For the last five decades, as decreed by the then Organization of African Unity (OAU), the fifth month of the year has a specific liberation focus, the highlight of which is Afrika Liberation Day on the 25th. Thus half a century and more on, Afrika Speaks with Alkebu-Lan this month will focus on the liberation fight as it exists in its many forms across the Afrikan world community.

Months before its founding, one of the key architects of the OAU, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah advanced what he considered to be the key aspects of the the liberation programme:

 

Political freedom, i.e., complete and absolute independence from the control of any foreign government.

Democratic freedom, i.e., freedom from political tyranny and the establishment of true democracy where sovereignty is vested in the broad masses of the people.
Social reconstruction, i.e., freedom from poverty and economic exploitation and the improvement of social and economic conditions of the people so that they will be able to find better means of achieving livelihood and asserting their rights to human life and happiness. (1)

 

It is too frequently unacknowledged that the other key architect of the OAU was His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Haile Selassie I so it is fitting that we return to focus on the plight on some of his most iconic disciples – Rastafari in Jamaica. Around a month ago the Jamaican government, through Prime Minister Andrew Holness made an historic apology to the Rasta community on the island for the Coral Gardens massacre that occurred in April 1963 when then Prime Minister Alexander Bustmante gave the order to “Bring in all Rastas, dead or alive.” (2) This time we will have the benefit of the insights and analysis of Rastafari Elder and legal advisor to the Coral Gardens Benevolent Society, Ras Miguel Lorne.

To recap, the key elements of the apology, based on recommendations made in the 2015 report by Jamaica’s Office of the Public Defender included:
Through the office of the Public Defender, work with the Rastafari Coral Gardens Benevolent Society to locate survivors of the massacre.

Assist the Coral Gardens Benevolent Society in accessing resources for its members
Set up a trust fund of no less than J$10M for the benefit of survivors of the Coral Gardens Incident.
Declare six lots at the property at Pinnacle in St Catherine as a protected heritage site to be developed as a Rastafari Heritage and Cultural Centre. (3)
At the time, Ras Miguel described the apology as unsatisfactory:
“The apology falls short. While we accept the apology, because it’s a start, it is not enough. You must apologise to the Rastafari community worldwide.” (4)He added that the proposed trust fund amount was “disrespectful” and legal redress may be sought. (5.)

Indeed, it could be argued that Public Defender Arlene Harrison Henry’s report could be used as a basis for widening the scope of the government’s response seeing that it is an official document detailing scores of state sanctioned abuses against Rastafari. (6)

 

Additional examples can be found in the documentary Bad Friday: Rastafari After Coral Gardens. For instance, ex-police officer Selbourne A Reid revealed that Rasta images were used as targets at police shooting ranges because they had ”the look of criminals” and this “look” was followed up with real criminalisation. (7)

 

We also know that the persecution of Rastafari extended beyond Jamaica and throughout the region, most notably in Dominica, where the notorious “Dread Act” (Prohibited and Unlawful Societies and Associations Act), described as “one of the most draconian pieces of legislation passed in any part of the world in the 20th and 21st centuries”:
“The law aimed to stem the spread of and influence of the Rasta movement in Dominica by giving police and citizens the right to shoot other citizens on sight without question if those people had dreadlocks and induced fear or mistrust. It sentenced members to 9 months in prison for the hairstyle dread locks or dreads or any memorabilia that identified them as ‘Dreads’. Dreads could be killed, or have their locks forcibly cut, in many cases for no better reason than being classified as a member of an “unlawful society”. (8)

 

However, it seems that for a global apology to gain traction there would need to a global campaign spearheaded by a unified Rasta Movement that could advance a cogent argument, perhaps in league with the international reparations movement but more fundamentally as part of the worldwide liberation movement in pursuit of “Political freedom, Democratic freedom and Social reconstruction.”

 

(1) Kwame Nkrumah (2005) Towards Colonial Freedom. Panaf. p. 43
(2) Horace Campbell (12/04/13) Coral Gardens 1963: The Rastafari and Jamaican Independence. http://www.horacecampbell.net/2013/04/coral-gardens-1963-rastafari-and.html
(3) Jamaica Observer (04/04/17) Gov’t to set up $10-m trust for survivors of 1963 Coral Gardens incident. http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/latestnews/Gov-t-to-set-up–10-m-trust-for-survivors-of-1963-Coral-Gardens-incident
(4) Loop News (06/04/17) ‘DISRESPECTFUL!’ Rastas dissatisfied with apology, $10-m trust for Coral Gardens Massacre. http://www.loopjamaica.com/content/disrespectful-rastas-dissatisfied-govt%E2%80%99s-apology-10-m-trust-coral-gardens-massacre
(5) The Vincentian (13/04/17) Rastafarians get an apology, but… http://thevincentian.com/rastafarians-get-an-apology-but-p13011-149.htm
(6) The Office Of The Public Defender (09/12/15) An investigation into the April 1963 incident at Coral Gardens. http://www.opd.gov.jm/images/articles/pdf/special_reports//Investigation%20Into%20The%20April%201963%20Incident%20at%20Coral%20Gardens.pdf
(7) Deborah A. Thomas & John L. Jackson, Jr. & Junior “Gabu” Wedderburn (2011) Bad Friday: Rastafari After Coral Gardens. Oxumgirl Productions
(8) Santillo, Dave (08/01/15) A Rastafarian Stair-step Through History on the Caribbean Island of Dominica. https://puma-diaries.com/2015/01/08/a-rastafarian-stair-step-through-history-on-the-caribbean-island-of-dominica/

So we ask the question:

Jamaican Government apology – Justice for Rastafari? Part 2

1. One month on, what are the reflections on the apology in Jamaica?
2. What more should the Jamaican government do to recompense Rastafari?
3. Are six lots at Pinnacle sufficient?
4. Given his role, should Bustmante now be removed as a Jamaican National Hero?
5. Does Rasta need to reformulate itself itself to take this issue to the global arena?
6. Is it necessary to further evidence the persecution of Rastafari in Jamaica and around the world as the basis for a global campaign?
7. What does the experience of Rastafari in Jamaica reveal about neo-colonial constructs in the liberation fight?