Together Against Violence - Jamaica

December 2001
Bennetlands is a ghetto community in the heart of Kingston, Jamaica's capital city - home to 5,000 inhabitants - half of them under 25 and over 2,000 of them unemployed. Once, despite the poverty, Bennetlands was a peaceful place, with daily life revolving around the four main pillars of the community - its primary school, two churches and the S-Corner Clinic which provided health care, support and education for school drop-outs. But in the 1980s war broke out in the region - with rival 'corner' gangs fighting a vicious turf battle over Bennetlands' one high street, terrorising the neighbourhood and preventing children from going to school, and for most of the residents Bennetlands became a prison without bars. This week's City Life tells how the local leaders joined forces to challenge the local gangs to heal their difference and work together to restore a sense of community in one poor Jamaican neighbourhood.

[@Nica-Ra-Wata]

I wish the best for all the Caribbean Islands. Peace and Love. From Bluefields, Nicaragua

[@managementr]

this brought tears to my eyes, i moved to this community when i was 3 years old a few months before hurricane gilbert, in 1988. all these faces even the ones who hide there faces i know and its so sad to say that all but a few of the adults are still alive. to see them alive in this video is hard because i went to some of their funerals. i remember the young man who was killed by the peace dance. sad to say the community is fearing no better now, but we must live on. R.I.P to the fallen.

[@annievd8886]

Kevin Lindo you lived there around my time. It is really sad indeed. But it made us who we are today. I am humbled by my upbringing and take nothing for granted.

[@moniho6907]

Where is this? I lived in kgn and never heard about this place

[@pennyredfern]

I love how people who never set foot in Jamaica has all the answers and know everything about Jamaica

[@EricaYE6]

God Bless Jamaica. One of the most beautiful places on Earth with some of the best people on Earth. And they're such a beautiful people. I hate that they're going through so much. Father help them.

[@jamaicatory2342]

Wow am filled with different emotions watching this

[@mouriqueritchie6851]

Jamaica has come a far way.

[@trevorlexus]

I am in the United States of America and I lived in Jamaica from my conceived to adulthood and the main chasm that causes crime and violence is Poverty, stereotypes (just like the Etana's song wrong address)lack of education for the poor. There are a litany of problems some derive its callous and perilously biddings from the Government itself. Some of the poverty prone zones are orchestrated by the government and it's lack o interest in making certain areas developed.Shame on you Jamaica!!

[@keykevee]

All hope is not lost....very encourage!

[@KMELIZ21]

I wish I were rich cause if I was I would definetly help out in kingston

[@leonbrow35]

Imagine Im in this documentary this is over 22 years old enuh

[@GGLebo23]

Can somebody PLEASE give me the name of the song at the end???

[@queenie493]

I love Jamaica

[@122nextel]

1 day all of this will be over, all we have to do is pray to god.I am a good Jamaican.

[@413nishawn]

he live the same place where i live......jus keep yall heads up n yall can make yall dream come true like mind..

[@TheBlackhawk766]

what is the song playing from 01:51 to 02:49 ?

[@ThePthinker]

Yo! You're right.

[@Rotek10000]

PEACE!!!

[@ericjungleboy]

Priorities and values need to change among young men in Jamaica. The culture needs to change. It's hard to see any solution without that happening. Dancehall culture might talk about what's happening and be a way to vent feelings, but most DJ's just perpetuate the negative values that are hurting the youth and preventing progress (i.e. the focus on bling and war and being a shotta and all that). I don't care if it's "reality". It's time to change that reality instead of parading it around.

[@Nica-Ra-Wata]

you got a point

[@PorknBeanJuice]

@tanya876diva Peace Queen. You are beloved...a reflection of God.

[@tanyatmr]

Me too.

[@timothyblack98]

😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢very sad to see

[@muzzatube212]

this is great, well done to the people running these pease things. I would love to help with the unempployment in Jamaica, i plan to, i need to save some money to visit to see what can be done firstly.

[@TheTruthUnderTheHood]

If you love poety you will love this poem. the search word is " Is the Coss Christian" The delivery is weak but the message will blow your mind!

[@HansBalneger]

Song at 2:28?

[@Jim.and.Milson]

@MysticalTV no my friend but some of my family and friends live there

[@Jwriter4]

YEP the same can be said here in U.S

[@ReneeLoves]

Abduljamal... I agree with you on that comment! I'm lucky enough to have a mixed family of pure-bred African (Ghana) & also Jamaicans, and I can tell you I've heard the African side make more insults towards the Jamaican side than the other way around.

