(WiredJA)- A coalition of Caribbean civil society organizations has issued a joint statement calling for immediate de-escalation of tensions in the Southern Caribbean and condemning recent United States military strikes in the region as violations of international law.
The statement, signed by five organizations including the Jamaica Cuba Friendship Association, Jamaica LANDS, and the Caribbean Revolutionary Awakening, characterizes recent US strikes on persons accused of drug trafficking as “summary executions of noncombatants” and “clear breaches of international law.”
According to the signatories, the strikes have targeted fishing boats without evidence of drug trafficking involvement or security threats. “Rather than having alleged drug traffickers apprehended and brought before a judicial body with evidence of wrongdoing, what we are seeing are strikes on fishing boats,” the statement reads.
The organizations describe particularly disturbing consequences of the attacks, noting that the method of strikes has “left bodies disintegrated and their families unable to properly mourn them.” This has reportedly created widespread fear among fishermen across multiple countries in the region, including Jamaica, who are attempting to legally earn their living.
Military Deployment Raises Alarms
The coalition has expressed alarm over the deployment of military assets to Caribbean waters, including multiple warships and a nuclear submarine. The organizations question both the necessity and proportionality of such force in response to alleged drug trafficking.
Challenging the rationale for military intervention, the statement argues that most drugs from South America travel through the Pacific rather than the Caribbean. The signatories point to declarations from the governments of Colombia and Mexico—identified as the major transshipment points for South American drugs—rejecting US claims about Venezuelan involvement in the drug trade.
“To us, it does not seem that the real issue here is drug trafficking, and we believe that there may be intentions to provoke a war with Venezuela under the guise of combating drug trafficking,” the statement asserts.
Reaffirming the Zone of Peace
The organizations invoke the concept of the Caribbean as a “Zone of Peace,” a designation with deep regional roots. They cite the 1979 Organization of American States resolution that sought removal of superpower rivalry from Caribbean waters, as well as the 2014 formalization by the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) committing leaders to maintain regional stability through peaceful dispute resolution, non-intervention, and respect for sovereignty.
The coalition calls on Caribbean leaders to reaffirm this commitment by discouraging the deployment of foreign military troops and hardware. “These deployments do nothing to aid our security and, on the contrary, provoke conflict in a way that risks destabilising the entire region,” the statement warns.
Regional Vulnerability
The signatories emphasize Caribbean nations’ vulnerability to conflict, arguing that “Caribbean countries are not prepared for war, nor can we be willing to be part of one.” They warn that social systems cannot sustain a major refugee crisis and economies cannot withstand trade interruptions.
The statement specifically criticizes what it describes as “dangerous rhetoric being pushed by political figures both within and from outside of the Caribbean,” suggesting that “inflammatory remarks from irresponsible leaders are outright endorsing the extrajudicial killings of civilians.”
Notably, the coalition specifically requests Jamaica’s position on the matter, awaiting an official government response to the unfolding situation.
The statement was signed by Trevor Brown of the Jamaica Cuba Friendship Association, Alexander Scott of Jamaica LANDS, Owen D. Allen of The Community Organizations for Management and Sustainable Development, Dave Wright/Abiola X of Caribbean Revolutionary Awakening, Palestine Solidarity Action members, and Paul Burke of the PNPYO 1970s Past Members Association.
The joint declaration represents a significant civil society intervention in what the organizations characterize as an escalating crisis threatening the Caribbean’s longstanding commitment to peace and regional stability.
