November 21st, 2011 is the 37th anniversary of the Unlawful Societies and Associations Act popularly called the ‘Dread Act’.
At 12:30 PM, on Monday 21st November 2011, the Rastafarian community in Dominica will host a press conference at the House of Kaiso headquarters of the Dominica, Calypso Association on Valley Road in Bath Estate.
The law is one of the most draconian 20th to 21st pieces of legislation passed in any part of the world. The law which gave citizens the right to shoot other citizens on sight without question, was passed by the Dominica Labour Party under the leadership of former Prime Minister, Patrick Roland John and was supported and unopposed by the official opposition the Dominica Freedom Party under the leadership of Mary Eugenia Charles.
The law aimed to stem the spread of and influence or the Rastafarian movement in Dominica by sentencing members to nine months in prison for the hairstyle dread locks or dreads or any memorabilia that identified them as ‘Dreads’ as they were call at the time. This law resulted in the imprisonment of many youth, disrupting their education, family life and careers. Along with the negative social and economic impact on those affected by the law, enforcement of the law proved to be brutal, resulting in death and injury to many dreadlocks, wearing individuals who fled to the hills for refuge. The law was briefly repelled and again reinforced in 1976 but has since then been replaced by the Terrorist Act.
In order to generate discussion on the Dread Act and promote reconciliation and healing, the Rastafarian community in Dominica asks the questions:
What led our society to pass, enforce and tolerate such blatant violation of human rights in the 20th century?
What was the impact on those who enforced the law, victims of the law, their families and the wider society?
How do we create opportunity for healing and recovery for victims who directly experienced the trauma of such harsh legislation?
How do we create a space for healing those who passed and directly enforced such legislation?
How do we as a society get engaged in undoing the damage of such inhumane legislation and its enforcement?
How do we prevent the future repeat of human rights violation in our island nation?
The Rastafarian community appeals to and invites individuals, institutions and organizations in Dominica including churches, unions, political parties, non government organizations, the bar association, scholars and to facilitate and be engaged in an ongoing process of exploring the issues related to the law.
To address the issues raised, answer the questions, document the series of events, individual and group experiences, the Pink & Blue Arts for Violence Prevention project will to produce a documentary film to be released on the 38th anniversary of the Unlawful Societies and Associations Act (the Dread Act) in 2012.
You have been told an educated by your colonial masters and his God to hate and dispise your own black self and african cultures.So at this point all I expect from your mouths is filth and ignorance because you dont respect yourself as a african in your own skin you wont respect I as a African Rastaman born in exile in the lands of dominica.It is expected of you when the slave worships at the feet of his colonial masters..
If a man commit a crime go get the man dont get the communites he come froms and start killin dem get the man who commited the crime.
For example the catholic priest has been molesting our young african boys for years and years in the caribbean and the world no one call to arrest the pope or arrest all catholic priest.You go to the the priest who committed the crime and deal with the sick fellow…
So we deserve the same respect …Fire Born
Greetings in the Name of HIS Imperial Majesty
I’d just like to wade into the discussion at this time after the initial rush of emotive comments regarding the Dread Act.
For those of us who are of age, or who experienced those dreadful times, yes the 70s and the 80 were unparalleled years of social unrest and division.
and it could not have gotten any worse with the over throw of Patrick John and the passage of Hurricane David.
I’d just like to say that we all need to learn the lessons of history so that we will be armed prior knowledge should any thing like this occur in the future.
True Rastas want answers, and the blame game will continue for the foreseeable future, but one thing I and I know, as Dominicans we will get through all this together.
Thanks to Dominica News online for carrying this press release, and to all those who commented.
Jah blessings to all
Guidance
Ras Albert Williams
Human rights laws protecting the rights of the rastaman already written needs to be implemented and respected by local authorities as represented by the united nations general assembly. Rastaman not in violation of thier rights.
Bless Up Admin. I am submitting a more censored version hoping that it gets posted so the people can be exposed to certain truths about a very significant time period in a country’s history. I have been on this site almost everyday since it’s inception, so I know you stand for truth. Thanks.
One of the main enforcers of the Dread Act was within my own family and up till this day I still feel remorse for the many ones whose lives he directly impacted in such a negative way. I have nuff love and affection for de Rastafari Elders of DA, for no other Rastas worldwide ever suffer such wickedness and humiliation as they did. Jamaica went through a rough time too in the early beginnings of the movement.
Within our family circle that particular enforcer would tolerate no questions or discussions on the cruelty he was deeply involved in. All he would make sure to tell me and my brothers was to stay clear of the “Dread” life style to avoid embarrassing him or he would make the worst example of us. I have a unique view of that time as a youth attending SMA, next door neighbour to the Dominica Defense Force who it seemed was happy to finally be given an “enemy” to fight. I spent lots of time at Police HQ in the evenings as a youth. The cell was always full of “Dreads” especially in the days that followed the taking down of a Police Officer in Fond Cole. Many ones voluntarily cut their hair in fear of persecution and many from Fond Cole, Goodwill, Roseau, Bath Estate and Newtown ended up bewildered suspects and taken to HQ. The brother from Mahaut’s body was found off the Jimmit cliff at that same time period.
I clearly remember members of the DDF in the middle of our village (South East)one early banana harvest morning just grabbing young men and holding them down and cutting their hair dread or not in a deliberate humiliating fashion, slapping and beating them while making fun of them in front of their friends and families. It was in this same village that a Police Officer with full knowledge that he is protected by the Dread Act, one early morning shot and severely wounded a young man while he was asleep in his bed and left him to die. He survived but is still mentally scared by this trauma to this day. No court case, no inquiry, no investigation.
