[Onthebarricades] GLOBAL UNREST: Jamaica, Trinidad, Egypt, Kenya

[Andy]

*  JAMAICA:  Residents block roads in protest over cemetery after driver 
attacks residents; building earlier torched, blockaded
*  JAMAICA:  Protest and unrest as worker is killed by car; security guards 
blamed, buildings, vehicles attacked
*  TRINIDAD:  Residents blockade roads, demanding repairs
*  NIGERIA:  Four killed as police attack protest over electricity shutdown
*  EGYPT:  Residents battle police in protest against land grab in Luxor
*  KENYA:  Slum dwellers revolt over arrests for unpaid rents


Publicly Archived at Global Resistance: 
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/globalresistance

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/html/20080225T200000-0500_132925_OBS_BURNT_GROUND_RESIDENTS_STEP_UP_PROTEST_AGAINST_CEMETERY.asp


Burnt Ground residents step up protest against cemetery
BY HORACE HINES Observer staff reporter hinesh at jamaicaobserver.com
Tuesday, February 26, 2008

BURNT GROUND, Hanover - Furious residents yesterday set fire along the main 
road running through this community to protest against a suspected burial at 
Dale Delapenha's controversial $40-million Royale Rest cemetery.

The protest which started from about 3:00 am with angry residents piling 
huge trees and other debris along the road between the Haughton Grove and 
Ramble communities, kept a strong contingent of police busy as traffic 
backed up for miles.

Burnt Ground residents protesting yesterday against a suspected burial at 
the Royale Rest cemetery in Hanover.

"Any duppy over deh we a go dig them up and if bad man over deh we deh dig 
them up too," screamed one protestor, in reference to two men whom they 
accused of opening fire on them. The men who were allegedly hired to protect 
the 17-acre picturesque property which has been a bone of discontent in the 
community because of its proximity to the area's water table and fears of 
its potential to contaminate the water supply, were whisked away by the 
police to have their hands swabbed for gun powder residue.
"The Rasta one with the hoody come round and beat four shots and the ball 
head one come round and beat two more, we have to flee and the police them 
right down there and naw do nothing about it," one resident claimed.
However, the two men told the police that the loud explosions were as a 
result of the residents firing at them.
In the meantime, the police, who teargassed the protesters in an attept to 
maintain control, took a number of them into custody.
Two fire units fought the fire which had spread to a large orange field 
nearby.
Repeated efforts to reach Dale Delapenha by telephone proved futile 
yesterday.
Residents of Burnt Ground have, since 2005, staged several protests to push 
government to shut down the Royale Rest cemetery, which has a chapel and 
roughly eight acres of burial ground.
Just two weeks ago a section of the property was set on fire, causing about 
$2-million damage to heavy duty equipment, while prior to that an attempt to 
conduct what would have been the first burial at the cemetery was thwarted 
by angry residents who turned back the hearse.
Yesterday, the fuming residents said they were incensed when men travelling 
in a van owned by the funeral home on Saturday attacked a man from the 
community.

http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20080226/lead/lead3.html

Hanover residents take to the streets in protest
published: Tuesday | February 26, 2008
Tashieka Mair & Richard Morais, Gleaner Writers

Police escort protestors away from the vicinity of the Burnt Ground main 
road near the controversial Royale Rest Cemetery in Hanover, yesterday. The 
protestors had earlier blocked the Burnt Ground main road and lit fires in 
their ongoing protest against burials at the site. - photo by Richard Morais
WESTERN BUREAU:
Residents of several communities in Hanover and Westmoreland were stranded 
or had to find alternative routes to get to school and work as militant 
residents of Shettle Wood and surrounding communities protested against a 
burial at the controversial Royale Rest Cemetery in Burnt Ground, Hanover.
Stones, trees, burning tyres and other debris were used to block several 
sections of the road, causing motorists to divert from their regular routes.
Residents say they are angry at the fact that, despite their best efforts, a 
body was buried at the cemetery on Saturday under questionable 
circumstances.
The residents said they went to the controversial site on Saturday after 
reading in a local newspaper that a burial would be taking place there. The 
residents claimed they had to flee after several armed men came to the 
location in a bus and demanded they leave the area.
They want the intervention of the prime minister and the Ministry of Health.
"Right now is 32 communities this thing affect and, when them finish laying 
the pipes in the area, it is going to affect the five parishes in western 
Jamaica. So, if this is what it takes for our voices to be heard, that is 
what we are going to do," a female resident stated.
Reactions no surprise
When The Gleaner contacted Dale Delapenha of Delapenha Funeral Homes, owner 
of the cemetery, he confirmed that a body was in fact buried at the site and 
said he was not surprised by the residents' reactions.
When asked about the allegations that gunmen had provided security during 
the burial on Saturday, he said, "This is the type of propaganda and 
misinformation that this campaign to stop the cemetery has been built on. 
So, nothing at this stage surprises me."
The protests come two weeks after arsonists firebombed a storehouse on the 
property, causing damage in excess of $2 million, and three weeks after the 
cancellation of the first planned burial that failed to take place as 
residents blocked off the area, preventing the hearse from taking the body 
on to the premises.
In November last year, a stop order that was placed on the cemetery was 
lifted and permission was granted for the company to exercise its legal 
rights.

