The document contains the opinions and analysis of Colonel Allan Douglas regarding the 2010 Tivoli Military Operation in Kingston, Jamaica. Some of the key points made include: 1) The operation involved more force than was reasonably necessary and the use of mortars was reckless and possibly criminal. Intelligence provided was speculative and the operation was poorly planned and executed. 2) The Jamaica Constabulary Force acted with little discipline or regard for civilians, going on a "killing spree." Many civilian deaths were the result of killings in cold blood by security forces. 3) Claims of hundreds of gunmen occupying Tivoli and Jamaica being under siege were exaggerated. A full investigation of all layers of the military operation

1. MY OPINIONS – 2010 TIVOLI MILITARY OPERATION
by: COLONEL ALLAN DOUGLAS
On November8,2105, the West KingstonCommissionof Enquiry(COE) publishedamediainvitationto
Jamaicansto participate inthe commission’sproceedingsbysubmittingtheirown“batchof
recommendations”aimedatpreventingarecurrence of eventsthatoccurredinTivoli GardensinMay
2010.
It ispossible the invitationwasmeanttobe a requestfor the publictooffertheiropinionsorviewsbut
certainlynotrecommendations.Itishardlypossible topresentanyworthwhilerecommendations
withoutbeinginpossessionof all the factsof a matterbeingprobedor considered.Itcertainlywouldbe
premature tostart formulatingrecommendationsbefore all the evidence hasbeenreviewed/heardand
the inquiryclosedonsuchmatters.
I founditunfortunate thatDennisMeadows,co-chairof CitizensActionforPrinciple andIntegrity(CAPI),
was reportedassayingthe COE invitationwasa“…novel ideaanda demonstrationbythe
commissionerstomake ita true publicinquiry…”andthat“…it augurswell forany findingsand
recommendationsthatwill be forthcomingfromthe enquiry…”If Mr Meadowshasbeencorrectly
quoted,itwouldbe amazingthatthere isanythingnovel aboutrecommendationswithoutsupporting
facts.I cannot begintoimagine whatitis thataugurs well foranyfindingsandrecommendationsthat
will be forthcomingfromthe inquiryotherthana publicrelationsgesture thatsays,“See,we gotthe
publics’recommendations.”Inthe oldcolonial dayssuchagesture wouldbe seenas“patronizingthe
natives.”
As a memberof the public,Inowsetout some of my opinionsinrespectof the eventsthattook place in
Tivoli inMay 2010:
a. There was more force than wasreasonablynecessaryemployedduringthisprimarilymilitary-led
operation.
b. The employmentof mortar/sinsupportof thisoperationwasrecklessandirresponsible,if not
downrightcriminal. Inaddition,the mortarcrewswere notcurrent/qualified.The damage tothe
CoronationMarketwas causedbymortar bombsthat missedtheirtarget.
c. The operationwaspoorlyplanned(apparentlybasedonfaultyorincomplete intelligence)andequally
poorlyexecutedwithabreakdowningroundcommandandcontrol.The liaisonbetweensupporting
elementswasunprofessional anddisastrous.Istill cannotimagine wherethe commandrelationship
trainingwasabandonedorwas ambushed.
d. The JCF,who initiallyappearedtoenterthe areato do house clearing,ranamokand wentona killing
spree withverylittle regardforanyone oranything.Ibelieve theywerepoorlytrained,poorlyled,andill
disciplined.Fearappearedtohave beentheironlymotivation.

2. e.Intelligence providedwascreated/puttogetherbasedonspeculationandguesswork.
f.On initial entryintoTivoli the securityforcesdidexperience some gunfire fromgunmenbutnottothe
extentanddegree asthe evidence wouldhave usbelieve,andcertainlynotafterthe firstdayof the
operation.
g. There wasconfusionamongthe JCF/JDFpersonnelonthe ground,withmanyof the so-called
exchangesof gunfire betweenthemselves.
h. Several of the injuriessoldierssustainedwere the resultof anattempteddetonationof a barricade
that wentwrong.
j. Noplane landedatVernamfieldtooffloadweaponstosupportTivoli gunmen.
k. The majorityof the 70-plus civilianswhodiedwere killedincoldbloodbymembersof the security
forcesand primarilybythe JCF.There wasabuse,beating,andill treatmentof civiliansanddestruction
of theirproperty
l.There was no escape throughtunnelsof approximately300 gunmen.The claimof 300 gunmenfromall
parts of the islandconvergingonTivolitodefendittothe lastman isexaggerated.
m. Military-ledoperationswill gowrongfromtime totime.However,whatisunacceptableisanyeffort
to conceal the facts or attemptsat a cover-up.
n. The militaryhasmanylayersto an operationof thisnature.Of the six or sevenlayers,onlythreehave
beenprobedtoferretoutthe facts.
o. The killingof KeithClarke athishome atKirklandHeightsbymembersof the JDFisrelevanttothe
probe,andevidence shouldbe includedinthe same mannerthatevidence hasbeenincludedinrespect
of SFcomingundergunfire inthe MountainView area.
p. Jamaicawas not"saved"by the securityforcesasa resultof thisoperation,asthe state wasnot
underattack or in anydangerof fallingintothe handsof criminals.The scenario of Jamaicabeingunder
siege andgunmenoccupyingJamaicaHouse isa grossexaggeration.
The Commissionof Inquirywasconductedassome formof a legal contest.Anadversarial trial of sorts
insteadof an inquisitorialone willbe sadlyinadequate inpreventingarecurrence of a tragic eventof
thisnature,especiallywithregardtomilitaryactivities.Itisalsohardlylikelythatwithoutanoverseas
militaryexpert,anyrecommendationsmade wouldbe of anyfuture value.