I also remember when the Dreads from the South East, ten to fifteen of them came into our yard one afternoon dressed in their straw skirts with jeans shorts underneath and no shirts, to try to recruit my cousin to go into the hills with them. My Grand Mother, cutlass in hand swinging, raised so much hell in de yard to prevent that from happening, that those men just laugh at it all and peacefully walked away in a line with their wooden starves pounding the road in unison. My cousin never made it to the hills although they came through a few more times. Everyone in the village was curious to see them and we the youths would follow them until they disappeared in the distance. That has image never left me.
I am sure there are countless other stories both good and bad some very funny too because of the widespread propaganda that was circulated to make folks afraid of men with dread locks. News of police warring with dreads was the norm at the time. We even played a game called Police and Dread while other societies played Cowboy and Indian. Like the reality the dreads were always torn down.
The events of the 70′s and 80′s related to the Dread Act impacted many of us DA people and the country’s history directly and should therefore never be forgotten and should be part of our children’s learning. I will personally see to that by documenting me and my family’s personal experiences.
My father was one of the main enforcers of the Dread Act as a high ranking Police Officer, Public Prosecutor, Magistrate/Judge and up till this day I still feel remorse for the many ones whose lives he directly impacted in such a negative way. I have nuff love and affection for de Rastafari Elders of DA, for no other Rastas worldwide ever suffer such wickedness and humiliation as they did. Jamaica went through a rough time too in the early beginnings of the movement.
My dad was hand picked by the Prime Minister at that time. He would tolerate no questions or discussions on the cruelty he was deeply involved in. All he would make sure to tell me and my brothers was to stay clear of the “Dread” life style to avoid embarrassing him or he would make the worst example of us. I have a unique view of that time as a youth attending SMA, next door neighbour to the Dominica Defense Force and spending lots of time at Police HQ in the evenings. The cell was always full of “Dreads” and quite often one could hear man bawling for mercy while getting beat up at HQ. I was in there the very night when de brother from Mahaut Julian Jno Rose was being beaten to death. Next day his body was found off the cliff near Jimmit. It is common knowledge in DA who was in a major car accident with several broken bones that night after dumping the body.
I clearly remember members of the DDF in the middle of our village (South East)one early banana harvest morning just grabbing young men and holding them down and cutting their hair dread or not in a deliberate humiliating fashion, slapping and beating them while making fun of them in front of their friends and families. It was in this same village that a Police Officer with full knowledge that he is protected by the Dread Act, one early morning shot and severely wounded a young man while he was asleep in his bed and left him to die. He survived but is still mentally scared by this trauma to this day. No court case, no inquiry, no investigation.
I also remember when the Dreads from the South East, ten to fifteen of them came into our yard one afternoon dressed in their straw skirts with jeans shorts underneath and no shirts, to try to recruit my cousin to go into the hills with them. My Grand mother cutlass in hand swinging, raised so much hell in de yard to prevent that from happening, that them man just laugh at it all and peacefully walked away in a line with their wooden starves pounding the road in unison. Everyone in the village was curious to see them and we the youths would follow them until they disappeared in the distance. That has image never left me.
I am sure there are countless other stories both good and bad some very funny too because of the widespread propaganda that was circulated to make folks afraid of men with dread locks. News of police warring with dreads was the norm at the time. We even played a game called Police and Dread while other societies played Cowboy and Indian. Like the reality the dreads were always torn torn down.
The events of the 70′s and 80′s related to the Dread Act impacted many of us DA people and the country’s history directly and should therefore never be forgotten and should be part of our children’s learning. I will personally see to that by documenting me and my family’s personal experiences.
I adopted the Rastafari way of life in my late twenties after being school teacher, US Military soldier and I must say it has been one of my best life decisions. It was started by African Caribbean Slave descendants like me in 30′s and 40′s in Jamaica, though it took till the 70′s to reach Dominica and other islands of the Eastern Caribbean. Ever wonder why? Now it is a Worldwide recognized lifestyle, religion to some which continues to mystify the wicked/weak-head. May truth and righteousness cover DA Earth.
Great Comment… Trod On
Beautiful people: I will pray for you, you’re strength is a exhibit for me. I hope the past will not hurt you anymore and the future is bright.
peace and love to all!
I am all confuse. I never new, dominica passed a law against, dread brothers, I never heard about such laws, oh my. I don’t leave on this island. reading some of the negative part of a dread brothers at home is sad. dread brother are rich, clean locks, well dress people & hard working, some own business,you should see the Bmw & Mb ect, they are driving. I never knew rasters as lazy, there are different kind of dreadlock people. there the type that are nasty, lazy, non productive, criminals.They hide the criminal activities as a dread man. these type are problem, move them from the blocks, if they are not making an income. If they productive in the hills, buliding nice home a good community, if not sad to say, you will be facing a big problem, They will be harzard to your tourist industry soon or later, exterminate all of them, these are not dread brother,Band drugs & cigarettes, legalize weeds, it natural, one person should have ony 25 plants for a home use only. not for export. I don’t know if your laws here acept these , most country personal use of weeds is allow. you can’t have iron fists on the people all the time. the system made the people to hostile.
No one should be exterminated. every man only know what he is taught .We better save them if they are doing bad things and try (must) to live together..
peace to all…Rastafari!!
justice and truth, mad?, and all those who are heavily energised against this RasTafari message……
We recognised that the slave system did a good job on some of you….
we know that you will not recognise yourselves as Africans…your history starts with slavery and the glorious history of the African continent will elude because of the choices you make in this life’s journey….self hatred
I know of parents who actually set up their children for death and imprisonment instead of trying to understand what the youths were seeking.
