PRESERVED THROUGH POLITICAL VIOLENCE

In 1980 Jamaica held its fifth general election since becoming independent from Great Britain in 1962. That election was preceded by the country’s most violent election campaign ever held. Hundreds of people lost their lives, and preaching God’s Kingdom in certain areas became very hazardous, as gun battles raged on, day and night. The neutrality of Jehovah’s Witnesses served as a protection for them, and not one Witness lost his life. The following experience shows how Jehovah protected those of his people who lived and preached in the most violence-prone areas.

An elder was making a return visit when a gun battle began on the same street. He reported: “At the end of the visit I tried to move quickly out of the area. On my way a group of men approached me and said, ‘You look like a policeman!’ [Many policemen were being killed during that period.] I quickly identified myself as a witness of Jehovah, using the publications I had and some tracts. That satisfied them and saved my life. I gave each one a tract and went my way.”

On her way to a meeting, a sister was stopped and searched by a group of men, who took away her books and money. She told the men: “I am going to the Kingdom Hall, and I need the books you took away and the money is my contribution.” They returned everything to her!

NEUTRAL STAND RESPECTED

The neutral stand of Jehovah’s Witnesses with regard to political activity was respected by the majority of the people. For example, in one area the book study center was attacked with stones and other missiles. In the midst of the attack the Witnesses who lived in the home brought out the Watchtower and Awake! magazines and held them aloft while shouting repeatedly, “We are not involved in politics!” Immediately the attack ceased. To prevent any recurrence, the brothers wrote “Jehovah Is Our Salvation” on the wall of the house, and pasted the covers of several Awake! and Watchtower magazines on the windowpanes. Some time after this, the attackers returned to the area. They destroyed many houses with stones, homemade bombs and other missiles, but the home that served as the book study center was left untouched.

On another occasion, while a group of brothers, because of political violence, were moving away from the area in which they lived, 14 armed men stopped the truck containing their belongings and asked the driver: “Who do you have on board​—Labourites or Socialists?” (These were the two factions fighting each other.) The brothers responded: “We are Jehovah’s Witnesses.” Some of the armed men boarded the truck and made a check. They opened the bag of one brother and saw his Bible, Watchtower and Awake! magazines and other Watch Tower publications. That, along with the Witnesses’ explanation that they are neutral with regard to politics because of their faith and confidence in Jehovah’s Kingdom by Jesus Christ, satisfied the men. “All right, you all can go on your way,” the armed men said. The brothers did just that, with expressions of thanks to Jehovah.

On election day, one elder and his wife were taken by force to a polling booth and threatened with violence if they did not vote. They maintained their neutrality in spite of being physically assaulted. Subsequently they had to abandon their home, but loving brothers took them in, and they are still happy and active in Jehovah’s service. Others were threatened because of their neutrality, but Jehovah afforded his people protection and no one suffered serious injury.