Hundreds of Chinese businesses across the country closed their doors and pulled down their shutters today to collectively mourn and stand in solidarity with the family of slain 14 year old Helen Yue, who was cremated today.
Yue was killed a week ago as she got caught in the crossfire of armed gunmen who had held up her father's store.
Spokesperson for the Belize Chinese Association, Peter Quan says the young student's murder was senseless and brings into sharp focus the plague of violence that Belizeans of every ethnic background must confront.
Peter Quan, Belize Chinese Association
"The closure of the stores today - the Belizean Chinese stores citywide is as a sign of respect and remembrance of Helen Yue, a 14 year old young Belizean Chinese who was murdered at her family's business last week."
Jim McFadzean
"Now is this done only in respect or is it also a silent form of protest against the violence in this city?"
Peter Quan, Belize Chinese Association
"At a time of a loss such as a person like this, we in the community feel obligated to at least gave her a decent burial as a sign of respect, remembrance and at the same time we want our Belizean community to cooperate with us in any way because I am sure there are many Belizean families who have lost loved ones to crime and violence whether it be gang related, drug related, muggings, robberies, domestic violence, there must be families out there, all of us who have shared in this loss."
Jim McFadzean
"Now was the closure only in the city or was it nationwide and what success rate do you give it?"
Peter Quan, Belize Chinese Association
"The Belize-Chinese Association releases a bulletin or a release to all our Chinese businesses as well as individuals to cooperate in this closure. In terms of the success rate that can be attested later on this evening and during the course of the day as the Belizean public will notice these and I must extend our apologies to the Belizean community of this closure but I am sure you all will understand the plight and the situation that we all face today."
Jim McFadzean
"And just finally, the father of this young high school student was able to attend her funeral today. How is he doing?"
Peter Quan, Belize Chinese Association
"Rightly so he did make every effort and thanks to the doctors at the KHMH he was release just in time to attend the funeral of his daughter. "
And while the Chinese community has sent a clear message with today's shutdown, on the streets, the word was, "message received!" Our team was out there today to see how the shutdown was affecting the daily routine of city dwellers, and we'll have that story later on.
