St. Vincent and the Grenadines: Reports of political violence associated with the 2001 general elections, particularly acts against members or supporters of the New Democratic Party (NDP) committed by members or supporters of the United Labour Party (ULP), particularly in the constituency of Cedears; police response to the incidents

References to incidents of violence surrounding the March 2001 general elections, at a constituency called Cedears or involving a party named United Labour Party, could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

The information that follows adds to that provided in VCT41746.E of 11 July 2003, which discusses incidents of political violence and provides details on police response to any such incidents.

Various sources refer to these elections as being primarily a contest between the incumbent New Democratic Party (NDP) and the opposition Unity Labour Party (ULP), with the latter winning them by a wide margin (Country Reports 2001 Mar. 2002; CANA 26 Mar. 2001; Freedom in the World 2001-2002 16 July 2002).

Country Reports 2001 states that the political parties agreed in late-2000 to a code of conduct during the electoral campaign, and "generally adhered" to it (Mar. 2002, Sec. 3). The report states that the 28 March 2001 elections "were held in accordance with the agreement," and adds that "there was no serious violence and observers declared the voting to be generally free and fair" (ibid.).

Freedom in the World 2001-2002 states that the elections "had been preceded by serious political unrest and mobilization," but were "monitored by international election observers" (16 July 2002).

The Caribbean news agency CANA provides the most detailed account of electoral violence available among the sources consulted. It states that although "electoral officials ... moved to defuse tension between members and supporters of the major political parties," advising "political leaders against inciting crowds attending their public meetings and against triggering acts of violence or vandalism, in keeping with an electoral code of conduct... the pleas [seemed] to be falling on deaf ears" (CANA 26 Mar. 2001). According to the report, "the hard-fought election" had been "marred by frayed tempers, verbal attacks and destruction of billboards" (ibid.). Supporters of both major parties reportedly jeered and gesticulated at passing cars when there were rallies of their rivals; one bottle-throwing incident was reported at the Leeward constituency when "NDP and ULP supporters met on their way back from separate political events," and "a young man was hospitalized following a stabbing incident on Saturday (March 24)" (ibid.).

A 2 March 2001 article reports on NDP leader (and then-prime minister) Arnhim Eustace as stating that, in the last week of February 2001, there were "incidents of politically motivated violence...some even resulting in the hospitalisation of the victims" (CANA 2 Mar. 2001). The report quotes Eustache as adding that there had been "an increasing number of incidents of intimidation and threats directed at political supporters, candidates and businesses with known political affiliations" (ibid.). However, the news article quotes Osbourne Quow, the country's Police Commissioner, as stating that "though there have been statements from the political platforms about incidents of violence, there have been few reports of politically linked violence" (ibid.). The Police Commissioner reportedly identified two incidents as having a political link: the shooting on the previous weekend of a 29-year old man who had to be hospitalized, and "the hitting of a woman with a stone about a week earlier" (ibid.). Finally, the article quotes the Commissioner as saying that "apart from that they have been very quit so far, you would have the isolated argument and so on but not violence" (ibid.).

Please find attached a copy of the above-cited CANA reports for additional information.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

References

Caribbean News Agency (CANA). 26 March 2001. "St Vincent: Tensions Run High Ahead of Government Elections." (BBC Monitoring/Dialog)
_____. 2 March 2001. "PM Prepared to Call In CARICOM for Poll." (The Gleaner/Dialog)

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2001. 31 March 2002. "St. Vincent and the Grenadines." United States Department of State. Washington, DC. [Accessed 11 Sept. 2003]

Freedom in the World: The Annual Survey of Political Rights and Civil Liberties 2001-2002.16 July 2002. Edited by Adrian Karatnycky et al."St. Vincent & the Grenadines." [Accessed 411 Sept. 2003]

Attachments

Caribbean News Agency (CANA). 26 March 2001. "St Vincent: Tensions Run High Ahead of Government Elections." (BBC Monitoring/Dialog)
_____. 2 March 2001. "PM Prepared to Call In CARICOM for Poll." (The Gleaner/Dialog)