ARCHBISHOP of Kingston the Most Reverend Charles Dufour used the occasion of World Day against the Death Penalty last Friday to petition Government to abolish capital punishment, which, although on the law books in Jamaica, has not been carried out since 1988.

Arguing that the death penalty was “for a world with no other options for dealing with monstrous crimes”, Dufour said the modern world must pursue non-lethal methods to control murder in order to preserve what he described as the sacredness of all human life.

“I am glad the Jamaican State has effectively continued a moratorium on the use of the death penalty. I am especially pleased that this has occurred alongside a reduction in our murder rate. However, the spectre of possible future use of the death penalty hangs over our heads,” he said in a statement released to the media.

Urging Christians and other people of faith to support his petition, Archbishop Dufour asked: “Can we as Christians, knowing that non-lethal alternatives exist, support the death penalty while remaining Christian?” I think the honest answer is, ‘No.’

Dufour said news of brutal murders of young men and women cut down in their prime and of the elderly struck down in their homes was both horrific and disturbing and deserving of punishment. But that punishment, he said, should be accompanied by a reform of the justice system and should “prevent further violence, and bring healing”.

“These acts rip through the heart and cry to God for action… I know in my heart that these brutal crimes must receive swift and decisive responses that restore order, and begin to make us feel safe again. And, I also know in my conscience that our decisive response must not reproduce this disrespect for the sacredness of every human life,” the archbishop said.

He acknowledged that the Church as an institution cannot dictate to the State, but urged it to at least listen to its reasoning.

“I ask the Jamaican Government to take our Christian values seriously, and do what is right – end capital punishment once and for all, reforming the justice system, working to reduce corruption and political polarisation and concentrating on the provision of increased economic opportunities for the poor, for better prevention of violence, and greater communal healing,” Dufour said.