AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums About Belize Nation Crime Control CHINESE COMMUNITY SHUTDOWN AS SIGN OF PROTEST

This morning over five hundred members of the Chinese community protested in front of the Supreme Court to take a stand at the senseless crimes that has been plaguing their community. A country wide shutdown is in effect. We spoke to Edmund Quan, President of the Belize Chinese Association.

Edmund Quan - President, Belize Chinese Association

"The purpose we are out here is for crime on a whole. Obviously the two perpetrators of the crime of the two senseless killing of the two Belizean Chinese that happened, that brought some of the people but also the crime on a whole in Belize City and throughout the country. We are out here trying to voice what we are thinking. We are really tired of these crimes, we are really tired of killing, robbing. We want people to work, find a job instead of robbing people. It doesn't matter if it is Chinese, Indian or Belizean. Whenever a killing or robbery takes place it affects all of us. We are planning to draft up a proposal to the Government for an amendment in jurisdiction law, I am not sure of the details on that; we have to discuss that we had a short time. We will work on it."

Quan says members from Punta Gorda, Dangriga, the Belize district; Corozal and Orange Walk participated in the protest. According to Chairman of the Belize Community Chamber of Commerce Philip Ying, the only way to resolve the crime problem is to implement much stronger prosecution and capital punishment.

Philip Ying - Chairman, Belize Chinese Community Chamber of Commerce

"In general the crime situation is growing worse. If the judiciary system cannot be improved, you cannot stop the crime. You have to increase the prosecution power. You have to give very strong message. It is extremely important that we send a message that crime is punishable otherwise murderers are walking free what kind of message are we sending. If murderers can walk free in two months, one month we cannot stop crime. We have to stop crime by using public prosecution against murderer, that is the most important thing. This is not only a social problem it is a judiciary problem we have to try and change the judiciary process in order to increase the power of public prosecutor in order to prosecutor murderer in much stronger manner."

A country wide Chinese business shutdown was called for today and tomorrow. Our Toledo correspondent Paul Mahung reports that all 19 Chinese businesses in Punta Gorda are closed in solidarity.

LOVEFM

Shame for these mostly hard working people being targeted and it appears, though not confirmed, these were retaliatory killings unrelated to them. My heart breaks for the Chinese community and I stand in solidarity with them.

I agree Katie. It's bad enough when it's gang members killing each other, but this is just getting out of hand. My heart goes out to everyone who has been affected by the terrible weekend in Belize City.

On Monday, April 4, 2011, over 500 members of the Chinese community protested in front of the Supreme Court in Belize City to take a stand at the senseless crimes that has been plaguing their community, in particular the senseless killing of the two Belizean Chinese last week. A country wide shutdown is in effect since yesterday.

"We are really tired of these crimes; we are really tired of killing, robbing," commented Edmund Quan, President, Belize Chinese Association, to Love FM News. "We want people to work, find a job instead of robbing people. It doesn't matter if it is Chinese, Indian or Belizean. Whenever a killing or robbery takes place it affects all of us. We are planning to draft up a proposal to the Government for an amendment in jurisdiction law. I am not sure of the details on that; we have to discuss that we had a short time. We will work on it."

Quan says members from Punta Gorda, Dangriga, the Belize District; Corozal and Orange Walk participated in the protest.

Master Lee, a member of the Chinese Community in San Pedro commented to Ambergris Today that they are also very shocked about this horrible news coming from the city. "We want to show our support to our family and friends in the mainland, so we also close down our shops for the two day protest," commented Master Lee.

According to Chairman of the Belize Community Chamber of Commerce Philip Ying, the only way to resolve the crime problem is to implement much stronger prosecution and capital punishment.
"In general the crime situation is growing worse. If the judiciary system cannot be improved, you cannot stop the crime, commented Philip Ying - Chairman, Belize Chinese Community Chamber of Commerce. "You have to increase the prosecution power. You have to give very strong message. It is extremely important that we send a message that crime is punishable otherwise murderers are walking free what kind of message are we sending. If murderers can walk free in two months, one month we cannot stop crime. We have to stop crime by using public prosecution against murderer; that is the most important thing. This is not only a social problem, it is a judiciary problem. We have to try and change the judiciary process in order to increase the power of public prosecutor in order to prosecutor murderer in much stronger manner."

