Today marks International Day against the Use of Child Soldiers. This is a concept more typically associated with African nations such as Chad and Uganda. (Thanks KONY 2012).

I have been wondering, however, if this terminology can be applied here in Jamaica. On the weekend, the Jamaica Observer ran an article called “Young ‘shottas’ take on frontline duties,” in which is described the phenomenon of young men being recruited as gunmen for inner-city gangs.

We are seeing more of these cases where youngsters between ages 17-25 are being given more roles to carry out the major crimes in communities where gangs operate,” Steve McGregor, who heads the volatile Kingston Western Police Division told the Jamaica Observer.

The police said that in the first month of the year alone, approximately 25 of these young criminals, all below age 25, have been apprehended in the volatile Kingston West division in connection with serious crimes.

The latest three were nabbed during a series of operations that took place in Denham Town last week. Three high-powered weapons, including an AK 47 were seized during the raids.

“The men were between 17 and 18 years old,” a senior member of the Major Investigation Task Force (MIT) said.

According to the police, criminals between ages 16 and 20 are being used as front men by gangs to commit deadly crimes in communities.

“Young criminals are being placed as front men by criminal gangs to drive fear in the hearts of citizens in communities while older members venture out of their haven to commit other crimes such as contract killings,” the senior investigator said, supporting claims made by McGregor.

I’ve also heard of this from a couple of the youth who have come through YOU. Read about one young man’s experience here.

Child soldiers are usually recruited at a young age by people involved in organized crime. They come from impoverished communities and are often unattached (ie no parental figures), have limited education and live in “conflict zones.”

This is not a secret in Jamaica. But I wonder if the fact that it has become a norm, and the fact that Jamaica is not “Africa”, has cast this issue in a different light. In any case, let’s look at Unicef’s definition of a child soldier:

For the purposes of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programmes,
UNICEF defines a ‘child soldier’ as any child, boy or girl, under 18 years of age, who is part of any kind of regular or irregular armed force or armed group in any capacity, including, but not limited to: cooks, porters, messengers, and anyone accompanying such groups other than family members. It includes girls and boys recruited for forced sexual purposes and/or forced marriage. The definition, therefore, does not only refer to a child who is carrying, or has carried, weapons.

From my observer’s perspective, I would say Jamaica’s youth who have been recruited into gangs, and in the service of gangs, qualify. The term could apply to females as well, who at a young age are called into service by the neighbourhood dons.

According to international NGO Child Soldiers International, there are tens of thousands of youth who are serving as child soldiers. Many groups are working to eradicate this phenomenon, and I wonder, were this definition applied to youth here in Jamaica, what the implications would be. According to the Paris Principles, which were established in 2007, youth under age 18 face different protocols in terms of being punished by law for whatever illegal activities they engage in. So this could have ramifications for Jamaica, should the nation’s lawmakers and citizens choose to embrace this concept. It would, however, probably require a vast shift in mentality in how children and youth are regarded, especially those from so-called “ghetto” communities. Here’s a brief description of the Paris Principles:

The aim of the Paris Principles and Commitments is to combat the unlawful recruitment or use of children by armed forces or armed groups. Their specific objective is to prevent the occurrence of this phenomenon, to secure the release of children concerned, to support their social reintegration and to ensure that they are afforded the greatest protection possible. In adhering to the Paris Commitments, states agree to uphold certain basic principles which will allow them to achieve the set objectives. The Paris Principles give more detailed guidelines on the implementation of the Commitments. As at September 2011, 100 states had endorsed the Paris Commitments.

Clearly, there are more questions than answers at this point, so this is something to ponder on this International Day against the Use of Child Soldiers.

