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American Morning

Three Days of Violence Leaves at Least 20 Jamaicans Dead

Aired July 10, 2001 - 09:34   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: The army is on patrol in Jamaica this morning. Soldiers have been ordered to halt three days of violence that has left at least 20 people dead in Kingston.

CNN's Gordon Robison has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GORDON ROBISON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With the death toll rising, Prime Minister P.J. Patterson called out the army in a bid to restore order. The latest clashes follow months of escalating violence between gangs with ties to the country's two main political parties. The flash point, the Tivoli Gardens section of the capital, Kingston, was virtually sealed off as violence spread to other parts of the city. The district is known for gang related violence.

MARK WINGALL, JOURNALIST: There are six dead bodies along the Spanish Town Road. On the way driving just in front of the Denim town police station we came under heavy fire, hundreds of rounds.

RENETO ADAMS, CRIME MANAGEMENT UNIT: I saw men from Tivoli go to the Polisigla park before the Tivoli court and throw a bomb inside. The vehicle explode and caught fire. I will not recommend a solution, no, but what I can say, Jamaica will pay dearly, dearly for this.

ROBISON: The latest round of trouble began Saturday night after police searching for illegal weapons raided Tivoli Gardens. Opposition leader Edward Seaga calls the violence political and says it is being organized by the government in an effort to discredit him ahead of elections that are scheduled for next year. Mr. Patterson rejected that charge Monday and he issued a call for outside help to keep the violence from spreading. If that happens, Jamaica's $1.3 billion a year tourist industry could be the next casualty.

Gordon Robison, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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