Eugenia Charles agreed with PJ simply because her interest was to defend the new slave owners, nassief for example. Imagine Charles hand in golves with PJ( a son of the poor)…..the brutal mind set was testimony in the parliament in those days…….hang them high like what was done to the negre maroon…simply because we needed our rightful place under the sun.
Read Isaiah 65…..Jeremy 23
as directed by a sister on Q95 this morning
wat madness u talkind dre nah. hav u eva researched the real dctrine of rastafari? do u really know anything about rastafari..hav u ever listened to a true rastafarian priest…i suspect u just talkin b.s. just like certain christian denominations interpret the bible to suit them like not eating pork and other things the rasta does it so stop tlkin b.s and research.
it isn’t madness that i’m talking; the madness is the continuing ignorance of the present day rastas’. I’m not religious and I believe every religion has interpreted the bible to suit their belief system. I actually listened to a so called rasta prophet while in DA last year, and he spoke nothing but ignorance; claiming that the sahara desert was “hell” and carried on about the white man and his destruction. Reality check– BLACK MEN DO AS MUCH DAMAGE in this world! I know more about rastafarian than any rasta I know, and they’ve limited their minds to a set of “conscious” ways that makes no sense! Worshiping King Selassie is destructive; this “second coming of christ” king contributed to the destruction of present day Ethiopia, and distributed Ethiopia’s wealth to his “coolie” type people. Finally, God said; “No man shall see me and live.” (Exodus 33:20). Finally, don’t talk to me about accuracy, cuz I know my stuff and you need to re-evaluate. Recently, I was watching Hitler’s life, and in the documentary, there was a clip of King Selassie marching alongside Hitler,,Now YOU tell me, how is this man the “second coming of christ?”
Don’t you know that JAH had to fight the Beast (the Eagle & the Dragon) through Mussolini and them Fachists. You better gwan and document yourself Anonymus. Where will you be if the Love wasn’t to preveal upon weckedness ? Rastafari is the Golden Horus ina forever Victory game pon Set and all you Shatan (judéo-christian concept of the devil) worshippers. So go wach up you mouth before blasphémy. And remember you must rip what you saw. Mind Jah ‘s Fire don’t burn out your rasclot ina Judgement time. Selah ! Ras Bena
Another lost soul who still think that if it is written that it is true. A child of the book …words, sound, and power.
actually I’m not all about the book! mainly I’m about observation! I’m a “outside the box” thinker, and i’ve looked into their ways, and the dots are everywhere; they simply do not connect.
There is a difference between what happened and what was said to have happened.
Michel-Rolph Troulllot tell us that human beings participate in history as both actors and narrators. In its vernacular use, the word history means both the facts of the matter and a narrative of those facts, both “what happen and that which is said to have happened. The first meaning places emphasis on the sociohistorical process and the second on our knowledge of that process or the story of that process. Yet the distinction between what happened and what is said to happened not always clear. However, not only can history mean either the sociohistorical process or our knowledge of that process, but the boundary between the two meaning is often quite fluid. Thus the vernacular use of the word history offers one a semantic ambiguity: an irreducible distinction and yet an equally irreducible overlap between what happened and that which is said to happened. Yet it suggest also the importance of context: the overlap and the distance between the two sides of historicity may not be susceptible to a general formula. The ways in which what happened and that which is side to happened are and are not the same may itself be historical.
The Dread Act should be re-enforce and be used to clean up the cities and villages in Dominica. A set of lazy people sitting by the road side and smoke all day long.
Those bastards killed Oliver Augustus at Giraudel on his farm. I will never forget that man.
De same want they want to take out dread act off de books is de same way they need to take out buggery. Is all of us human right! I know all you will have everything to say but de UK say keep de act or no Money ! Choose your poison.
this is very interesting part of our history would truly like to know what drove parliament to pass such and why were dreadlocks behaving the way they did at least some of them. would really like to know what the socio-political situation was. found out about this forum to late
Know your history. It was in response to the vicious criminal acts including the killing of lennox Honey church father
Armies need enemies you know.
gaynproud;
I hope you are proud and humble enough to take a slight correction.
The killing of honeychurch came when the situation was deteriorating. The act was passed several years before.
Also he was held in captivity for a while but it was until he killed one of the gang that he suffered retaliation.
Personally, I was not infavour of the direction this “gang” was taking. as a matter of fact, when some of us expressed dissent to these activities, there was a definite division in the movement.
As always, in every phenomenon, there is always a negative energy that must be identified early but this couldn’t minimise the value of the message. It is important that we avoid lumping the misguided(unfortunately because they were already victims of a criminal system of prejudice and poverty) with the authentic.
“BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD”… in other words we will only experience the spirit of the Creator with a calm disposition….the rage will not help….
ANOTHER UNDYING MESSAGE IS THERE IS NO PEACE WITHOUT JUSTICE. THE CHILDREN OF THE EXSLAVES HAVE NOT YET RECEIVED THEIR PORTION OF JUSTICE OWED TO THEM AFTER 500 HUNDRED YEARS OF WORK WITHOUT PAY……I hope we can ponder on that
There is such a thing as freedom of speech as long as it does not disrupt law and order.
God gave us a life, to live a happy and peaceful one. Yet, there are those who create divisions, lack of love, lack of peace and disunity. Some people swayed from the truth and followed their own ways.
Unless God puts a hand to all this foolishness as some ignore Him and worship man who He created, it will not cease. Confidently, He will in his own good time, when He is tired of all the stupidity and divisions which are occurring on this earth.