UPDATE: A quick comment on Jamaica from a colleague of mine who works for the Romeo Dallaire Child Soldiers Initiative: “The techniques for recruitment, the use by adults and the vulnerabilities are all the same – the context can be different but all in all we do see the connections. Context can be considered different given that it is not all out war but conflict still…”

The other day, I noticed a small ad in the Jamaica Observer: a Canadian man went missing just after Christmas. It seems his family or friends are trying to find him after not hearing anything from him since then. What could have happened to him? The mind can go so many places.

It is coming up on two months now. The Jamaica Star has published a small piece about it. Check it out here. This story seems to have an update from the ad, which listed him as having last been seen at Rick’s Cafe in Negril on Dec. 26. This is a popular place for tourists. This story states that he was last seen in Montego Bay in Rose Heights a day later. This is not an area where most tourists would go. Here is the full story, and the link to the Jamaica Constabulary Force alert:

The police are seeking the public’s assistance in locating a Canadian, who has been missing since Friday, December 27, 2013.

He is 43-year-old Gregory Ashodian of Platanes Quebec, Canada. He is Caucasian, slim build, is about 180 centimetres (5 feet 11 inches) tall and has tattoos on his right arm, chest and left calf.

Information received is that Ashodian was last seen about 11:45 a.m., in Rose Heights, Montego Bay, St James. He has not been seen or heard from since. His mode of dress at the time he went missing is unknown.

Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Gregory Ashodian is being asked to contact the Sangster International Airport police at 952-2241 or 952-6732, police 119 emergency number, or the nearest police station.

International aid and “development” can be confusing. Who are we “helping” and what are we trying to develop? Why do they need help? How much of its GDP does a country reserve for international aid? What is the rationale for which countries receive funding? Who are the beneficiaries and why are they selected? How do we measure if they actually benefit from the “aid”? How are both parties made accountable? How is the “change” achieved by the “development” sustained?

We can get lost in these questions and the terminology itself. Starting with “development”. Many people have a problem with this word because of the assumption that the communities and nations you are trying to “help” do not measure up to first-world standards. Yes, when it comes to infrastructure, you can apply this term without qualitative, assumptive judgments. A road has too many potholes? No sanitation facilities? Yes, that is not developed and they can be fixed. But when it comes to community relations, how do you go in and “help” and community to “develop?” Whose standards do you apply? What are you trying to achieve?

In the past decade or so, especially after the latest recession hit in 2008, both government and the development community, including Canada, have awakened to the need for increased accountability. Which means international donors (people who grant money to both government and civil society organizations) want to see numbers and budgets. How many people did you help? How do you know you helped them? As development efforts are not always tangible, like a skills training course (you can measure how many people graduate and become employed, versus a conflict resolution course- how can you measure direct benefits in that situation?) it can be challenging to measure these more qualitative efforts.

And more importantly, the reality is that the “help” usually manifests in “change” often only evident in tiny, incremental and less obvious, tangible ways.

To this end, since I arrived here, I have been collecting individual stories from people who have benefited from the non-governmental organization I work with- Youth Opportunities Unlimited (I am here via Cuso International) . YOU is primarily an NGO that provides mentoring to unattached, inner-city youth who come from violent and crime-ridden communities in which unemployment levels are often close to 75 per cent, at least among the youth. I have heard firsthand, however, how YOU has gone into these communities and provided mentoring services and other programs (for example, parenting and life skills workshops and conflict resolution courses) that have had real and lasting effects on troubled communities.

Youth Opportunities Unlimited has worked in Kingston’s inner-city communities for over two decades. It was founded in response to an outburst of gang activity in these communities and is based on the premise of mentoring. To be specific, YOU’s mission and vision focus on the relationship cultivated through the mentoring relationship. Through regular contact with adult role models, the youth build self-esteem and learn how to behave in a work environment. The ultimate goal is to mould youth to become productive, positive members of society. As YOU’s tagline goes, “Developing our youth, building our nation.”

To get a sense of what YOU has achieved, please read on and also visit our Youtube page, where there are testimonials from “beneficiaries.” YOU has changed lives and communities for the better. Let these people tell you about it in their own words.

