Date: Sat, 30 Aug 1997 10:51:13 -0500 From: Michael Novick <mnovick-AT-laedu.lalc.k12.ca.us> Subject: AUT: Rebelliousness in Monserrat against British, police attack International: Governor appeals for calm after volcano isle riot > > THE voluntary evacuation of Montserrat will begin today amid > mounting signs that the tiny Caribbean island, which has endured > two years of volcanic eruptions, is starting to come apart at the > seams. > > While the volcano in the Soufriere Hills is going through a > period of relatively benign behaviour after a savage eruption a > fortnight ago, the frustration of the 4,000 people crammed in the > northern "safe zone" of the 39-square-mile island is boiling over. > > On Thursday night, after noisy and unprecedented demonstrations > against the local and British governments, Bertrand Osborne, the > Chief Minister, resigned, saying he could no longer command the > support of his cabinet and parliament (a total of six other > people). > > Frank Savage, the Governor, then went on radio to appeal for > calm after police in riot gear clashed with 20 young Rastafarians > in the town of Salem. There were some minor injuries and four > protesters were temporarily arrested before the police chief > intervened to calm his officers and the demonstrators with some > straight, sensible talking. > > Still, the "riot" shocked a community unfamiliar with such > events and the island - or the few square miles still inhabitable > - remains an uneasy place. > > It is not the fear of the volcano, which so rudely ended the > tranquility of the "Emerald Isle" as an exclusive, upmarket holiday > haven, but the feeling that nobody cares much about the people's > worsening plight. > > Little things only reinforce the feeling: locals are furious > that when Clare Short, the International Development Secretary, was > interviewed on local radio, she referred to the terrible things > that had happened because of "the earthquake". It was a slip of the > tongue, but it only served to inflame. Meanwhile, more significant > events add to the unease: the announcement that Barclays is to > close its branch, leaving only one other international bank with a > presence here, and the imminent announcement that the inadequate > hospital, housed in a school, is to close, heighten the belief that > Montserrat life is being allowed to wither away. > > The catalyst for the discontent was the eruption in early August > that resulted in the boundary of the "safe zone" being moved > further north. > > It meant that Salem, the largest inhabitable area since the > evacuation and subsequent destruction of the capital, Plymouth, was > placed off limits at night. > > Mr Savage conceded that those evacuations resulted in the > northern end of the island becoming "overcrowded to the point where > it is now unbearable and unacceptable for people to live". > > He added: "The demonstrations are the natural expression of the > frustrations pent up over two years. The final turn of the screw by > the volcano has proved too much for us." > > The remaining 4,000 - about a third of the population in early > 1995 - do not know what to do. While they dismiss as inadequate the > pounds 2,400-a-head offer from the British Government as a > relocation grant for those wanting to move to other Caribbean > islands, many cannot make up their minds whether they should stay > or go. There are fears that London's oft-expressed commitment to > develop the northern end of the island may be nothing more than > words, while rumours persist, despite repeated denials, that the > British Government may be about to order a mandatory evacuation of > everyone and that there is a contingent of Royal Marines on > Antigua, 26 miles away, ready to impose martial law. > > For all that, life goes on in a very abnormal way. Women go > shopping as usual, except that they carry blue hard hats and dust > masks lest an eruption occur. > > Government offices continue to function, except now they conduct > their business from villas on the northern coast. > > (1997 (c) The Telegraph plc, London) > > _____via IntellX_____ > {A2:DailyTelegraphLondon-0826.00082} 8/26/97 > > > > In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. Be PART of the solution -- People Against Racist Terror/ PO Box 1055/Culver City CA 90232-1055/310-288-5003/ Order our journal "Turning the Tide." mnovickttt-AT-igc.org Free Mumia Abu Jamal! Free All POW's and Political Prisoners! Abolish the Racist Death Penalty! --- from list aut-op-sy-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---
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