Who are the sane people, in their right mind would attend such a gathering?
in all of this, how many ppl were accounted for being killer?
all them rasta talking a whole lot of bulls .yes rasta was violent and threatening to the public and very much so .they created a fear in people and so fire had to fight fire.as a little boy at the age of 15 years ,while my brother and i were up river bathing joking and laughing with each other a rasta appeared from where i dont know and threatened to knock us down with a big stone . we had to plead because we were so scared .man fire burn all you dread in them time boss.
Most had good intentions back then! but saddly…some idiots spoiled it for the others.
I good peopleof Waitikubuli please stop just follwing rumors and get your facts straight reason to the Elder Rastaman them those who of a Raspected nature in society not just because you see one wearing a dread hair dress yea that what it is….I will say again the Dread Act 1974 1976 are totally different from what you alll talking bout in 1981 Mr. Ted Honeychurch only his spirit cyan reveal the truth during hurricane David this elder was securing in his house the youths of a wombman whose children were brought to ghis house by a group of Rastaman of whom he was as they prepared coconut oil to rub the children took notes of what his eyes was beholding same time after an ital was prepared for the whole family Mr Honeychurch was eating ital on pyrex dish during the hurricane these brethren left him the children then trad these are the Rastafari Elders INI are reasoning bout Elders with humanitarian causes. these were the ones who were in prison cells yes changing the ways of the prisons and any prison officer from 1974 to 1978 could reason bout these brethren these are the times of which INI are reasoning bout These elders are still here with us this day contributing to their communities and society continuing the works they began in the 1970’s be like all conscious groups of African Ones were ilfilltated by missfits who were strayed by the kurrupt leaders that be.
Only time and history will be the judge and the truth hides from no one as time gets wiser the inocent will be honored and the guilty will be brought to justice…. once a person is dihonest he is always dishonest no matter how high he may try to hide what he has done he cannot run from for one day round that famous corner alas he will not be able to outrun he due judgeman… you can run you can hide from man not your conscious,… RasTaFari INI do no wrong INI a chant redemtion psalms… make haste RasTaFari to strengthen INI make haste to deliver INI… one love
u see me personally alu can dislike if alu want but rasta men a just a set of foolish guys. u cant be praising Selassie and next thing u oh jah gob business. u mad dem say they dont eat chicken wat the hell chicken go do u if u eat it. they dont like salt but they eat fish where the hell does the fish come out not in the sea eh salt water. rastass say they righteous but they aint shit but a set of foolish guys. we all are sinners for all i know righteous men don’t go to heaven a man once told me cause for once in your life u must do something bad some sin u must so how u righteous and u do a bunch a shit already. as a matter of fact runway bunch a foolish rastass pack up your
there are those of us alive who know the truth. The law was enacted because these DREADs, was holdng Dominica and Dominicans hostage. People were afraid for their lives,young girls could no longer go and play and bath in the river, as we used to do innocently, old people were chased off their lands, white people were killed, these were terrible days. The law was passed because they had been begged pleaded with to stop and they did not, then they killed the Canadien, they were killers, not rastafarein which is a peacefull religion they were murderers, why should anyone apologize to them, they should be apologizing to Dominica for the cruelty they did, remember young Kenny Bob, who wanted to go back home to his parents, they chopped off his neck. Best to forget this time, it was not a good time.
All who saying about human rights, well did the rest of Dominica not have human rights also.
Thank God for our DEfence force, our political leaders, both PJ and Eugenia Charles, the law was enacted as a deterrent, and is that that have them chachill, the law, they know it there,.
No body knew what to do then, Dread was killing innocent people, on their land.
The difference between fact and fiction. Some narratives go back and forth crossing the line between fiction and history while others occupy an undefined position that seem to deny the very existence of the line. It is also necessary as at some point, historically specific groups of humans must decide if a particular narrative belongs to history or fiction. Thus the epistemological break between history and fiction is always expressed concretely through the historically situated evaluation of specific narratives.
Dread is Not Rasta nor is Ruff Top Dread or Rasta but Babylon will remain police and as the song says ……..(spelling)and we don’t want no…” Those are all different ideologies and it in there paradox we get the ambiguity that is producing the silence of the history of the law.
Dread is Not Rasta nor is Ruff Top Dread or Rasta but Babylon will remain police and as the song says ……(spelling)and we don’t want no…” Those are all different ideologies that sometime overlap but there is also a gray area and it in this area we get the paradox and ambiguities that is producing the silence of the history of the law.
@ Dread
One day Babylon will disintegrate at God’s command, in His time. Cease deceiving yourself that your lifestyle and belief is a great one.