Navada Smith:
“The program helped me, taught me discipline and how to plan…I learned a lot of things, like how to be organized, how to plan and how to deal with children.”

Arlene Bailey:
“I garnered so much self-esteem…I was in a bad state. (YOU) allow mi fi blossom. Someone with a troubled past tends to be arrogant, but I have been polished a lot.”

Randy McLaren:
“The program gave me a strong platform to help people, to help others and share with others….I learned that we can make suggestions, but to this day, I never tell anyone what to do. It always boils down to the individual.”

Sheryl Hamilton:
“Before, I didn’t think I was being the parent that I ought to be…YOU is an excellent program, especially the parenting workshops. They send parenting skills in a whole new direction that is positive. And I have seen the youth look in positive directions, and this helps to stimulate other young persons in positive directions. YOU has had a lasting impact.”

Ann Marie Lynch, president of Mountain View Youth Group:
“YOU helped us come up with our parenting group and workshop training. A lot of things we are doing in the community now are based on the training we had. It has formed a strong bond in the community. It gets the people together in Mountain View. People can cross boundaries now that they couldn’t before. Jacques Road youth would never go to Bergher and Jarrett Lane. Since YOU came on board, the youth mixed together.

There has been a great change in violence and crime. There is a reduction. It’s because of the program. For the kids, the mentoring is the greatest thing that they have ever had. When YOU came aboard, there was a lot of violence and now there is less.

Mentors are greatest things in the kids lives, even this morning, people were asking about them, when they were coming back. They still go out with their mentors. Lashannette* went out with her mentor the other day for her birthday.

YOU has had a great impact. Especially for the young men, the mentors acted as a father figure or a big sister for the young women. One young woman’s mother died and she got a mentor who acted as mother figure for her.

YOU had a great impact on Mountain View. We are so sorry the program had to end. We have less teenage pregnancy since YOU was there. The youth looked forward to every Saturday, going to the workshop. They did not have anything to distract them so they did not get into trouble.”

Mentor Marcia Skervin:
“I have been a mentor for close to ten years, the opportunity to change one life has been a life changing experience for me, the wholesomeness that comes with mentoring and moulding young people to find their greatness is very rewarding for me.

The partnership and growth that I have experienced with YOU has also shaped my outlook on social responsibility, through that relationship the impact was phenomenal.

I would encourage more active participations in the mentoring programs if we can change one life, we would be well on our way to social change.”

Here is a response to the column I wrote about the other day by a fellow named Louis Davis. It makes some good points.

Enjoy your day!

It is Friday! Enjoy this new clip of people dancing in Jamaica to Pharrell Williams’ song Happy. It seems to have been filmed all over Kingston, both town and country, in the past few days.
You will be either smiling or moving or both within seconds.

“THIS interview must, of earnest duty, begin with a solemn warning. Those who don’t wish, or can’t afford to be completely mesmerised, would do well to avoid being in the prolonged presence of Portia Simpson Miller. Like all those tapped by fate for greatness in this life, she is possessed of endless charisma, an enchanting personality and a bewitching aura that have been enriched by 40 years of tramping back and forth across Jamaica’s gruelling political campaign trail.”

I alert you again today to another example of Jamaica’s journalism. This is the lead from a story that graced the front page of the Jamaica Observer yesterday. I was on my way to work and caught a quick glimpse of the cover and was struck by disbelief. But the day got busy and I did not have a chance to read it until today. And my disbelief is now just confusion.

The Observer is apparently beginning a series on PM PSM on the 40th anniversary of her entry into public service. Fair enough, Mrs. Simpson Miller has indeed had some remarkable achievements in an environment that is not welcoming to female politicians. But there is no way that this article is balanced or fair or critical. Check out their editorial here.

Another factor at play is the fact that the Observer is typically supportive of PM PSM’s party, the People’s National Party. While the Gleaner tends towards the opposition, which is the Jamaica Labour Party. This is nothing new- across the world, most national newspapers have a political leaning, but this Observer story goes too far.