http://www.radiojamaica.com/content/view/5917/26/

Man killed during riot at Fiesta Hotel in Hanover

Wednesday, 27 February 2008
The Fiesta hotel site in Hanover was the scene of a riot and fatal accident 
Wednesday morning.

A painter Peter Evans, 47, of Baulk, Hanover was also mowed down by a truck 
in the midst of the incident.

Two persons have since been taken into custody following the melee.

The workers reportedly became irate and began hurling stones after being 
prevented from entering the property because they lacked the company's 
identification (ID) which is an armband.

This was shortly after a security guard reportedly used a knife to ward off 
the workers and in the process allegedly cut one of them on the palm.

During the melee a truck tried to enter the property and the driver 
reportedly lost control and hit Mr. Evans from his bicycle killing him on 
the spot.

As tension mounted, some of the workers set fire to a guard house and a 
vehicle on the property, claiming that Mr. Evans was shoved into the path of 
the truck by one of the security guards.

A large contingent of police personnel then turned up at the site asking 
workers to clear the facility, but the infuriated men and women began 
hurling missiles at the police sending them, and reporters, scampering for 
safety.

In the process one of our cameramen was hit along with one of the policemen.

The police fired several shots in the air to disperse the crowd then fired 
canisters of tear gas which finally helped to clear the area.

The incident comes one year after a similar riot which followed the fatal 
shooting of a worker by a security guard, which led to a large section of 
the facility and several vehicles being burned.

The police are maintaining a strong presence in the area, while the driver 
of the ill-fated truck and the man accused of setting the car ablaze are 
being interrogated.

http://www.newstalk.com.jm/module-Pagesetter-viewpub-tid-23-pid-160.html

Tragedy again struck the Fiesta Hotel

Tragedy struck the Fiesta Hotel once again after a 47 year old painter at 
the hotel was killed in a freak accident today.

The incident sparked yet another riot at the hotel, as workers staged a 
demonstration at the site, during which a pick up truck was destroyed by 
fire and several villas damaged.
Police reports are that about 8:30 this morning, Peter Evans was standing at 
the entrance of the hotel.
While identifying himself to the security guard at the gate, as is required 
of all employees, a truck attempted to entire the compound.
It is said that the truck, which is suspected to be defective, hit him to 
the ground.
Mr. Evans sustained serious injuries and died on the spot.
The driver of the truck was subsequently taken into police custody for 
questioning.
The Fiesta Resort has been plagued with several serious problems since the 
beginning of its construction.

http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20070228/lead/lead1.html

Fury at Fiesta - Workers set vehicles ablaze in hotel protest
published: Wednesday | February 28, 2007

