This afternoon the Public Defender received several complaints from the residents of Tivoli Gardens indicating that early this morning a great number of heavily armed soldiers and police men some of whom were masked descended upon the community particularly in the Dee Cee Avenue area and unlawfully searched several houses.
It has been reported that the security forces questioned residents as to the exact address on Dee Cee Avenue where two (2) young men were shot and killed during the May 2010 joint police / military operation in Tivoli gardens. The residents report that the police men questioned them as to the burial sites of the said two young men.
It is also reported that the police men were seen in the May Pen Cemetery digging sites and destroying sepulchers. Representatives from the Office of the Public Defender on a visit to the area later this afternoon saw damage to one sepulcher and evidence of fresh masonry work to reseal it.
This early morning activity comes hard on the heels of the testimony of soldier one in the current Commission of Enquiry.
This practice of randomly searching houses is unlawful and undoubtedly in this instance will have the effect of intimidating witnesses and deterring persons from coming forward to give evidence.
This Commission of Parliament advises residents to use their phones to photograph and or video graph all activities of security forces in the community and to report these activities.
Arlene Harrison Henry