And so those last two stories are two more cases of minors being victimized by sexual or physical violence.
And there are so many other cases…in fact, for the last few weeks on the evening news, we've been showing you case after case where children are the innocent victims of sexual or gun violence. In several instances, these children lost their lives in almost incomprehensible ways.
This trend, which has the full glare of the public lens, has received universal condemnation from all parts of civil society, and today, a group of students from the University of Belize took more direct action when they voiced their disapproval.
They staged a demonstration right outside the National Assembly Building at the height of the Senate meeting today. We asked them why they were doing it:
Carmencita Romero - English Lecturer, UB
"It was an initiative from the English classes not the entire UB. The English classes, students really wanted to do something when the case of baby Allyssa came up and because of the holiday it took long for us to get our license. We got it on Monday. It was a quick planning but we did muster a good crowd."
Reporter
"Are the objectives being achieved?"
Carmencita Romero - English Lecturer, UB
"Definitely, we did not expect so many people, given the short notice and we had lecturers and their classes joining and we had the guest speaker and had Pastor Stirm. So, I think it was good. It was a good turn out."
Reporter
"Now ma'am there is always this sense that young people aren't tuned in to important national issues."
Carmencita Romero - English Lecturer, UB
"I am very proud of my students and the students from the other classes took it on their own, do you see how hot the sun is? To come out here and they are very much following the cases."
Reporter
"How important is it for the students to come out here today? How important was it for them?"
Carmencita Romero - English Lecturer, UB
"Very important, ask them. It's very important for them to be here. They are here on their own. This is no political affiliation. We are here to speak about what is happening."
Reporter
"You chose a particular place today, in front of the National Assembly."
Carmencita Romero - English Lecturer, UB
"Of course, that's the best place, right? We are making a statement. We are bringing awareness. That's what we are doing. Peaceful march."
Kyna Cal - Student, UB
"This is my last year at UB. I am a part of faculty of education and arts. I'm going to be a secondary education teacher, so to me it means a lot to be here today along with all of us here. We are doing this for a reason, it's for the children who we are going to be educating in the longer run. We are all going to be a part of Belize and if we don't take a stand. Who else will?"
Reporter
"What was the initial reaction you had?"
Kyna Cal - Student, UB
"It was touching, I mean it think the entire nation felt touched by what happened. I think we have all been aware of this but it hasn't been so exposed as yet and now that baby Allyssa was sadly taken as whole awareness case, it's coming out even more often."
Email
Print