By Lara Pickford-Gordon Wednesday, November 25 2009

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Youth matters: Jonathan Burke, left, Folade Mutota, second from left, and Asiya Mohammed, right, listen to a contribution from Samuel Kavuma, Africa R...

There are youths born between 1985 and 2009 who only know violence and the gun culture in Trinidad and Tobago.

They know “what it is to see dead people, their relatives, their friends, their neighbours,” said Folade Mutota, co-founder of the Women’s Institute for Alternative Development (WIAD), as she spoke during the question and answer session at the “Peace Building” plenary session at the Commonwealth Youth Forum aboard the Caribbean Princess in Port-of-Spain yesterday.

She said the violence being experienced first hand and via the media had unleashed more violence and caused trauma for the wider society. She said people respond by trying to find ways not to be a victim. “That is not a healthy way to live,” Mutota said as she responded to a question at the forum. WIAD had to persist because of the lack of trust from members of different gangs.

“We felt as women we could navigate around that meeting and get them to the table. We wanted to have a quiet meeting,” she said. Since 2002, WIAD has been working on the issue of armed violence and in 2004 held round table meetings with the gang leaders.

She said the “brothers” wanted a public meeting but WIAD knew that most people in society thought the gang members “should not exist”. A public meeting at which media was invited and a private meeting with WIAD members took place.

Mutota said at the WIAD meeting, “every single one of them said to us ‘we want you to come into our community and work with our people’.”

Commenting on what could have been done differently with this project, she said there should have been greater urgency in immediately following-up the interest in change. However, resources were limited. Mutota said, “At that moment people wanted to make that shift. What we could not provide as NGOs is the opportunity to make that shift.”

She believes it is possible to get youths to make the transition from involvement in gangs. “It requires a love that you have to have for yourself and a respect for people. That has to then be transferred into the work you do.” Mutota said collaboration was needed among police, “gatekeepers” in the community, youth organisations and others.

In her presentation, Mutota said hearing the news headlines on Monday night made her want to scream. A man had been beheaded and his body burnt, a man and his 16-month-old son were shot, a schoolboy was stabbed and killed. “This is my country. I love it I am not moving from here.”

Mutota said the “rage and rebellion” was taking place in society and more in-depth research was required which will inform policy responses, facilitate better use of resources and be more effective.