[@heds21]

It is about time the youths wise up and stop killing each ohter over nothing. Park up the machine dem and help bring back Jamaica.

[@badboybaldy1]

god bless these people makes me so sad seeing this stuff ...maybe some one should get a video and tape whats going on hey ..just a thought why no one is buying one to tape whats happen ..and i dont mean the t.v people others ..you who live in this sad life . god bless you all ...

[@2300lisa]

plant the vegetables in your own backyard, my grandparents did it, and they are from trenchtown, just dig up a small spot in your yard and plant vegetables, you dont need large space for that

[@KarrillDaDiva]

Fuckry this...Mi cant believe this is really Jamaica this where mi born and grow.

[@KMELIZ21]

I know that!

[@MysticalTV]

@joshy1ification Peace brother do you live in Jamaica

[@oneza]

read "born fi dead" about the gangs and politics in general covers mainly Shower & Spanglers e.g Jim Brown and ChinaMan good book though

[@GhostBanned369]

@tanya876diva where do the white's live ?

[@elliegriffin9879]

🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲🆙🆙🆙🆙

[@kismeraas]

This is reality, the whole world have them problems, people must stop then negative streotype and offer constructive comments. If you dont know and understand certain issues it's best left alone. I feel we can see a better jamaica one day. Jah bless our Island and for a small country we have some of the world most influential people and it takes all through jamaicansboth local and overseas to play their party for a brighter future..

[@jahluva2000]

LMAO too...he was all mean mugginø..but when they talk about the dance, he looked like a kid at six flags,lol.... But on the real, sometimes that what it takes to get through to people living in these type of conditions... Simple things they can relate too, like a spliff, a dance, or chillin wit ya boys ... If a dance gets his attetion , hell use it, to get your poit across...Bless. I hope Jamaica can end the violence

[@PorknBeanJuice]

Angela is such a beautiful Queen.

[@merciless41582]

15:34 is Vybz Kartel or sounds like him

[@pennyredfern]

I have heard about that man, who is a trinidadian by birth, I thi nk he would like nothing more than to damage Jamaica, but believe me he won't. Jamaica is the third most visited country in the world.

[@dunngar]

i'm 26 also.. I'd say that you should look into the cause and effect principle more thoroughly. Violence is not an entity in itself that spawns from innate human response towards another human. It takes a poverty atmosphere and lots of time of doing nothing, feeling unimportant, which then leads to blaming others. I was poor in my youth too, but I always avoided disputes. The psychological response to poverty and depression very often leads to violence, when nobody cares about anyone, no love

[@ennisel]

at 23:40 isn't that a marijuana tree in the background?

[@erlzeeperl1]

You have to understand hat violence in Jamaica confined to communities that are small in terms of geographical referrence but ensely populated due to poverty in these areas. These crime figures are in stark contrast to what visitors to the resort areas of our island experience.

[@pennyredfern]

When will haiti have more tourists than Jamaica?

[@n310ea]

Gun ban is to blame for violence in Jamaica, it disarms innocent people so they can't defend themselves from violent criminals. Remember the phrase; "When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns".

[@ericjungleboy]

@atomus Poverty is the root of the problem, but many things add to make the situation worse. For example, the political parties arming thugs in the 60's and 70's and encouraging a war mentality between neighborhoods. Then there's the popular notion in Jamaica among young men that everything is about having bling, but the only way for a poor kid to get that kind of bling is thru crime. There needs to be a shift in values and priorities, but the music and popular culture aren't helping that happen

[@PorknBeanJuice]

@irishsean2 you sound upset...was it something I said?

[@esben_toft]

jamaican patwa, nice.. :D

[@EricaYE6]

I pray that the black Church here in the states become more actively involved in seeking solutions to the issues in the black community like the Jamaican church is demonstrating here. Maybe it has happened, but in all my 25 years on Earth, I have never seen the black Church ask the gangs and thugs in the black community to make peace. But I've seen black church members do nothing but ignore them which isn't going to solve anything. If Jesus was here, he would be reaching and teaching them.

[@juglord]

i will be making a music video with clips from this.

[@ReneeLoves]

We people have to realise that no country is perfect! There is violence EVERYWHERE! I believe that JA's problem, just like the UK is that "these youths have nothing better to do with their lives". They need purpose!

[@melisa5b]

a ture mi no kno why dem hab up these video up here and a give ppl bad thoughts about Ja..Ja is beautiful and yes we all ahve our struggles b/c without struggles there cant b try for betta!!

