Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa

1. Overview

Information on the Raider gang was scarce among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

According to the International Security Sector Advisory Team (ISSAT) of the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF) [1], there is an "active gang scene" in the Bahamas that is "comprised mainly of low-level street gangs" that engage in activities such as drug trafficking, human trafficking and arms smuggling (DCAF 9 Jan. 2015). According to a report written for the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) on crime and violence in the Bahamas,

[g]angs began to develop in [t]he Bahamas in the late 1970s as territorial groups of youths joined together for protection and a sense of group identity. The first violent youth gang in Nassau was named the "Syndicate" and grew out of the East Street area. One of the largest and most well-known gangs, the "Rebellion," developed as a splinter group, but eventually outgrew the Syndicate in membership and territory. (Sutton June 2016, 43)

A 2008 article by the Bahamian newspaper The Tribuneindicates that, according to a "gang expert" within the police community relations unit, there are 46 known gangs in the Bahamas and the Raiders gang is "the largest with a total of about 250 die-hard members" (The Tribune11 Apr. 2008). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

In September 2010, theTribunestated that the Rebellion Raiders gang was created in the early 1980s, citing a church pastor as stating that the gang was created "'to rebel against the Syndicates, which was one of the earliest gangs formed that has some structure'" (The Tribune29 Sept. 2010). The Tribunealso indicates that, according to "one of the founders of the Rebellion Raiders" gang, Keith Grey, who later became a church pastor and a "certified gang prevention and intervention specialist," "the Rebellion gang is … the largest gang in the Bahamas" (The Tribune29 Sept. 2010).

In a book published in 2013 on gangs in the Caribbean, Sheridon Hill, an attorney at law and specialist on Caribbean relations (Seepersad and Bissessar 2013, 288), described the Rebellions gang as one of the "[m]ajor gangs" in the Bahamas (Hill 2013, 45). According to a 2014 article by theNassau Guardian, a newspaper in the Bahamas, the Rebellion Raiders gang is a "defunct street gang" (The Nassau Guardian10 Mar. 2014).Further and corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

Information on the activities of the Raider gang could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

2. Key Members

Information on key members of the Raider gang could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. However, the following information may be useful.

According to Hill, in 2013, the Rebellions gang, among other gangs, "demonstrate[d] a low level of organizational structure" (Hill 2013, 45). According to the Nassau Guardian, membership of the Rebellion Raiders gang "vacillated between 7,000 and 10,000" (The Nassau Guardian10 Mar. 2014). According to the Nassau Guardian, "Kelcy 'Scrooge' Lundy [is] the former leader" of the Rebellion Raiders gang (The Nassau Guardian10 Mar. 2014). Further and corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

3. Areas of Operation

Information on the areas of operation of the Raider gang was scarce among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

According to the 2008 article from the Tribune, in 2008, "the Raiders gang [was] ubiquitous throughout [the island of] New Providence, with segments located in Fox Hill, Kemp Road, Bain Town, Carmichael Road, Pinewood, etc." (The Tribune11 Apr. 2008). Further and corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

4. Relationship with the One Order Gang

Information on the relationship between the Raider gang and the One Order gang could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. For further information on the One Order Gang, see Response to Information Request BHS105588 of July 2016.

5. State Response

According to sources, the Bahamas has created a police anti-gang unit (DCAF 9 Jan. 2015; The Nassau Guardian5 Dec. 2017), with the assistance of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations' (HSI) National Gang Unit (DCAF 9 Jan. 2015). The Nassau Guardiancites the Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police as stating that authorities have "'seen some inroads'" in responding to gangs since the creation of the anti-gang and firearms unit, and authorities have been targeting gang leaders and gang members in the Bahamas (The Nassau Guardian5 Dec. 2017). Further and corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Note

[1] The Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF) is an "international foundation established in 2000 … [that] contributes to enhancing security sector governance (SSG) through security sector reform (SSR)" (DCAF n.d.). "DCAF's International Security Sector Advisory Team (ISSAT) provides practical support to the international community in its efforts to improve security and justice, primarily in conflict-affected and fragile states. It does this by working with a group of member states and institutions to develop and promote good security and justice reform practices and principles, and by helping its members to build their capacity to support national and regional security and justice reform processes" (DCAF n.d.).

References

The Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF). 9 January 2015. The International Security Sector Advisory Team (ISSAT). "Bahamas Country Profile ." [Accessed 25 Sept. 2018]

The Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed (DACF). N.d. "The International Security Sector Advisory Team (ISSAT) ." [Accessed 25 Sept. 2018]

Hill, Sheridon. 2013. "The Rise of Gang Violence in the Caribbean." In Gangs in the Caribbean. Edited by Randy Seepersad and Ann Marie Bissessar. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

The Nassau Guardian.5 December 2017. Royston Jones. "Police: Disruption of Gangs Has Led to Less Crime ." [Accessed 20 Sept. 2018]

The Nassau Guardian.10 March 2014. Artesia Davis. "Reformed Gang Member Gives Views on Crime ." [Accessed 20 Sept. 2018]

Seepersad, Randy and Ann Marie Bissessar. 2013. Gangs in the Caribbean. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

Sutton, Heather. June 2016. Crime and Violence in the Bahamas. IDB Series on Crime and Violence in the Caribbean .[Accessed 17 Sept. 2018]

The Tribune.29 September 2010. Noelle Nicolls. "'20,000' in Street Gangs ." [Accessed 20 Sept. 2018]

The Tribune. 11 April 2008. Adrian Gibson. "The Evolution of Bahamian Gangs ." [Accessed 28 Sept. 2018]

Additional Sources Consulted

Oral sources:Academics specializing in gang activities in the Caribbean; Bahamas – High Commission in Ottawa, Ministry of National Security, Royal Bahamas Police Force; Bahamas Red Cross Youth; Canada – International Development Research Centre; Crime Stoppers Bahamas; The Hope Center; Inter-American Development Bank; Organization of American States – Inter-American Network for the Prevention of Violence and Crime; Pan American Development Foundation; Sant La; Tribune242; UN – Office on Drugs and Crime; US – Federal Bureau of Investigation; Youth Against Violence.

Internet sites, including:Agencia EFE ; Agence France-Presse ; Al Jazeera; The Bahama Journal; The Bahamas – Government of the Bahamas, High Commission in Ottawa, Ministry of National Security, Royal Bahamas Police Force; Bahamas Local; BBC; CNN; Deutsche Welle ; ecoi.net; The Economist; France 24; The Freeport News; The Globe and Mail; The Guardian; InSight Crime; Jane's Intelligence Review; Miami Herald; Le Monde ; The New York Times; The Punch; Tribune242; UN – Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Office on Drugs and Crime, Refworld.