Eight year old Eyannie Nunez who was shot and killed in the early hours of Sunday morning will be laid to rest tomorrow at All Saints Church. The organization, Belizeans for Justice is asking businesses to close their doors for the day as an act of solidarity with the Nunez family. Yolanda Schakron, President of Belizeans for Justice told Love News that even after calling on the business community to join in the move on short notice, the response has been good.
Yolanda Schakron; President, Belizeans for Justice
"Tomorrow we are asking for a shut down of all businesses. We are asking for schools to come out and participate in this shut down either by going to the funeral. We have gotten commitments from Ebenezer, St. Ignatius and All Saints. They will be lining the route of the funeral as little Eyannie is laid to rest tomorrow. We have gotten total commitment from the Indian Community that they will be closing down for the entire day. The chamber just called me; some of their members will be closing down for the entire day. They have said that they want to work with us. They are in solidarity with us but that the notice is a little bit short for them. We want to call for an awareness of how serious the situation is as far as crime in concerned in our city right now. We are also calling for solidarity with the family of this young girl who was so brutally murdered in her bed; in her home. You should be safe in your home but apparently you are not anymore. We are calling for unity among everyone in Belize. We can't be divided 'we dah no Chin, we dah no Hindu, we no black'. We are all Belizeans and we need to unite and show solidarity and show that we are willing to come together as a people, as a community fight the crimes and to take back this city."
Dalila Ical, Reporter
Has the response from the community been favourable?
Yolanda Schakron
"Very, very favourable; they have been very happy with what we are doing and I have gotten a lot of calls."
Schakron adds that Belizeans for Justice will become even more active in the fight against crime.
Yolanda Schakron
"After this shut down we are going to be a group that is very active. We intend to put pressure; we intend to ... we want to see changes. We want to live in a better Belize. We have all been impacted by crimes. I have lost my nephew and most of the mothers have lost a loved one to violence. We are here committed and we are here determined to see that this city goes back to being a safe city where we are not imprisoned in our homes anymore."
Dalila Ical, Reporter
This fire in you will continue even after threats as in the past?
Yolanda Schakron
"It continues because I am a Christian and I believe that Christ is there. He protects us. Christopher was taken away from me and I believe that is the sacrifice I had to pay in order for me to come out and stand up and stand up for righteousness. I believe that righteousness always prevails over evil. If God is for you no can be against you."
The Faculty of Arts and Education of the University of Belize, Belize City Branch have also pledged their solidarity with Belizeans for Justice. A release from the group states that they see themselves as being in the business of education. As a result while they will show up for classes tomorrow, they will not teach. The faculty says at midday they will march to the KHMH morgue to join the family of eight year old Eyannie Nunez. According to the release they are also standing in support of one of their part time lecturer whose father, Apolonio Hernandez, was one of the senseless murders on Sunday morning.
LOVE FM