Citizens Advocacy Group International (CAGI) has noted the apparent delusional views of the Jamaica Observer newspaper, via its editorial of September 5, 2014, titled ‘Government keeping a cool head over Mario Deane affair’ on the Government’s so-called initiative in addressing concerns in lock-ups — a move triggered by the death of Mario Deane.

It stated that: “At this rate, if the Government’s approach to the Mario Deane affair becomes a pattern, they could put the human rights groups out of business.”

It must have been a slow day at the Observer for this to have been about human rights groups.

First of all, the Government of Jamaica — more specifically the national security and justice ministers — did nothing of significance to attract any praise. Ordering that a review of the conditions at lock-ups and the treatment of detainees by police officers, and to amend the process of detention for people found with small quantities of ganja, after an incident has occurred, does not in any way qualify as being proactive.

Besides, that report would yield nothing different or surprising. Governments, both past and present, are quite cognisant of the deplorable condition of lock-ups and the treatment meted out to detainees while in police custody. Thus, the call for a report by Security Minister Peter Bunting was, in our logical conclusion, because the Government had suspicions that harsh criticisms and pressure were inevitable.

A government exhibits proactive quality when it respects human rights and puts measures in place to prevent abuse with impunity by members of the security forces. And, in the event of abuse meted out by servants of the State, urgent and decisive action is taken to discipline its members, including termination, and to fairly compensate victims of abuse.

Being proactive is also demonstrated in the following circumstances:

– When a government impresses upon its security forces that the constitutional rights of citizens are unconditionally guaranteed and that any act or omission which infringes upon those rights could land offending officers in prison and/or defending civil suits for constitutional contraventions.

– When a government aggressively monitors the conduct of its servants to ensure adherence to policy guidelines and force orders.

– When a government puts measures in place to ensure that police officers pay all or part of the money damages awarded by the Supreme Court to victims when they abuse the rights of citizens.

It was CAGI that was first to take action on August 7, 2014, by demanding the Government of Jamaica act, forthwith, to remove all the on-duty police officers from the Barnett Street Police Station who breached the duty of care owed to the civilian victim, Mario Deane.

Other actions of the group against the Government in relation to the unfortunate and untimely demise of Mario Deane were:

1) recommendations to the directors of the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labour in the US State Department to cut aid in the area of national security because we felt that “such aid is only fuelling abuse by the high-handed, reckless, malicious and unprofessional members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force”

2) urged INDECOM to conduct a speedy and thorough investigation into the matter

3) called for intervention from the International Society for Human Rights (ISHR), Human Rights Watch (HRW), Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) and Amnesty International

The first response and/or intervention by Citizens Action for Principle and Integrity (CAPI), the Government, and other local human rights interests were made subsequent to the actions taken by CAGI which we, nonetheless, fully support.

CAGI is committed to promoting universal respect for human rights for all citizens of Jamaica and, by extension, the world, and will endeavour to demand that the Government of Jamaica respect the international treaties to which it is bound.

We will also endeavour to utilise the power of our international partners and affiliates to enforce our demands.

Human rights organisations like CAGl can never be “put out of business”. We are as relevant today as we will be tomorrow, so long as there are rights to protect and promote.

Unless the Government of Jamaica acts decisively and proactively in respecting the rights of citizens in preventing abuse and loss of life by the actions and omissions of its servants, then the Mario Deane tragedy of 2014 will become the Mario Deane tragedy of the future.

The above pieve was submitted by Jeremy Soutar, who is the administrator of Citizens Advocacy Group International. Comments: jeremy.soutar2@yahoo.com