@Justice and Truth
Who fooling you with your brain wash eduction?? It was people like you that supported the hatred against the ideas of INI upholding master macabre culture. See where it leading us.. Coming and say you know s
greetings The Dread Act 1974…. in brief an inhumane brutal act compiled and passed by persons who were blind to get clear the point of the message being brought forward by Dreads (RasTaFari Elders) this day the same message that society is now flying sky high with, where these brethren & Sistren had the forsight to realize what was to come…. their messages on areas like Four Courners in town, was simply’eat wat we grow, use natural food, stay off the chemicalls, stay off the contraceptives bring forth the babies more babies more life more strengthe for the nation(more lion more strength)(more lionness more life)Mr.E.O.LeBlanc(INI Cultural Icon) at the time in conversing with these youths at the time in their teens seeing the light in them adviced them to head to the hills utilize the crown/state lands rather than gather on the areas like four courners to plant their food and set solid foundations..Some of the wiser ones took heed and are still planting lands today across the island..This day it is observed that this still continues as a RasTaMan/RastaWombman one of INI first priority is of landsecurity where we can feed our families, a tradition handed from generations. So it came to the time that Mr. E.O.LeBlanc withdrew from public politics and retire to Itassi and that the time the Dyab jump out of the bag.. an unscrupuliouse missfit conieving and disceitful wanting to have total dictatorship over our nature isle found these brethren in the hills a problem and in his time implimented this Brutal Dread Act an act which humans would be imprisoned for not less than 5-9 months up to 5 years without bail for having articles associated with the Dreads, such as Kalabash(calbas/ one of the most sold cultural owrks of art)or more so even using words as (irie, ital, yes i, INI, Iman any word that had a connection to the Dreads) a breadfruit one brethren was bitten by the oficers he was not a dread a community man yea he was bitten using the breadfruits he carried in his bad and then taken to jail. a brethren( not a dread) having prepared a bush tea for his youth upon goin to a shop to purchase a pound of sugar because he had a liberation tam/hat on his head was locked never to see his daughter again that day bitten up in the prison cell while in the cell this man losted his family.. hey i certain one of you know Tiny that young man a vagrant now he always in the streets of the city pickin up grass carrying it or throwing it in the river,,, well this young man was a helthy strong young man a sportsman love to keep his environments clean(stiil continuing to this very day)yes Tiny was jailed and bitten under his foot for hour after that he never recovered….there are lots that havvent yet been told,…..
these years have come passed us and will never be forgotten cause they were times that set solid foundations for the RASTAFARI Copmmunity here on Waitikubuli…this year as INI not celebrate, Observe & revisit the events of these times and as INI make certain this present times and set poundations for the times coming, INI have revisted our path the path INI took INI have no regrets for these are the ones that inspire INI up to this present… To the Elders who Trad those Days still here nuff more years INI the youths won’t let your Tirals and victory go in vain… To the Bretrhen & Sistren who lost their lives in the twilight show INI the way not of theirs rahter that of the Truth & Right.
INI/Dreads of Society/RasTaFari Sons & Daughters have been through and surfaced from this brutal time to be an icon in Culture, Arts, Sports, Music, Education and nunerous other fields on Waitikubuli… INI have been there now it is for those who were the inforcers and drafters the time is now to revist those times and seek remos from society whom you have tanished with your acts carried out because you had force ….
imagine this day in goin to the confrence i got a ride from an X max man for the police force he doesn’t know i know of his executions he carried out on inocent brethren & sistren i knew him from a youth used to look up to him as a sportsman, now i know what his real sports was i look at him wondering how does he feel knowing his mind can never be free from that inocent life still crying to be free in his head.
Waitikubuli 37 years is a long time, I was 2 years of age then, I remembered the cerfews, always seeing my perants the cautiously scared at nights always grew upp wondering why in town i had to be inside before night fall and in the country side Vielle Case I had a little more liberty.
WE now need to as a nation reconcile with the ones who have been victims there can be now compenstion to redo this time all INI need is that our people listen to the truth and give the RasTaMan a listerning ear not the holigan who doesn’t comb his hair or has no livity nah the RasTaOne he has a message for this nation give INI a space to fullfill the works INI are capable of accomplishing… and I know that INI are no criminals so leave us be instead of fight against INI communities fight alongside INI to strengthen the efforts within the communities….
One Love till nxt tyme
Ras Siwattu
pocosion and his counterparts these were the culprits who as there wolves in lions garments today were there in the
in addition All the Brethren them who spiritually were advancing toward the building of a possitive way of life for them their nation and family are still here or overs performing magnificent works will those officers and enforcers are dammged mentally phisically and morally…..so what goes around comes around… one cannot forgive another one cannot forget however the great example show by INI Almighty King & Creator Qadamawi Hayle Selassea I, after Itally invaded Ethiopia and after the King reconquerer is he said to them they could stay in the country as long they are willing to abide by their rules or sent those who wanted to return home…
INI of the RasTaFari Community overstand the times these have made INI who INI at this day so INI although the memories may linger at times in pain, laughter, joy, sorrow INI have moved on and are moving on and grwoing its up to the other side of the coin to balance its self…
One Love Rastafari
Ras Siwattu
Waitikubuli what has happened to your people or may i say Dominica why do people just follow rumor trains and just jump aboard people please read analyse and under/overstand what you say about people you are dealing with a world-wide audience here online or did you notice most of the notices being posted here are false and how foolish some of you write the lies that tarnish the image of our people culture and country……. 1 point Elder Res Kabinda or any present member of the RasTafari Community were not involved in any killings on Waitikubuli Island ask mr Blanchard police chief at the time duke, grozzy bat cya run you brutalize and cut somany dread man them now u posing with dreads REDDA JUDGEMANT….the business man them who were special police which one of the Elders them alive today was a murderer…..The Almighty of Creation so wonderfull & Mystic all the misfits to the Movemants have been permanetly wounded or executed RASTAFARI have Rizen INI in this Island to highlight the truth and will always be done once INI are alive ….TOUCH NOT I ANNOINTED NEIGTHER DO THE COSEN NO HARM …..
one love
Do not be so confident. God rules. In His time you and your colleagues will fall forever.
Yes INI Siwattu, tell them. I see you come with you mouth full. However, we must remember that as Michel-Rolph Trouillot explains, the ways in which what happened versus what is said to happen may or may not be the same which could also be seen as being historical. In terms of public apology they are ‘abortive rituals’ that will remain awkward and would only reposition us as a collective subject. INI apologies are really rituals that seek to create ‘pastness’ by connecting persons that were wronged or victimized. We want deeds and not words..
