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protect citizens. And the establishment of a review tribunal was an
advance on the arrangements made in respect of the events of 2001.
7.57.
In our opinion, the concerns of the Prime Minister
suggested that he was conscious of the recent history of
confrontations between the security forces and residents of Tivoli
Gardens, which was the subject of a Commission of Enquiry in 2001.
In that confrontation, 21 persons died or were injured and some of
them, especially women and children were not parties to the armed
encounter.
7.58.
As an effort to avoid violent armed conflict, the peaceful
surrender option failed on Saturday, 22 May. It irretrievably collapsed
on Sunday, 23 May when gunmen began a series of attacks against the
JCF in circumstances more particularly narrated elsewhere in this
Report. But we also think that the option was closed when Bishop Blair
and Coke met and the latter made it explicit that he was going
nowhere “and if they want me, they have to come for me and they
have to come good”. Bishop Blair’s statement that he had never seen
so many rifles in his life was evidence suggesting that Coke had made a
settled decision by 22 May to offer violent resistance to those who
attempted to arrest him. Coke operationalised that decision the very
next day when strategic and obviously coordinated attacks were
launched against the JCF and its assets by criminal elements loyal to
him and, in all probability, acting under his directions.
7.59.
It is worthwhile to explore the reasons for the residents’
rejection of the JCF’s offer to evacuate them in buses. In the first
place, the offer was publicly announced very late - about 6.00 p.m. on
radio. This meant that not all residents would have been aware of the
offer. It was then almost night and little time was usefully available to