Kristen Gyles | Identity crisis in Accompong

All across the earth, there are examples of identity crises. A teenager might really not want to be a child, but is still a child. A boy might really not want to be a male, but is still male. A man cub might really want to be a wolf and therefore not a human, but is still human. A maroon might really not want to be a Jamaican, but is still Jamaican. Identity crises don’t only affect those who have them, because others are sometimes coerced into playing along with the delusional claims they make.

There is a dangerous and destructive type of identity crisis brewing in St Elizabeth, that, if left unaddressed by the government, could pose a serious threat to national security in a short while.

A few days ago, the Prime Minister visited the Accompong maroon community, which, like many communities in St. Elizabeth, have been badly damaged by Hurricane Melissa. He provided the community with a generator and a Starlink internet system and made the commitment to deploy JDF personnel to the community to help with reconstruction, given the extensive damage to many homes in the community.

Not long after the Prime Minister’s departure from the community, Chief Currie, the colonel of the Accompong community, released a video on social media thanking the government for its support, but noting that following a comprehensive internal review, the maroon council decided not to accept the offer on the ‘militarization’ of the space during the recovery effort.

The chief said the community would instead be utilising civilian resources from adjoining communities and partners both locally and internationally who have offered assistance. He stated that the community would, however, accept construction materials and other forms of aid from the Jamaican government. The chief ended his speech by stating that “… this disaster relief cannot be interpreted as altering or diminishing Accompong’s treaty recognised autonomy. The historical and legal foundations of the 1738 treaty remain intact and continue to guide our interactions with the Jamaica state government.”

SERIOUSLY MISGUIDED

The chief’s response was calm and respectful, but seriously misguided.

First, Accompong is a community in Jamaica. Maroons are Jamaicans. When maroons travel to and from Jamaica, no one cares if they are of maroon heritage or not. There is one Jamaica and Accompong is in it, whether or not it wants to be.

Second, maroons are West African descendants like the vast majority of Jamaicans. They are not indigenous to Jamaica at all. They are no more ‘indigenous’ than the Chinese wholesaler, Mr. Chin, whose grandfather immigrated here from China some decades ago. Hardly any of us are truly native to this land, including the land so hotly contested in the cockpit country. The claim that maroons are an indigenous people with indigenous rights seems to be a major source of the confusion and reflects a deep-seated misunderstanding of the very maroon heritage that is supposedly being safeguarded.

Third, the country of Jamaica has a government, and no maroon Chief is a part of it. Neither the Accompong Maroon Chief, nor any area leader, nor any Neighbourhood Watch president is authorised to tell the government what kind of relief efforts ought to be employed in any jurisdiction of the country. Of course, any citizen of Jamaica can voice concerns regarding any decision of the government and can request that the government reconsider its course – but not on the basis that he or she leads a ‘sovereign’ state.

Why on earth would the Prime Minister hand over a lump sum of cash and other supplies to Chief Currie and simply hope that he does a good job of actually apportioning the resources? How would that reflect good governance? The Prime Minister would have no answer to give to both local and international donors regarding his dereliction in handing over resources to a third party who has declared over and over that they are on a mission to fund a separate state.

SLIPPERY SLOPE

The situation playing out in St. Elizabeth is just a glimpse down the slippery slope of civil unrest if the government allows this issue to fester.

One could ask what the big deal really is. The answer is simple. Jamaicans living in Accompong are grappling with Hurricane Melissa’s extensive damage. Some are living in homes that have been badly damaged. Others need supplies like food, clean water and other forms of aid. The government of Jamaica cannot simply ignore them just because they are maroons. They are Jamaicans and the government of Jamaica is responsible for them.

Some citizens of Accompong work in enterprises, both public and private, outside the community of Accompong. They contribute to the country’s economic output, and in turn they utilise Jamaican resources like water, electricity, healthcare, education and internet services. In order to move in and out of Accompong, they also have no choice but to enter into other communities.

Any attempt therefore, to establish that Accompong is a separate state, has extremely significant implications.

Some people try to ignore problems away. By leaving issues unaddressed and unconfronted, they hope the initiators (as they see it) will give up. However, this is often not the case. Innuendos and suggestive statements will not simply make this issue, in particular, disappear. The government needs to take a definitive step to clarify this issue with the Accompong leadership, which might soon announce that a “big, beautiful wall” is being erected in the cockpit country.

Kristen Gyles is a free-thinking public affairs opinionator. Send feedback to kristengyles@gmail.com and columns@gleanerjm.com