Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Longest Journey Home Part 1



Today I sit down and try to write the hardest blog I've ever had to write to date. This one was not about some asshole ex-boyfriend nor was it giving advice to some misguided male or female on the affairs of the heart. It was about Jamaica. My beloved country and all its happenings and how my heart is broken. It is safe to say that no truly aware Jamaican is surprised by what has taken place over the past couple of days, it's been a long time coming. Nevertheless, the manner in which it has been executed leaves many mouths agape.

Yesterday, I sat on the plane at Norman Manley Airport filled with trepidation as to what I would be faced with when I left the airport. My blackberry was filled with messages to stay in New York. The trip home was definitely filled with trials and errors, we'd turn down one road and hear gunshots and turn on another. As I drove home I couldn't help but reflect on how different this ride home was compared to the ones in the past. Apart from the obvious warfare that had broken out,there was a distinct change of soundtrack in my head. Where there was once Protoje's "JA" now lived the Zurna for no other reason than that this place, my country now felt like Iraq.
As I sit here in my house safely atop the city in my very Uptown neighborhood and watch the news and listen to mutty perkins I cry off and on as I hear of soldiers burning bodies, babies being shot this morning and continuous gunfire. I want them to weed out the gunmen but NOT LIKE THIS!  I can only pray for my friends who I cannot reach and hope that like me who had a long journey home with many twists, turns, danger and heartache Jamaica will find it's way back home.

P.S. In light of the underground reports of the conduct of the security personnel both Soldiers and Police I felt Buju's song was appropriate. "I could go on and on the full has NEVER been told".

P.P.S. Dear BBC surely you cannot believe that ONLY 12 people alone have been killed. I'd prefer you say "body count unknown" not because Minister of Security say it means its true.


Faith and Love,

Mamachel
follow me  on twitter : @mamachell

3 comments:

Simone said...

Poignant. I keep Jamaica in my thoughts..

Mad Bull said...

Mama, I wonder if everything they say on the radio (i.e. complaints about treatment by the security forces) is true though.

Anonymous said...

Glad you got in safe. It is really thought provoking and amazing what Jamaica has come to. Although not surprising, it is still very sad