The Iyanola Council for the Advancement of Rastafari and Pan African People (ICAR), under the leadership of President Aaron ‘Ras Iron’ Alexander, has issued a strong call for action against the rising wave of Black-on-Black youth violence in the Caribbean.
“We fully condemn in the strongest words possible, these acts of aggression and violence being carried out amongst our youth, one towards the other,” Alexander said in a statement on Monday, in which he observed that the roots of such violence lie in a deeply painful historical legacy.
He drew a connection between current violent behaviors and the conditions imposed on enslaved Africans during colonial times: “This sort of behavior is indicative of our conditioning on the slave plantations, where brothers were pitted against each other, fighting to the death… as a form of entertainment for the slave plantation owners.”
Alexander highlighted how inherited trauma, known as post-traumatic slave syndrome, continues to manifest itself in the behavior of today’s youth.
He pointed to an “identity crisis” fostered by colonial education systems that undermine cultural roots and self-worth throughout the region. “Our youth need to be reconditioned, to learn better ways of socialising with each other,” he stressed, adding that it is critical to teach them techniques to diffuse confrontations and foster tolerance and patience.
Alexander said a broader responsibility that needs to be addressed is the involvement of parents, communities, and the authorities.
“Parents need to take a greater responsibility for our children and play a more pivotal role in helping to curb the violence amongst our youth population,” he asserted.
The ICAR President also urged communities to step up without fear when witnessing potentially violent behavior.
His comments follow recent incidents including the fatal shooting of a teenage female and a stabbing along Millennium Highway.
“This has got to stop my people, and it will take all of us acting with one mindset to bring the situation to a halt,” Alexander pleaded.
Additionally, the ICAR President highlighted longstanding justice issues, and called for closure in the case of Shakadan Daniel. Daniel was found dead while in custody at the Micoud Police Station on October 23, 2013.
An inquest found that the 22-year-old, who was discovered hanging in his cell, was unlawfully killed.
