Since the Treaty of Chaguaramas of 1973, the stance of those who hold the reins of governance in the region has been that the Caribbean should be a zone of peace, free from foreign intervention and foreign military domination.
For many democracies of the region their past has been tumultuous, shaped from revolts against slavery, battles for control by colonial or imperialist powers, and even coup d’états.
Even after their liberation from slavery and the attainment of Independence, some Caribbean nations continued to face unrest and political instability, most notably Haiti, which has suffered several coups and attempted coups. We also recall the Grenada Revolution of 1979 followed by the US-backed Grenada invasion in 1983 after the overthrow of the government and brutal murder of Maurice Bishop and others.
In 1990 Trinidad and Tobago also faced a short-lived coup.
By the 2000s, for the greater part, the Caribbean region was pretty stable, save for some political unrest in some territories and racial tension in Guyana.
In 2014, Latin America and the Caribbean was declared a Peace Zone region at the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) Second Summit in Havana. The declaration was read by Cuban president Raúl Castro, who highlighted the region’s prosperity and stability contributing to international peace and security.
“We are aware peace is a greater good and a rightful wish for all nations and its preservation is fundamental in the integration of Latina Latin America and the Caribbean; and a CELAC common principle and value,” the declaration read in part.
The declaration reaffirmed the commitment that, “Latin America and the Caribbean consolidates as a peace zone, where differences among nations are solved peacefully, through dialogue and negotiation, according to the international law.”
In recent days we have heard similar sentiments expressed by individual Caribbean leaders as well as CARICOM which represents a political and economic union of 15 member states and five associated members. CARCOM’s stance came on the heels of a US military build-up in the region and ongoing conflict with Venezuela. Since September, the US military has targeted maritime vessels, claiming a fight against drug trafficking. These strikes have allegedly killed citizens of Venezuela, Colombia, and Trinidad and Tobago.
A CARICOM (minus Trinidad) statement reaffirmed the principle of maintaining the Caribbean Region as a zone of peace and the importance of dialogue and engagement towards the peaceful resolution of disputes and conflict.
CARICOM also reiterated their continued commitment to fighting narco-trafficking and the illegal trade in small arms and light weapons and reaffirmed unequivocal support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries in the region.
For most in the region the notion of peace is not only noble but something that they easily ascribe to. However, for us the absence of war does not necessarily mean that there is peace.
With the increase of drug trafficking in the region, the increase in gang violence and culture, illegal firearms, and homicides, for many communities and citizens in the region their daily lives are anything but peaceful. It is something that we believe regional leaders have not adequately dealt with despite discussions at various CARICOM forums.
Last year the region saw a spike in homicides blamed on the increased presence of illegal firearms on our streets. In a snapshot: Turks and Caicos with a population of less than 50 000 recorded 48 homicides, Trinidad and Tobago’s population of 1.3 million recorded over 600 homicides, while Saint Lucia recorded 77 homicides out of a population of 180 000.
Meanwhile Haiti continues to grapple with high levels of violence, kidnapping, organised crime, and trafficking.
We believe that for the region to truly be one of peace no stone should be left unturned in fighting these scourges that impact the peace and tranquility that we truly believe we deserve. CARICOM and every citizen should speak out with equal vigour on these issues and declare an all out war against violence, crime, and illicit drugs and yes poverty, as we match our words with demonstrative actions in our quest for true peace.
It could also be instructive to embrace this quote by Paul K. Chappell who wrote: “To replace the old paradigm of war with a new paradigm of waging peace, we must be pioneers who can push the boundaries of human understanding. We must be doctors who can cure the virus of violence. We must be soldiers of peace who can do more than preach to the choir. And we must be artists who will make the world our masterpiece.”
