Jamaican Government encroaches upon Maroon territory-gctid26132

[Kala Kambon]

http://www.jamaica- gleaner.com/ gleaner/20070113 /news/news1. html

Carib judge willing to aid Maroons in Cockpit
resistance
published: Saturday | January 13, 2007

Claudine Housen, Staff Reporter

WESTERN BUREAU:

An Eastern Caribbean judge has expressed his
willingness to offer general advice to the Maroons as
they continue their fight against the Government on
the vexing issue of mining in the Cockpit Country.

"Having heard on the news that there was potential
conflict between the Maroons and mining interests, I
attempted to contact one of the leaders for the
purpose of offering general advice," said Anthony
Ross, management judge at the Eastern Caribbean
Supreme Court, located in St. Lucia, via a phone
interview on Wednesday.

"I was sufficiently curious and wanted to speak with
the chief of the group to perhaps get an idea as to an
understanding of the nature and the scope of the
problem and to see whether or not my experience can be
of some assistance."

A native of St. Kitts, who read for his law degree in
Canada, Judge Ross has over 25 years of experience in
the legal system and was one of three lawyers who
represented the Aborigines of Aazhoodena, in Canada,
before the commission of enquiries concerning a land
dispute which resulted in the death of one Dudley
George, in 2004.

CONTACT MADE

Pleased with this new development, Colonel Sidney
Peddie of the Accompong Maroons has confirmed having
preliminary discussions with Judge Ross, who called
from St. Lucia on Tuesday.

"He told me he can assist us in Accompong with our
complaints up there and he promised to send me facts
and other materials on the cases that he handled in
Canada for the Indians and he will be sending me that
tomorrow (Wednesday), " Colonel Peddie said.

"If what he says is acceptable to the Accompong
Council, we will engage him."

The issue over the mining of the Cockpit Country
gained national interest late last year when a group
of environmentalists discovered the Government planned
to allow prospecting in the area. The Maroons, who are
arguing that the area is not only home to sacred
ancestral grounds, but also the source to many rivers
which feed some 40 per cent of western Jamaica, then
raised concern.

The Maroons are calling on Jamaicans to join the
discussion as they claim they are ready to "go to war"
with the Government over the matter.