A man examines one of the four vehicles that were set afire by workers at 
the Fiesta Hotel site in Point, Hanover, during a massive demonstration 
yesterday. -Photo by Noel Thompson
Noel Thompson, Freelance Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
Tempers flared, fires raged and thick, black smoke which billowed hundreds 
of feet high could be seen for miles as the Fiesta Hotel constructionsite at 
Point, Hanover, descended into anarchy yesterday.
That was what the small district of Point resembled when about 2,000 
construction workers staged a massive protest, after news spread that one of 
their colleagues, 57-year-old Anthony Williams, of Prospect in the parish, 
had been shot, allegedly by the police.
"We are not being treated fairly. We are contracted to start working at 8:00 
a.m. but the site manager instructed the security guards to lock out persons 
without identification and workers who turn up for work later than 7:30," 
said a worker, who was strongly supported by her colleagues.
"This (yesterday) morning we turned up for work and were locked out. One 
worker was paying the taxi driver his fare when he was shot in the head."
Donovan Williams, a security officer employed to Acid Security Firm, which 
is contracted to the site, said it could not be ascertained who had shot Mr. 
Williams. According to him, workers were firing a barrage of shots, when 
police and security personnel responded.
11 vehicles destroyed
Several buildings on the site were set ablaze and about 11 vehicles 
reportedly belonging to the Fiesta Hotel were damaged or destroyed. Fire was 
set to at least four of the vehicles. The Gleaner news team saw two pickup 
trucks, a small truck and a jeep being set ablaze. Protestors hauled a group 
of men from the jeep while they were travelling along the main road, then 
set it on fire.
The news team was also informed that rampant pilfering took place during the 
demonstration when men loaded several items onto boats. Persons were also 
seen stealing sheets of zinc from the premises.
In the wake of yesterday's incident, Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller 
has given instructions for a full and complete investigation to be carried 
out into the matter. Speaking on radio yesterday, the Prime Minister's press 
secretary, Lincoln Robinson, said a report was to be presented to Mrs. 
Simpson Miller as soon as possible.
The situation was only brought undercontrol when a contingent of armed 
police personnel, numbering about 75, was brought in and the workers were 
addressed by Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Area One, 
Clifford Blake.
A private helicopter later rescued a group of foreign workers who had locked 
themselves inside a building under the watchful eyes of the police.
ACP Blake said all the police personnel involved in yesterday's incident 
have been removed from frontline duties, pending investigations.
According to a statement from Dr. Donald Rhodd, Minister of State in the 
Ministry of National Security, the weapons fired by police personnel, and 
security guards are to be sent for ballistic testing. He said the police are 
moving to establish a continuous presence at the construction site to 
prevent any further incidents. The site was closed following the incident.
The 1,600 room hotel is being built by the Spanish at a cost of US$150 
million (J$10 billion).

http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,73923.html

Riot police, cops clear Woodlands protest
By RICHARDSON DHALAI Tuesday, February 26 2008
RIOT POLICE, backed by soldiers were called out to the Woodland district 
yesterday where over 200 residents staged a fiery demonstration over the 
dilapidated main road leading from San Fernando to the rural community. The 
action which started at 4.30 am, saw residents using old logs, tires and 
derelict fridges and stoves to block La Fortune/Pluck Road which resulted in 
scores of people including students being left stranded.
Traffic was also reportedly backed up for several miles with motorists 
forced to use alternative routes to San Fernando, Debe and Fyza-bad. However 
by 6.30 am police and fire officers had arrived on the scene and quickly put 
out the blaze and cleared the roadway.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200801160463.html

Nigeria: 4 Killed in Protest Over Transformers

This Day (Lagos)
16 January 2008
Posted to the web 16 January 2008
Reuben Buhari
Kaduna
Four youths, including a pregnant woman were yesterday killed by Policemen 
in Kaduna when irate youths numbering thousands who claimed to have been 
without electricity for more than a year, took to the streets in protest.
Also injured in the demonstration, which took place in Sabon Tasha, were 18 
policemen who were manhandled by the youth and had their uniforms and booths 
removed from them. The demonstration started the previous day when Ungwan 
Boro, a settlement in Sabon Tasha demonstrated by blocking the main road 
that runs through the area, totally blocking movement in and out.
Those most affected were workers of the Nigeria National petroleum 
Corporation (NNPC) and others, who couldn't go to the refinery for work.
Following the demonstration, the state government in a swift reaction, 
announced on state radio that the government had ordered the Power Holding 
Company of Nigeria (PHCN) to immediately install a 200 KV transformer in the 
area.It was the government's swift reaction in providing a transformer to 
the Ungwan Boro community that triggered the violent one yesterday.
Residents of Ungwan Gwari, Kadara, Gimbiya, Bulus and Matari, having 
realized that their neighbours had been given a transformer because of the 
previous day demonstration, also came out around 7.30am in their thousands 
to demonstrate.They blocked the Kachia road that leads to NNPC and the 
eastern part of the country and set fire to old tires. Workers who were 
going to work in town were stranded as no commercial vehicle was ready to 
come to the area.
The first batch of mobile policemen that came to the area shot sporadically 
at the crowd leading to the death of the four people. At this stage, the 
demonstrators became enraged when they realized that the police had shot 
dead some people.
The PHCN office in the area was ransacked and everything in it was brought 
outside and burnt. Two of their pick-up trucks were also dragged across the 
road and burnt. Four luxurious 32-seater buses belonging to NNPC were also 
burnt, in addition to other cars and motorcycles.
The upper customary court was also not spared as everything in it was 
brought out and set ablaze.According to some of the youths interviewed by 
THISDAY, the demonstration would not have turned violent if the policemen 
had not shot the four people. They also added that the state government had 
clearly shown that it would respond to its citizens' request only when they 
statge a protest.
"We have been staying in our area which is Ungwan Kadara for close to two 
years without electricity. The PHCN officials took the transformer when it 
developed fault promising to fixed it and return it, it's close to two years 
now that PHCN refused to either return the old one or give us another one, 
even after repeated visits to their office. So when we heard that Ungwan 
Boro people had been given a new transformer within a single day of their 
demonstration, we also decided to demonstrate since we also need a 
transformer. It was a peaceful demonstration that turned violent when those 
mobile policemen shot and killed all those people."When THISDAY visited the 
Sabon Tasha police station were it was alleged that the dead bodies were 
taken to, the Divisional Crime Officer (DCO), Mark Wain, who spoke to 
THISDAY, claimed that only one person was killed, however adding that "if it 
is true that there are others we have not heard about them but I can only 
tell you that only one person was shot."The Kaduna State Commissioner of 
Police, Haz Iwendi who confirmed the incident, however said that only one 
person was killed in addition to the 18 policemen who were seriously 
injured, however denying the allegation that the situation became violent 
when the police started shooting at the demonstrators."It is not true. The 
previous day we had the same demonstration and there was no cause for us to 
use firearm.
I spoke to the governor and he ordered that they be given a transformer. 
They had a 200 KV which was not enough for them and so a 500 KV was given to 
them. Today's (yesterday) demonstrators came out more violently, they 
blocked the road and started smashing cars windscreen and there was no cause 
for them to have gone violent, and once they go violent, it is a must that 
we the police react,' he stated.When THISDAY visited the house of 25 
year-old Awalu Auta, one of the people killed, his sister, known as Ajia 
explained that "he was going out to the football field to train in the 
morning. He was not even among the people demonstrating, only later, for 
some youth to bring in his corpse saying he was shot by the police while 
trying to cross the road,"said, the grief-stricken sister.
THISDAY also found one person in Amangala hospital in the area who was shot 
by the police.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080328/ap_on_re_mi_ea/egypt_luxor_protest

