Dewsbury Avenue house where a group of gay men were evicted July 5 after being evicted elsewhere on July 3. (Photo courtesy of Jamaica Observer)
Head of the St Andrew Central Police Division Senior Superintendent Fitz Bailey told the Jamaica Observer that as soon as the police got word that some of the gay men had been seen on the premises, they moved to get them out. …
The house is located in a section of the community where a number of diplomats reside, a source said.
J-FLAG is deeply concerned about the continued reliance on forced eviction as a strategy to address homelessness among poor and vulnerable Jamaicans.
The police operation to remove individuals from a property on Millsborough Avenue on July 3, 2013 is another example of the unnecessarily brutish treatment of the poor and vulnerable who have no place to sleep.
J-FLAG understands these young men have in some instances been disruptive and acknowledges that the police operation sought to apprehend some who are persons of interest. The organisation condemns the unlawful actions of any person, including members of the LGBT community even if they are homeless, and support appropriate actions by the police in this regard. However, far too often, our response to anti-social and criminal behaviour, especially among individuals who are homeless, ignores the root causes of their difficult circumstances.
A number of the individuals who were recently evicted from the property on Millsborough Avenue are homeless because of violent anti-gay attitudes and abandonment by their families and communities. When we focus solely on their behaviour and removing them from places of shelter we continue to ignore the fact that their circumstances are largely the consequence of abandonment, cruelty, and hostility from those who should love and care for them, including state and other social and welfare services.
J-FLAG continues to stress that our collective response to homelessness has been short-sighted and ineffective. Repeatedly removing people from abandoned properties does not solve the fundamental problem, it merely tells them to find somewhere else to sleep at nights. …
The government, private sector, civil society, and church must work together to foster an environment that is safe, cohesive, just, and respectful of the inherent human dignity of all Jamaicans. We cannot rest until we create a stable, empowering and inclusive environment for every Jamaican, especially those among us who are victims of our neglect and intolerance.
The Jamaica Observer reported: “Residents of Millsborough Avenue called the Observer and expressed their gratitude to the police for getting the gays out of their community. The residents had previously complained that the men behaved in a rowdy manner, stole water and bathed naked on the driveway, among other unbecoming acts.”