Ambergris Today

Chinese Community castoffs support given by Belizeans for Justice

Monday morning's protest by the Chinese Association showed unity in the Asian community. And while it appeared that they were all alone, there was support offered by other groups. Belizeans for Justice was nowhere in sight as it normally would offer solidarity to families of murder victims and according to one member of the group, the Chinese Association acted clannish and rejected the support of the association.

Joan Sutherland, Member, Belizeans for Justice

"First of all, it's two women that got murdered and woman's month just past and I think it is our duty to join the Chinese, they call themselves Belizean Chinese. And murder dah murder."

Jose Sanchez

"Okay but we didn't see you out there at the protest in solidarity with them. Why is that?"

Joan Sutherland

"Well because we approach them and they told us that somebody going to come out. Eric Chang gonna come out and�"

Jose Sanchez

"Come out from where?"

Joan Sutherland

"From out of the meeting-we went all the way to Princess. And this Chiney man, I think his name is Jackie, he came out and he said that Eric Chang is gonna come out and talk to us and maybe twenty minutes to half an hour; he came back and said they will get back in touch with us-no use of standing around. So we offered our phone numbers [and] they said they don't need any numbers; they know how to get in touch with us. But one thing Joe, that protest weh happen yesterday; if we as Belizeans for Justice would have done something like that, positive, some ah wi mi wah deh eena hospital, some ah wi mi wah deh locked up eena jail. We as Belizeans couldn't do that, so why the Chinese dehn coulda mi do it."

Jose Sanchez

"But despite everything, still in solidarity with them?"

Joan Sutherland

"We are, we are in solidarity with them and we would love to join them and find hand in hand with them. We are Belizeans for Justice. So we step forward for anybody-Chinese, Hindus, anybody at all."

Channel 5

DANGRIGA COMMUNITY IMPACTED BY CHINESE SHUTDOWN

The national Chinese shutdown continued today. 

 Harry Arzu reporting....

"The wave of crime and violence which has been scourging across our country registered its impact on Dangriga two weeks ago when gunmen shot a Chinese merchant who is a student at Delille Academy. The impact caused concern among our citizens and it was translated into action when the entire Delille Academy community supported by Ecumenical High School took to the streets to make it clear that Dangriga is the culture capital and not a crime capital. However yesterday after that demonstration, the criminal landed their mark once again when two Chinese women were brutally murdered in their store in Belize City. The Chinese community nationwide showed their outright dissatisfaction with this behaviour by joining each other in a massive demonstration in Belize City. The shutdown of stores by the Chinese for two days, Monday and Tuesday, left a vacuum in Dangriga too because only five local grocery stores has been open to offer services to our people. Customers are used to the competitive prices of the Chinese merchants and also the great variety of groceries which they offer. Some concerned residents of Dangriga said that this type of behaviour by our own people only irritates the merchants and periodically causes shutdowns of stores in our town. They also said that we must make an effort to correct this wanton killing of innocent people in what was originally a peaceful and quiet Belize."

LOVEFM

The patience of the local Chinese Community seems to have been pushed to a critical point following a weekend of bloody violence which included the apparent senseless killing of two Chinese businesswomen. The Chinese Community responded by locking all shops for two days and taking to the streets in protest. While for the most part passive, docile and law-abiding, the Chinese seemed to show on Monday, an aspect that has been kept undercover.



In a show of protest, some two hundred strong Chinese from across the nation converged in front of the Belize Magistrate's Court on Monday morning. Word had been received that Police had apprehended two suspects and recovered a firearm believed used in one of the murders. The men were expected to be taken to court on Monday and when the bus arrived from prison, the Chinese were waiting and began pelting the bus with whatever objects they could find. After learning that the two suspects were not on the bus, the congregation marched over to the Police Station and then proceeded on a march through the principal streets of the old capital. Not everyone was sympathetic and along the route insults were being hurled. One particular heckler narrowly escaped with his life as he was attacked by the marchers and had to be rescued by some brave Police Officers.



