into custody and while some have been processed and released hundreds are still detained indefinitely.

For McCalla-Sobers, the wholesale arrest of persons who live in depressed communities could have a counter-productive effect.

"When you go around picking up 500 people you are telling the bad man you don't know who you are looking for. The police need to work with secrecy, speed and accuracy of information," she said.

Gomes was also highly critical of the conditions that detained persons were being forced to endure in detention centres. She pointed to a detention centre in St Catherine where overcrowding was severe and inhumane.

"We cannot criminalise communities on the basis of address. Putting 61 people in a room that is six by 20 feet, that is standing room only. And the detainees stood all night. As well as being counter-productive it is also stupid," Gomes said.

Under the rules of the state of emergency detainees can be held without release until it ends.

At the same time, McCalla-Sobers said the Jamaica Labour Party administration should be reminded that it was once on the receiving end of a state of emergency imposed by former Prime Minister Michael Manley in the politically turbulent 1970s.

"We have a government that has been on the wrong side of the state of emergency. Once they were the outsiders being locked up," she said.