That was one of the darkest times in dominica history. The stiff necked fool who thought they could control us for our culture. All I have to say is them ah go tired to see we face but they can’t get us out of the race.The will of jah shall be done .one love
This was a wicked thing that the goverment did . All I have to say is : them ah go tired to see we face but them can’t get us out the race. What make them draw bad card .what make them make wrong moves .
@ Ras terry bertrand
I believe I know who you are and also your parents/family. I have seen you before and noticed your dreadlocks. Are you aware that those as I who know you and your family
are shocked and that you are publicly admitting that you are a rastafarian and living such a life? You are not shy about it. How far will this take you?
I recognize that it is your life but how far will you get with such a life?
Terry, I do believe this is you. You came from a decent, law abiding family. It appears you have gone astray. Return to your roots and change your life around, worship God who created the world, who is the Ruler of the world, whom you will have to meet for your eternal judgment. It will not be a mere sinful mortal who will judge you.
Terry I will pray for you. I reiterate that I know you and your family and they are extremely nice people. I am saddened to see how changed you are. It must hurt your parents’ heart.
I pray that God will inspire you to change this type of life around.
And the shootout at Belles; and the farmer at Belles also who had his head blown off because rasta thought he was giving police information; and the rasta whose head was cut off with a chain saw because they didnt want him to leave rasta; and the man who was convicted of killing Honychurch, look at what rasta do to him, leave him to die in forest. Is Babylon that rescue him. And up to today nobody pay for murdering John Jirasek. But Trottet (Ras Kabinda) knows who it is because he was hiding the gun for the murderer. That is why he was found guilty. Accessory to murder, they call that in law.
roseau citizen be carefull of what u say isa zaie was rescured yes have u reasoned to him do u know wat u are talkin about show i your company i will tell you who u are no time for excused this brethren by one of the elders was warned to get away from this gang now he has to face the retribution for his acts one person commit an offence can not be passed on to a whole generation wat kind of thought is that …. poccosion isa and his gang were a group of people with locks on their heads who were trained by the defence force and given guns to terrorise the Dreads in the hills just because the former leader PJ wanted to overthrow the then freedom party IN 1981 and the times of pocosion isa honeychurch is not what RasTaFari IS REASONING ABOUT OF REASONING COMES FROM 1974 BEFORE HONEYCHURH……in 1979 Mr Honeychurh sheltered some of the Bretrens who saved a family of youths in the hurricane forced winds and rains the four brothers secured thw family with Mr Honeychurch are were no enemies of the man up to this day INI of the RASTAFARI community have no problems with the Honeychurh family INI have never supported the kidnapping and execution of the man…. there is an otherside of this History yes INI Story RasTaFari Livity that has not yet been heard not bout the killings bout the lives INI elders took to the hills to preserve….Waitikubuli have patience in due time you will know the truth …..
Ras Siwattu
PLEASE 1974 AND 1981 TWO DIFFERENT TIMES
FACTS NOT FICTION KNOW WAHT YOU SAY BEFORE YOU DO….
GIVE PRAISE….
Yes I Rasta!! Good move. Those days were tense, brutal and crucial. Youths were shot in the hills, beaten in the ghettoes and had their hair savagely cut in the shitty; oops, city. Tension mounted as many misguided youth made it worst, attempting to drive local farmers off their land. The situation was not handled properly by the authorities and resulted in many being killed.
If my memory serves me well, the Unlawful Societies and Associations Act, aka ‘Dread Act’, was preceeded by the Praedial Larceny Act, PLA. Under the PLA, the accused were sentenced to one year in prison for theft, borrowing or possession of agricultural (praedial) produce.
That era is captured in song by Chubby and the Mid-Night Groovers; thus Coco Sec is about Chubby’s imprisonment for having one dry coconut in his possession on the Geneve Estate, owned by the Nassiefs at the time, and Pou Shevais Yo (for their hair) is about the Dread Act. Police ka bat nome pou shevais yo. Police ka cheway nome pou shevais yo.
Pocosion and Tumba came years after the Dread Act but that was the latter part of the same era. Desmond Trotter’s conviction for allegedly murdering a Canadian tourist was during that era. Dame Eugenia was very supportive of the Dread Act and an attorney for the Nassiefs while Sir Brian Alleyne was a staunch defender for Human Rights and an attorney for Desmond Trotter and many victimized dreads. We invited him to panel discussions at Grand Bay to enlighten us. I’m still a young man but I was there in those days.
One of those high repute people you mentioned above even help burn a Canadian Flag!!!!!
Hope is not selective memory you having!!!
I doe see where in this comment anyone was put in high repute nor selective memory in a short comment. Unless you mean de queen saw fit and knighted him later.
Now let us put all of this in historical perspective. The “Dread Act” wasn’t something which the government of the day came up with overnight. The Rastas in those days thought they couldn’t be touched and so their murdered two elderly Canadians, the Brights, with cutlasses and then set their farm house on fire. The white visitor nwho was calmly walking down by the Fort Young Hotel during Carnival and who was shot dead. Then Mr. Honychurch who was kidnapped, shot, and then his body burned. Then there was Mr. Laurent who was murderd in his garden. Then there was the fire which destroyed the largest building in Roseau(Nassief house by old market). All you had to hear was names like Pocosion, Tumba. Dominica was gripped by fear, violence, atrocities by those Rastas then. The authorities responded with fire for fire until the situation changed. At that time, Patrick John was a hero. Things may be different now but in the 1970’s, Rastaman was very evil. But they were stopped by brave police and defence force.
i guess none of your family members not associated with the Rastafari movement again all these killings the names you have do you want more at least the have one thing correct the names of the criminals who because of them cause a whole set of inocent lives to be lost in the twilight,…. it looks like you condone the shedding of inocent blood like that of which a wombman pregnant with locks takin a bath by the river with baby in womb was slaughtered by the officer tell weather u support tis kind of atrocity …. do you have a heart I feel this is the times that citizens of this island research read listen to testimonies and get the real facts bout waht was the dread act and what is the terroists act when & why they were passed two different times to different reasons…
siwattu you just a bulls****er get real my brother.all of you had a problem with
anybody that was not rasta and the rasta community used derogative names on people like ballhead,babylon and so forth and verbally threatened people with murder.band of hypocrites.
siwattu you all brought it on yourselves by all you stupid actions.blame yourselves brother.marji.