[@PorknBeanJuice]

@PorknBeanJuice *pats leprechaun on head* There, there now little guy, you might want to save all this excitement for St. Patty's Day.

[@SunOfRa]

Am I the only one who thinks it's ironic to have a commercial offering cruises in a documentary about violence in Jamaica?

[@6109Ham]

Jamaica will never reveal this side of itself to tourist, because if they did their thriving tourist business would come to a screeching halt.

[@stripemister]

A solution. It may take a couple years, but violence will level off. Leaders of gangs in murders can't control where one of their "troops" decides to kill some one from another gang. Say that there are five members from each gang who are all powerful. When one of their members commits a murder then it's up to those five leaders to kill that member of their gang. There's no favorites, a person committs a murder then he dies. Murders will decrease, and peace will be restored.

[@jed1540]

This is only in the ghetto communities of Kingston, not all of kingston is poor. There are upscale communities in Kingston also.

[@smokeyhat]

I'm looking for novels about Jamaican outlaws, I read "Shower Posse" which was a bag bullshit since Vivian Blake's son was the author naturally he wrote it with zero impartiality. He wanted the reader to think his dad was some sort of Hero which is a crock of shit. Anyway I'm looking for novels about the following Jamaican "Dons": Skeng (from Mandeville), Rhygin (on whom the film "The Harder they come" was based.) and Whappi King, Sandokhan. for a complete list listen to Warrior Cause by Spragga

[@Mzthikk]

Most Americans accidentally mess up the english, as they do not know how to properly speak english. Colloquialism is so widely accepted in America, that only a few Americans actually grasp the concept of the english language. If you really wanted to know what he was saying, all you had to do was ask; i'm sure he would have gladly translated.

[@ThePthinker]

Lastly - DO NOT FORGET THIS! It was Jamaicans who when emigrating to America were snatched up by employers because of their work ethic. Americans were viewed as lazy (and still are - Hence the reason why Mexicans have so many jobs in America. Even Mexicans view black Americans in a very negative light) It is only recently the new Jamaican's with that average American mentality that feel the world owes them something. Good luck with your one sided view. Many think the same way of ALL blacks

[@juglord]

dem a go rise pan dem self and we ago get ketch inna crossfire.

[@tanya876diva]

I dont know y ppl are coming on here with their ignornance. If you are not here to help then go away. Every counrty in this world have poverty/ violence. Jamaica is trying to deal with theirs. Places in JA people live A comfortable life like myself, and other places people r stuggling. Dont act like where u come from dont have violence/poverty. I am a Jamaican girl to the bone nothing will never changed that!!!!!

[@OGSpacely555]

peace and legalize in USA

[@CLEKTRONIK]

This video represents a small part of Kingston and not all of Jamaica or all of Kingston.

[@maria610421]

@Deptstate799: The unfortunate thing is that the poor local people don't realise they are fighting for their very survival. Black people have to change their attitude and outlook, and spend less time on music and more time spent on peaceful reflection on life and how to improve their lives. When young people is speaking about turf & Dons, it should be discouraged, it's one country and one people.

[@moregyal]

yow whosoeva yuh may be we nuh call wi one aneda cat so jus get dat strait zeen.

[@timothyblack98]

So sad to see anyone living in such way only the love of god can help those poor people for them to live in peace with each other

[@HollywoodStarTV]

i agree! jamaican schools have discipline unlike american schools

[@spainyo]

Just a guess.....

[@coolbeens21]

yep, its people such as camel 337 who just watch one documentary speaking about specific people and then makes a generalization about the entire population of the country. There is no hope for someone like him and congratulations on being a medical student =)

[@888duane]

This video only represents a tiny part of Kingston. They even have a part of Kingston called Beverly Hills. The majority of the country does NOT look or live like this.

[@Jim.and.Milson]

@fred19992010 you should really read a sociology book

[@AmericanPatriot2008]

Hush ya raas claat noise. You tink seh mi soft? Mi ah go brock up wunna bloodclaat. Awoah.

[@pennyredfern]

Everyone is talking about Haiti being independent, what has it done for them? Open your eyes, look at videos of haiti right here on ytube.A family friend who's afro/american went to Manchester parish in Ja. He said it looks like Westchester in NY where the Clintons live.Look at videos of Kingston, then look at Haiti

[@Mzthikk]

No, I'm not saying that these people can not spell me, my or the; I'm speaking of using words in the correct context, and putting together a well developed sentence. As an aside, Americans do write the way they speak; hence, all the problems with writing papers. Believe me, I sit and grade their papers.