Luxor residents clash with riot police
By HAGGAG SALAMA, Associated Press Writer Fri Mar 28, 3:09 PM ET
LUXOR, Egypt - Hundreds of residents of the ancient Egyptian city of Luxor 
clashed with riot police Friday during a protest against government attempts 
to move them to make room for an open-air museum free of modern buildings.
The demonstration turned violent when police prevented the protesters from 
entering Karnak Temple, one of the most famous sites from the Pharaonic era, 
according to witnesses.
Residents hurled stones at police, who responded by firing tear gas and 
arresting 13 people.
The government has offered compensation and temporary housing to many of the 
displaced residents, but some complain the money is insufficient or that 
they simply do not want to move.
"I was born in the house where I live now, and my grandfather and my father 
lived in it," said Mohammed Abdel-Radi, one of the residents forced to move. 
"I don't want to leave to any other place to make new friends and new 
neighbors."
Another protester, Nabawi Mohammed Khalil, expressed similar views.
"The alternative houses offered by the government to some of my friends were 
not good, and the money was also little," said Khalil.
Located on the Nile River, Luxor's West Bank contains the Valley of the 
Kings and its famous collection of well-preserved Pharaonic tombs, including 
King Tutankhamun's, that draw thousands of tourists daily to the area.
The government plans new excavations in the area, with the goal of turning 
much of the town into an open-air museum free of modern housing and other 
structures.

http://news.scotsman.com/world/New-Kenya-riot-as-80.3799712.jp

New Kenya riot as 80 held over unpaid rent

By TOM ODULA
FRESH riots broke out in Kenya yesterday as angry slum residents confronted 
police amid claims that they were unfairly arresting people over unpaid 
rents.
About 250 men brandishing daggers and metal poles attacked a bus full of 
people soon after dawn, forced them out, then torched the vehicle, blocking 
a road through the Mathare slum in the capital, Nairobi.

The trouble followed overnight police raids in which 80 people were 
arrested. But local people say the chaos that has engulfed the area since 
December's disputed presidential election has made paying rent, or even 
finding a landlord, impossible.

More than 1,000 people have been killed and some 600,000 forced from their 
homes in Kenya in the weeks of violence since the election.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20080221/ai_n24313034

Rent dispute leads to riot
Independent, The (London),  Feb 21, 2008

--nairobi Rioters attacked a bus full of passengers and blocked roads in a 
slum in Kenya's capital after they accused police of unfairly arresting 80 
people for not paying rents. Tenants in Mathare said it was impossible to 
pay or to even find landlords in the chaos that has engulfed the area since 
the disputed presidential election of 27 December. Police said the rioters 
dispersed after an hour.