I can’t even imagine this type of writing in an autobiography. Take another read: “The Portia Simpson Miller story is compelling and awe-inspiring. It is not for the fast-food reader. It is for the hungry soul grasping at every last detail of the heroism gifted to the Jamaican woman, and with which this daughter of destiny is so richly endowed. But they know it can’t all be told in the finite pages of a 21-year-old newspaper, happy though it is to be just the chosen vessel. Once again, the interviewer is sorely challenged to rise to magnum opus status, but feels… infuriatingly… deficient.”

That is just embarrassing.

For some independent context, I will leave you now with the Pew Center’s Principles of Journalism:

4. Its practitioners must maintain an independence from those they cover

Independence is an underlying requirement of journalism, a cornerstone of its reliability. Independence of spirit and mind, rather than neutrality, is the principle journalists must keep in focus. While editorialists and commentators are not neutral, the source of their credibility is still their accuracy, intellectual fairness and ability to inform–not their devotion to a certain group or outcome. In our independence, however, we must avoid any tendency to stray into arrogance, elitism, isolation or nihilism.

5. It must serve as an independent monitor of power

Journalism has an unusual capacity to serve as watchdog over those whose power and position most affect citizens. The Founders recognized this to be a rampart against despotism when they ensured an independent press; courts have affirmed it; citizens rely on it. As journalists, we have an obligation to protect this watchdog freedom by not demeaning it in frivolous use or exploiting it for commercial gain.

“Mr Channer and Ms Chin, and indeed Mr de Mol, he of the US$2.2 billion net worth, did not become extraordinary by watching television. They did not resign themselves to vicariously reliving the achievements of others, or projecting fawning solidarity on to strangers. They dreamed big, and worked hard, and deep down inside absolutely refused to be ordinary, to be like the rest of us. If we are ever to become great, individually and as a nation, we must stop ‘supporting’ them, and start lifting ourselves.”

This is a quote from a column running in the Gleaner today. It is by a new columnist called Keiran King. If you take a read, you will see he is a delightful writer, prone to hyperbole perhaps, but that’s not so remarkable in terms of what a columnist does, which is employ rhetoric in order to enchant and elicit a strong reaction from the audience.

What struck me, however, is the fact that this could have been written by a Canadian, say, about Carly Rae Jepsen or Justin Beiber or Shania Twain or Avril Lavigne or any citizen who has achieved substantial international fame and recognition. To be more specific, recognition and approval from the pop culture hegemony that is the United States.

It is called the ‘tall poppy syndrome,’ or ‘crabs in the bucket syndrome.’ Books have been written about it in Canada, and elsewhere I’m sure, but it basically amounts to citizens of a country tearing down our fellows when they achieve a large amount of success and recognition. Think about it. Do you ever hear a Canadian say how much they love Celine Dion or any of the others I’ve mentioned above? If anything, there is a grudging acceptance of their talent, but none of that enthusiasm that the rest of the world may show.

Keiran King’s column seems almost mean-spirited, although it is more of an indictment of U.S. popular culture and the American Dream than of Tessanne Chin and her well-deserved success. In any case, it is worth a read and sheds a lot of light on Jamaican culture. As does a saying “We little but we Tallawah,” which basically means that Jamaica is a small nation, both in terms of size and population, but when it comes to spirit and determination, Jamaica is a force to be reckoned with. You cannot argue with that.

February is officially designated as Reggae Month in Jamaica. This is because Bob Marley’s birthday is Feb. 6. Dozens of events take place in February in celebration of the music that defines this nation’s culture.

There is a lot more going on in Jamaica, musically, than reggae, however. Check out this video about the hip-hop scene here in Kingston.

There is also a burgeoning community of rock musicians. Check out just one artist here. Enjoy your day!

Please watch, this is self-explanatory. Happy Friday!