The tragic occurrences and subsequent response by the Chinese has spurred an interesting debate with comments ranging from sympathetic to straight out racist. There are some who have long resented the Chinese presence in Belize, some who are indifferent and some who appreciate the service that they provide. Like it or not, many of these Chinese are now full Belizeans whether by birth or by naturalization. They are intricately woven into the fabric of our society and of late, have even planted roots on the landscape of our politics. Given the current state of our demography, whether Chinese, Indian, Mennonites, or any number of other ethnic groups, including Kriol and Garinagu, it is impossible to pinpoint any particular group and label them true-blooded Belizean. We must come to grips with our cultural diversity and address our problems from an encyclopedic instead of indigenous approach.



The reality is that Belize is besieged with a wave of crime that is intolerable, incorrigible and if left unabated will destroy every industry and source of livelihood for our people. Already, the economy is being stifled as few people dare venture out at night and even less will carry money, wear jewelry or venture into specific areas. Many folks from outer districts refuse to enter the city except out of a case of dire necessity. Even then, they will come in, hurriedly conduct their business and hastily retreat to the safe confines of their habitat.



The security forces seem inept and are many times themselves exposed as more a part of the problem than the solution. In a press conference of last April, the Prime Minister revealed to the nation that he had discovered a "ring of rogue cops" and promised Belizeans that many arrests would follow including that of senior officers of the Department. We were informed that these cops were involved in many of the serious crimes to date, including the SSB robbery and the robbery/murder of a Scotia Bank in Spanish Lookout. To date, one lowly constable has been indicted and even the charge against him has been proven rather flimsy to say the least.



On Tuesday of this week, the Prime Minister hurriedly called another Press Conference but this time, labeled the situation a crisis. The answer, asserted the Prime Minister, was to amend the constitution to allow for more draconian laws, unlimited detention of any citizen and trials without a jury. Given the propensity of this administration in particular, for being vindictive, victimizing and intolerant of dissent, who is willing to trust this Prime Minister with that kind of unrestrained power? Tell us it is a joke, Prime Minister tell us it is a joke!

The Prime Minister took the opportunity to share with us a story he had read in a newspaper while traveling to Guatemala. According to Mr. Barrow, he had read where forty people had been killed in Salvador that past week. According to the PM, when we compared ourselves to that and with Trinidad for example, we are, comparatively speaking, "well off". Tell that to the Chinese Community, Mr. Barrow, or to the many families who grieve on too regular a basis. Tell that to the family of your own law partner, Mr. Barrow or tell that to the managers of the Heritage Bank in Orange Walk. Whenever the Prime Minister speaks, one is usually left wondering if he is indeed living in the same Belize that the rest of us are.



The Prime Minister again reiterated his plan to send "high-energy gang members" to live in rural communities. What a brilliant idea! Why confine crime to Belize City? And if our rural citizens won't come to the city for fear of crime, then let us take the city and its crime to them. We are now told that a prime suspect in the Heritage Bank robbery is from Belize City. A large number of the crimes committed in rural areas are eventually found to be committed by people from the city. Way to go PM, if you can't spread the wealth then certainly we can spread the misery!

Another solution which the Prime Minister would love to consider is the mandatory enlistment of young citizens into the army. According to the Prime Minister, and this one right in line with his agenda, we can afford that if we find more oil. What a shameful and opportunistic capitalizing of a bad situation to promote an equally bad agenda. The man is using crime to push through his preventative detention plan and will now use it to justify his granting of more concessions to drill for oil; is there no bound to his tyranny?



The idea of militarizing delinquents is not as cut and dried as Mr. Barrow and his good friend and advisor believes. Many of our neighboring republics are plagued by ex-military who use that self same training to prey upon ordinary untrained citizens. Miscreants who are committed to a life of crime will not just magically transform to law-abiding citizens simply because they are put in uniform. They will come away well trained, sharp shots and well informed as to the basic tactics of enforcement. Tread carefully on this one Mr. Barrow, please.



The situation that Mr. Barrow finds himself in is not an enviable one. He was however, elected on a platform of transparency, accountability and good governance. He made many promises, none of which he has kept. He promised lower cost of living, a naturalization of our oil and a reduction of crime; we have seen just the opposite in every case. Instead of pulling out a bigger stick, the Prime Minister should start leading by example. A good place would be in the House of Representatives. His belligerence, arrogance and intimidating tactics are directly reflected in the attitude of these young killers on the streets. To paraphrase the former Prime Minister when quoting the lyrics of a dancehall hit, "nuh watch we Mr. Barrow, watch yuself!.



G. Michael Reid