A day after the police had eliminated a notorious murderer from among them, residents of Dunkirk came out to party. Twelve-year-old Chantel Richards had been absent from school on many occasions and often could not play with her friends because of violent flare-ups in the community of Dunkirk in East Kingston where she lives.

The death of Delano ‘Dellybop’ Waite, 26, who had been wanted for multiple murders, shootings and robberies, brought the east Kingston community respite from unrelenting violence.

And yesterday, for the first time in more than six months, Dunkirk residents, desperate for peace, decided to take the first step toward uniting the volatile community.

Adults and children alike gathered in the community for a party to give Chantal and the other children a chance to do something they have not been able to do in months – play and enjoy themselves.

“Today is about bringing back the community together. We once had violence going on and we are trying to bring back the community so that everyone can walk as free as possible,” said resident Chelsea Duncan. “We just want to walk up and down in the community as friends, as we usually do, and talk without no type of violence at all.”

The children, from the surrounding districts, basked in the moment frolicking gleefully in the streets, playing football and cricket.

They all came from volatile areas in the community, which were once at war.

“Them come from Byrden Street, McIntyre Villa, Black Street, Wellington Street…. and Graham Street,” Duncan said.

“Before, you couldn’t come here come see a lot of people. It was like a deserted place once before. We were all here, but we never socialise like this.”

Duncan like many other residents in the community said they were glad for the initiative because they felt that it was time to take back the community from a plague of violence.

Another resident who gave her name as ‘Trisha’ said she was glad to see the community unite after months of unrest, saying it was the children who were most affected.

“In the violence, it was hard on the kids because they can’t go to school and each time them hear the gunshots, they have running belly (diarrhoea) and vomiting and we have to take them to the doctor every minute,” she said.

“So right now everyone of us get together and so we are dealing with peace, love and unity. Right now everybody free to walk up and down.”

June White, one of two community leaders, also welcomed the uniting of the communities and extended her gratitude to the Peace Management Initiative, the police, and Member of Parliament Phillip Paulwell.

“We got tired of this, and by the help of Mr Mark Shields, the police and Sergeant Tomielee Chambers, we as the community leaders got together and said ‘enough is enough’; we can’t take it no more,” said White.

“We come together. There is a lot of work to be done and we know it will not happen overnight.”

Witcliff Rhoden, the other community leader, said Dunkirk was determined to stay peaceful, and would be lobbying heavily for employment and training opportunities for the young men in the community.

Since the start of the year, according to Deputy Commissioner of Police Mark Shields, about nine persons have been killed in the community during separate flare-ups of violence.

In February, five persons were murdered in one night.

Shields was one of many invited guests from the Jamaica Constabulary Force. He said the determination of the members of the community made the initiative possible.

“It is the people’s determination for the peace that they want because this place has seen some bad violence,” said the crime chief.

“These people are from different community in the area and they want peace. They want to have a normal life.”

Shields said the celebration in Dunkirk had been long in planning, and was not directly related to Friday’s killing of Waite by the police, who had been East Kingston’s most wanted criminal.

However, he said the residents did breathe a sigh of relief because “people like him cause terror for the people who are living here”.

Shields said that the police would continue to maintain a presence in the area as they try to work with the community.

At the same time, he said, that the police would also try to use the social intervention fund available under the government’s Community Security Initiative, to create job opportunities for members of the community.

davisont@jamaicaobserver.com

These pictures will soon be added

Sergeant Tomielee Chambers of the Elleston Police Station in Kingston plays with a toddler from Dunkirk in East Kingston during a street party put on by members of the community Saturday. Two heavily armed police keep watch on the community. (Photo: Joseph Wellington) c3-Dunkirkbaby

Deputy Commissioner of Police Mark Shields addresses Dunkirk residents as a guest at their party held Saturday to unite the community. (Photos: Joseph Wellington)

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