DID PATRICK JOHN EVER COME FORWARD AND APOLOGIZE TO THE RASTA COMMUNITY FOR CRIMES AGAINST THEM ? JUST ASKING.
Apologize for what,WHO Did they apologize to . for all they did.
Patrick John was the leader of the Country and exercised leadership.
He has nothing to apologize for. PJ declared in the house after the 1979 overthrow what Trotter did not do and the famous AG then said openly “Murderer” but never took any action against him. It is now 32 years and statute of limitation ran out long time.
Rasta man is now being used by the Opposition to stir up confrontation and ask for compensation and boots on the ground.
There is no way government can remove such a law from the books. It has a psychological deterrent and the players behind the scenes knows that and would love to revisit the 1970s era to accomplish their goals. This new generation is not naive. The Rasta generation, Dominica’s first crop of very bright persons was a mislead generation. Thanks to d fada we have another generation that prepared to move Dominica forward despite the odds and troubled history.
who did the rastas apologize to for all the crimes they committed? just asking
I want to say I was a Babilon during this time and I am proud with the style of Policing we did during my time 25-30 years ago. When I listen to Dominicans today I want to put back on my equipment and help clean the streets again. At the time of the passing of this legislation Police was Police. Speak to a 40 year old Dominican and they will coorborate my statement. At the time I did everything to suppress the agression of this dreads who after building and believing their own invincible lawlessness came to the conclusion that Police are afraid of them and send out open challenges to us in the SSU. The citizens were afraid of them and they took advantage of that. Farmers were afraid to go to their holdings where some were executed. I will be at the meeting and I will give my imput however I must say i am a proud retired Babylon and I contributed in keeping Dominica crime free for many years.
It was not crime free. The crimes were committed by the police. Lots of innocent blood was shed. There were some misguided ‘Dreads’ but your brutality, torture and murder was uncalled for. You have innocent blood on your hands, bro, and that’s nothing to be proud about.
what about innocent blood they have on there hands,
@dwight if i were you i would refrain from making these statements,don’t you know that you could be prosecuted or held responsible for crimes against humanity,yes all the families of the innocent young men that were killed and buried in the bushes could file a motion to the human rights council,and thus bring about an investigation into this genocidal law,which took the life of their loved ones,this law was ill advisedly executed,there is no law that makes peter pay for paul,every man woman or child is innocent until proven guilty,this law was executed by a panic stricken dictator,mary eugenia charles,in the wake of the kidnapping of prominent farmer honychurch,the perpetrators involved in that case was a band led by leroy ettiene alias pocosoun,this are the people police should have had prosecuted,that is what you call dedicated policing,i have always wondered when will the parents of these victims would seek justice and closure for their loved ones,their is all kinds of justice going on in the world,is only dominicans alone that are not looking for justification,their are members of eugenia charles cabinet who are still alive,these people need to be brought before the hague tribunal to answer questions on this so called terrorist act,they rejected every thing else from patrick john,and took only one law from him,why because it was beneficial to the upper class,cowards that what i called this action,the labour party and poor class people had been a thorn in their sides,yea they could not stand the liberation of poor people from the massa estate and their inherited slave master attitudes,worst a political labour party,they took that period of time to used the police brutalize and murder poor people children,yea this murderers still live and breath among us happy and enjoying life while dominicas soil cry’s for to much innocent blood,no wonder why a country like dominica which has so much of what some the world countries would die for,and yet still dominica is still in slumber mode,to much political wickedness,this was a sick and murderous law,eugenia cannot be resting in peace.
Forreal I totally agree. ONLY IN DOMINICA.
all you should clean out every single one of them.thank you for what you did
what gave anyone reason to think of such a law. i understand from history that the dreads were brutal but what ticked them off.one ting for sure rastafari and babylon never did agree. yet one has authority over the world and decides what it wants. rastafari recognises no unjust system. ‘DONE WIT DE DREAD ACT’.
It would be nice if the full and proper title of this Act could be provided so that interested persons can search for it. Where is this Act?
Those days were highly charged with the quest for independence and at the same time many people of Waitikubuli did not understand the message of the “Dreasd”.
There was(is) a class of people who felt threatened by the message…..which was equal opportunity for all…..eat what you grow and grow what you eat.
There was an African revival that exposed a hatred for self. The struggle was to raise awareness of the African person as a BLESSED design of the Creator and not a curse.. all as a result of the embedded destruction caused by 500 years of slavery.
The presence of the RasTafari ones today is as result of the perseverence of individuals who were confident of the victory of good over evil.
Farmers were afraid of the Dreads because the status quo had demonised them through the churches, schools and every institutions that were(are) handed down by the former slave owners; enough to cause not only farmers to fear but many citizens until they slowly learned to recognise the message in some way or the other.
Not before, however, many were killed in the hills by the police and their secret forces comprising of sons of local land owners. To this day it is impossible to give a figure on the deaths.
