Marching against violence with chants of hope

“We want to Live”—four powerful and heartfelt words used by a group of almost twenty persons in a March against Violence today in the Old Capital. Along with others messages such as “Better Education less Murders”, the group is calling on all concerned Belizeans to take action and to take a stand against the recent spate of violence especially in the month of April. News Five spoke to the Organizer, Gilroy Usher Senior who says that the populace needs to break the silence and bring pressure on all those who are tasked with the responsibility to address the root causes to crime and violence.

Gilroy Usher Sr., Organizer/Concerned Citizen

Gilroy Usher Sr.

“A lot of people are intimidated with the violence in the country. Some people are afraid that if they come out and show their face, they might become the target of people who carry out all the lawlessness in the country; particularly the city. but like I’ve said, silence is not the solution because after four and a half years of silence, we have over four hundred persons that have been murdered, Belize has been rated the fifth most murderous country in the entire world and just Monday for the news, they mentioned for the month of April has been the most murderous month in the country for the last, I think three or four years—something like that. People don’t feel safe to go out into the streets. As a result of that, there are less activities for the business; whenever there are sporting events and other social events, less persons come out. And as a result of less business activity; that results in less jobs for the very people who are vulnerable and need jobs and also less business activity results in less revenues for the government—revenues that it badly needs to address many of the social problems in the country.”

Margaret Taggart

Margaret Taggart, Concerned Citizen

“My darling, this lotta killing, we have never seen this in Belize before. And the young people out here they need to get some love; show some love—god is love. Why are they killing out the people? I’m sending that they must stop the killing. Have some love ina your heart. Stop the killing. God is love.”

Duane Moody

“Did you anticipate more people coming out?”

Margaret Taggart

“Yes I hope some of them meet we on the way because this dah fi everybody not just a few people. This country dah fi all ah we. If they noh love the country—jump on the radio station and say all kinda thing—when time fi show it, they noh show it. This country da fi everybody.”

Duane Moody

“Would you agree that more people should have come out regardless of age; across the demographic?”

Margaret Taggart

“Yes they should. They should come out ok. This dah noh wah one man thing; this dah everybody. It affects everybody.”

The march ended at the Battlefield Park at Albert Street in downtown Belize City.