CASTRIES, St Lucia, CMC – A human rights attorney representing the families of two men allegedly shot and killed by police during the infamous “Operation Restore Confidence” says she is disappointed that the government has decided against making the report of the investigations public.
Attorney Mary Francis told the St. Lucia News Online (SNO) website Monday that she was also disappointment with government’s response to the alleged 2009-2011 extra-judicial killings report.
“As it is right now, I am very disappointed. I am not happy with state of affairs,” she added.
Prime Minister Dr. Kenny Anthony Sunday night said that Jamaican investigators probing the alleged extra judicial killings by members of the Royal St. Lucia Police Force (RSPF) found that a “blacklist or death list” existed.
In a radio and television address on Sunday night, Prime Minister Anthony also said that the investigators had found that police had staged “fake encounters” to legitimize their actions and that “all police officers involved in the unlawful killings of citizens in respect of the files reviewed must be prosecuted.”
In 2013, the St Lucia government enlisted the help of the Jamaican police to investigate the RSLPF following a decision by the United States to withdraw security related assistance after claims of human rights violations.
In August 2013, Washington suspended all forms of assistance to the RSLPF, citing allegations of serious human rights violations.
“The Department of State has made a policy decision to withdraw training and material assistance to the Royal St Lucia Police Force due to credible allegations of gross human rights violations,” the US State Department said in a statement then.
As a result, Police Commissioner, Vernon Francois, was prevented from travelling to the US to represent the Regional Security Service (RSS) at a conference of Black Police Chiefs.
In his address, Prime Minister Anthony said that the report, a copy of which has been sent to the United States, found that “all the shootings reviewed were ‘fake encounters’ staged by the police to legitimize their actions.
He said the report also indicated “that the weapons supposedly found on the scene of the alleged “extra judicial killings” were from sources other than the victims.
Francis said that she was not pleased with the tone of the report and the fact that it will be kept classified.
She promised a further response later, indicating “there are so many things that came out of the report…”
The human rights attorney, who is also representing the families of two of the men killed, said that the families need some closure.
In his address, Prime Minister Anthony said “the investigators have recommended that “all police officers involved in the unlawful killings of citizens in respect of the files reviewed must be prosecuted.
“In all, the investigators made some thirty one recommendations many of which touch on the management and administration of the Police Force,” he added.
But Prime Minister Anthony said that his administration would not be making any statement regarding the guilt or innocence of the police officers involved and “the question whether anyone is to be prosecuted is solely for the Director of Public Prosecutions to determine after evaluating and assessing the probative value of the evidence placed before her”.
