By ANDREA DOWNER, Staff Reporter A BABY GIRL who is just a few months old is caught in the centre of a bitter feud that dates back to the 1980's. A feud that has left a bloody trail of bodies, grieving relatives and fatherless children.
Her father, 24-year-old Everton Gordon, alias Blakey and Bad Indian, is from Monkey Bottom and her mother, Elvis's sister is from Farm. The residents of both communities have been killing each other for more than a decade. Her father is currently in the Horizon Remand Centre on charges of illegal possession of firearm and ammunition and shooting with intent. Even at that tender age, the baby is estranged from her paternal relatives as her mother dares not venture beyond the informal 'boderline' to take her to visit them.
The baby's uncle, 26-year-old Elvis Swaby is one of the latest of two fatalities in the deadly battle raging between the communities of Top Line or 'Farm' and Bottom Line or 'Monkey Bottom' approximately one mile from the town of May Pen, Clarendon. He was allegedly killed by men from Monkey Bottom.
Historical feud
A 21-year-old youth who identified himself only as Charlo gave THE STAR a history lesson of the war ravaged communities. He explained that the communities have been at war with each other since the general elections of 1980, when the residents of both communties were coerced to change their allegiance from the People's National Party to the Jamaica Labour Party. He said four of Swaby's relatives have been killed between 1998 and 2002. While he could not provide a body count, he disclosed that a number of persons from Monkey Bottom had also lost their lives.
The latest run-in has left Swaby dead, his six children fatherless and another man burnt to death. Elvis was shot and killed on Monday night by a group of men travelling in a motor car. Residents cornered one of the gunmen, Alphonso Wright, and severely beat him before setting him on fire.
Vigilante justice
When THE STAR visited May Pen yesterday, a blackened spot at the side of the road with the remains of what appears to be a mattress told the tale of the sucessful enactment of vigilante justice.
A short distance away, relatives and scores of children gathered in the yard where Swaby onced lived. THE STAR was told that it was an entire community that had killed Wright, no one in particular was being singled out.
The grandmother of three of Swaby's children told THE STAR that she intended to leave the area as she feels that she and her four children might be targetted next. However, she was not certain where she would go.
The police were unable to shed any new light on the murders but an officer at the May Pen Police Station indicated that vigilante justice is usually confined to innercity communities and said the police strongly condemn such killings.
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