Police brutality was rampant. There are many men and women who were the most pure in spirit and keenly searching for the right path out of poverty and degradation.They were met with the vicious hand of the law and all we see now are impaired and paro individuals on the street.
We have forgiven people like PJ because he served his time …maybe for other not related to the dread act but when we saw the suffering of his family during his incaseration, it was not difficult to forgive.
We only pray that not only PJ learn from his mistakes, but the whole nation who almost lost a golden opportunity to take the message and run with ii.
The question is now…are we ready to continue the dialouge for repairing a damaged people because of centuries of dehumanisation?
THE GOOD DREADS ALWAYS KNEW THEIR MISSION.
TO JAH ALMIGHTY BE THE GLORY
could not have said it better.
Interesting points and I agree with most, but what is a “good dread”? Is the term similar to the “non-radical Muslim” or the “good Christian”?
In my perspective dreads and Rastas are two different. Rastas are people who follow Rastafarianism, while dreads are people with dreadlocks who smoke ganja and pretend to be Rastas whenever it’s convenient.
If you sit in your garage and say “vroom vroom” that doesn’t make you a Toyota.
I was thought of as a dread without locks and members of my family suffered on both sides; by the terrorists who called themselves dreads, (not Rasta), and the law officials. I was angry with both more so with the law officials (who proclaimed to be such)and terrorized innocent people more than the dreads, brutalizing etc, sometimes for reasons unknown, while the dreads (not Rasta) threatened society. Do we blame Patrick John or his advisers, or do we blame the people who prepared and passed legislation at that time without looking further into the consequences brought on by the legislation to be passed? Thumbs up to the Rastas for organizing such a conference.
I may be wrong but i think the act came about because farmers were terrories on their farms by young men carring dread locks! women were rape and kidnap. others were prevented from going to their farms by those young men. those the name garraway( tomba)and this guy from loubiere pocosour.remind us of any thing? what happen to Ted honeychurch and this man who lived in layou valley (chalkhall)named Bellot.
We are also not mentioning the fact that the Black Power Movement was embraced by dreadlock sporting young men who used their ideologies to pursue a hate mission against all whites who were living or visiting Dominica in those times. They killed one or two white coloured people in Dominica, destroying our public image and negatively impacting our tourism no matter how small it was then. I do agree that the actions appear to be draconian however in those days people were being killed and injured by these guys all over the island and the police and the Dominica Defense Force were being spread too thinly.
As far as I remember, some people would grow their dreads to pretend they were Rastas and rob innocent people all over the island. Dominica was held hostage by a few “dreadlock” wearing individuals.
Policemen (Babylon) used to walk with scissors in there pockets, and would cut off dreadlocks when a Rasta was caught.
The Dread act was similar to the incarceration of all Japanese in the USA after the Pearl Harbor attack.
All Rastas were penalized for the evil of some dreadlock wearing criminals.
You don’t have to be Dread to be Rasta!!!
One Love
Vibes and please pass it pan de left side too..
THIS IS LONG-AWAIATED; HOWEVER IT IS A MUST…ONLY THEN CAN HEALING BEGIN…
ENTIRE COMMUNITIES SUCH AS DELICES WERE AFFECTED BY THESE BARBARIC MEASURES…
MAY WE ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT FOR DEMOCRACY TO STRIVE THE RIGHTS, DIGNITY AND RELIGION OF ALL..I REPEAT ALL… MUST BE RESPECTED….
WOW I never knew about that..This was a blatant human rights violation. Patrick John should be tried for crimes against humanity, because this is exactly what this was.
time to lick down the walls of babylon rasta.
Rastafari
love the name of the act…hope you guys see justice prevailed.
“PLEASE TELL US THE WHOLE TRUTH”
“The law aimed to stem the spread of and influence or the Rastafarian movement in Dominica” ???????
That was not the reason the law was created!! Please tell us the truth! Some people actually read their history. Sadly you have chosen to delete key points in the dread act!!
Today everyone is ok with the rastaman. That was not always the case in the 70’s. Tell us how many of the rastamen terrorized us Dominicans. Please tell us!!
true that, today I am rasta at heart but I remember when my grandfather was run off his land by the dreads at laplaine heights..
You’re right. Though a kid back then, I remember the people of Possie being scared of people like toombah etc. If I’m not mistaken, there was also a kidnapping of one or two young women who were brought into the bushes by some rastamen. Someone please correct me if I’m wrong on this one.
you know about it, so why don’t you???? two sides to a story and im willing to listen to both….im listening!
If all rasta should pay for what one or two rastas did, then i believe there shoud be a :Black act” where all blakc people should pay for what one black man did……. Bias people
Yes!tell them,the youths of today must know.respect to those idrens who still there today.now u have dreadlocks everywhere but the law still hanging over our head.l’epee de d’amocles.those crying for Patrick John and his demelee with FIFA,u are a band of hypocrites.ask him why such a law.may Jah be blessed forever.
i remember those days could not wear a beret or a tam whenever you heard a vehicle you had to run and hide for BRUTALITY was the order of the day Those days was living in fear like you are alive today dead tomorrow
Y would anyone pass a law like that in the first place? Everyone has rights!!!!
Why isn’t anyone commenting on such an important article? The perpetrators of the implementation of such a cruel act are now enjoying their lives with impunity.The young lives that they destroyed both directly and indirectly, are crying out for justice. As the great Bob Marley said “every one is crying out for peace, none is crying out for justice”.And as society goes on living in a virtual peace justice awaits patiently the opportunity to avenge the innocent.And right now, they are signing legislation to accommodate sodomites in Dominica.As the saying goes “Birds of a feather flock together”.justice is crying out.
is tosh that wrote those words.everyone is crying out for peace