[@thelasthourgetready]

They always show the negative aspects of Jamaica this is not good. There are plenty of hardworking Jamaicans who are succesful business people and entrepreneurs across a wide range of services. They drive nice cars and have nice houses. There are plenty of successful food brands that export products all over the world. There is a stock exchange with lots of succesful companies listed plus various industries produce and export. Great restaurants. The finest golf courses in the world. The finest polo fields. The world famous blue mountain coffee. It is the birth place of James Bond and many famous people have homes there. There is a whole lot more to Jamaica than weed, murder, Guns and Badman culture.

[@jamaicatory2342]

Facts Bro

[@jed1540]

Sometime these documentary gives people the wrong impression about Jamaica.

[@pennyredfern]

Nigeria: Life expectancy-46 years for men 47 yrs for women(UN 2008 data) GNI per capita US$930 (World Bank 2008)population 151 million (UN data for 2008) Jamaica : population 2.5 million. Life expectancy 70 yrs men, 75 yrs women. GNI income per capita US$3,710. (World Bank data 2008) Where would you rather be?

[@SmokeyMontanaJamaican]

yuh see mi nuh understand people we jamaicans don't discriminate against others but every weh wi go yuh have even other black man a dis wi a suh low dem class wi ??? like zamunda seh EVEN THOUGH DEM NUH LIKE WI WI STILL A PRAY FI DEM BEG JAH CLEAR DI WAY FI DEM

[@pennyredfern]

indo011, I don't know where you get your information from but Haiti is the poorest country in the westen hemisphere, they eat mud cakes,they were the only country in the w.h. to riot over food when the world food crisis began.All of Haiti looks like that tiny community in Ja.New Kingston and other areas are sophisticated and modern. Close to Montego bay there are two communities taken over by Haitans. Go look in the Ja. Gleaner.

[@edwardanys7441]

The black people of jamaica have to go back to their ancestors so they can have a good life again, they must have a brighter mind to become a little more wealthy, i,m so sad looking at this

[@dolltee60]

For real. You wasting your debating skills on this worthless agitatator. And of course i know is a thing when some hate on us , but Jamaica get nuff love out there too enuh. I ever appreciate that and hold a humility same way. Yu done know , Jamaica is a big ole paradox ; when we ready fe bad we is de worst and when we ready fe good we is de best. So we just have to keep it real , take the good with the bad , know and love our selves and this can immunize as against the vitriol. Easy nuh.

[@DatNiceTV]

why yall always video tape the poverty villages EVERy country has poverty villages not only Jamaica....where is the better part of JA

[@Mzthikk]

(cont) proves that this video and it's postings weren't met for you.

[@DOLOG1]

wat up to all black folks everywhere from chicago a stop arguing we all 1 blood thats y we in the situation we in we not 2gether we all going threw it stop being goofy

[@juglord]

a lot of guns come from hati,they know that

[@orvillepalmer7800]

His jamaican mashup Jamaica not the CIA.

[@1KURFUU1]

all jamaican abroad should invest in their country.......deh suh yuh nabel string bury.....memba dat......build something......violence is all around us......kurfuu

[@Jim.and.Milson]

@fred19992010 what a nasty thing to say

[@marmackk]

Jamaica is not a complete slum.Jamaica just like most countries it has rich,middle class and poor areas.

[@Tampinu]

true...lol

[@PHlophe]

well I hope you plan to use those skills in Ghana or wherever you come from.Because your country need those hands and brain.This is not an issue of "go back home" but more of contributing.Educated Jamaicans should also contribute to science, medecine, build infrastructure home.

[@pzgdr]

try tell a rema or jungle man fi put dun dem gun see what a gwaan.. nuff a dem tun west kingston fi a war zone mash u[p police an soldier bwoy all day long seen.

[@shaquillecoombs9103]

am i the only one who noticed that that girl is too young to be pregnant

[@gamalmothersil6943]

Jamaicans are normal people but the economic situation caused this break-down in society.

[@gamalmothersil6943]

Jamaicans are normal people but the economic situation caused this break-down in society.

[@PorknBeanJuice]

@irishsean2 you're proof that the devil is alive

[@sugaryouth1]

@jenoo27 cia mash up jamaica watch ( CIA Activities in Jamaica )

[@Brizzy204]

African americans have been through more the most mentally strongest people are african americans from the south.

[@dolltee60]

My yout'...how yu a mek da likkle men ya a draw yu out? Him de pon di whole a dem video ya n just a troll. No star. If yu a go laff affi him dat cool, but do' inna no long argument bredren , di likkle man is jus' a bait.