At the top of our newscast tonight, we told you about the murder of 33-year-old Lemar Young, which happened in the Belize City neighborhood of Mesopotamia.
Young is the 4th victim in less than a week who has been gunned down and killed in that constituency, and Shyne Barrow, the UDP area rep., is outraged at the Government's silence on this emergency situation.
Barrow contrasts that current silence to a public statement, which the Government made yesterday on the latest flare-up in tensions between the Palestinians and Israel in East Jerusalem.
Speaking on the latest dispute, the government of Belize said, quote, "Belize is deeply concerned about the serious escalation of tensions in East Jerusalem which have been building over the few days. Belize unequivocally condemns the violent confrontations and attacks against civilians at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound. Belize urges Israel to refrain from advancing its provocative plan to forcibly evict Palestinians from their homes in East Jerusalem, which would be a flagrant violation of international and human rights law. Belize further calls on Israel to respect the fundamental human rights of Palestinians and to affirm its respect for the status quo in East Jerusalem and at the holy sites in order to de-escalate tensions. Belize reiterates its support for the Palestinian people and their right to establish an independent state based on the 1967 borders." End quote.
This afternoon, Shyne granted us an interview in his constituency to ask the Briceno government about their corresponding outrage for the bloodshed occurring at home. Here are his comments:
Hon. Moses "Shyne" Barrow - UDP Area Rep., Mesopotamia
"As a concerned Area Representative, there's a war happening in my constituency. A young child, 17-year-old Gerald Tillett Jr., was gunned down on Bhagdad [Street], and then two days later, right here, where I usually come out and play dominoes on the weekend, Mr. Raymond Garcia and Mr. Wayne Peteau were executed while playing dominoes. That is a crisis. That is an emergency, but, don't stop there. Last night, Mr. Tyrone Young was gunned down on Armadillo Street, which again, is in Mesopotamia."
"This is cause for great alarm. So, when I see the Government of Belize putting out a press release about something that is happening on the Continent of Africa, and I don't hear anything from the Minister of Police, anything from the Minister of Youth, anything from the Prime Minister about 4 murders that just took place in the span of 5 days, what does that say? What does that say to the nation? When the current Minister of Police was in opposition, he had a lot say about murders, in particular, when the tourist was gunned down in San Pedro, and there was all the alarm in the country, he said, 'listen, all Belizean lives matter. All murders matter. Why are you worried about what is happening in San Pedro, we need to worry about what's happening to our own Belizeans.' So, why are we worried about what is happening on the continent of Africa, in the Middleast, between two people who have been feuding forever, when we have our own feuds that we need to settle here. The same Minister of Police, a year later, March, said that he offers an olive branch to the then government, to work together for a national plan. Well, I offer that same olive branch now. He said that he was willing to work with anyone in a bi-partisan fashion."
"The Minister of Police, when he was in Opposition - because again, I hope I don't end up like him, where I have the answers here in Opposition, and when I get into government, I am silent and inactive. But, the Minister of Police made an excellent point when he was in Opposition, he said that this crime, this murder, is just a symptom, and the real issue is poverty."
We challenged Shyne on those views, given that the Palestinian/Israeli territorial dispute shares a few similarities to the territorial dispute between Belize and Guatemala. We also asked him about that period in his past in which he was a practicing, orthodox Jew. Here's that back and forth:
Reporter
"What about those Belizeans who have maybe a more international perspective, who could say that you're mixing up the ham and the hammer, given that what we're dealing with is a domestic issue, and what the government was speaking on is a policy matter in which Belize and Guatemala are going through a similar issue to the Israeli/Palestinian matter?"
Hon. Moses "Shyne" Barrow - UDP Area Rep., Mesopotamia
"I'll answer the question the same way that the then Minister of Police answered it, he said, 'Okay, yes, we understand what we're doing in San Pedro. Okay, I understand whatever international concerns are there, but what's happening here should be of equal concern or even more concern."
"Fine and dandy that we want to be good global citizens and give our opinion on what is happening on another continent, but let's give our opinion on what happening now. The Minister of Police should be here saying that we will not tolerate this continuation of violence. Yes, it happened under previous administrations, but it stops now. Where is that?"
Reporter
"Sir, what are your views on that issue, given that in your past, before you became a successful Belizean, you used and worship with customary, traditional Jews?"
Hon. Moses "Shyne" Barrow - UDP Area Rep., Mesopotamia
"Fine, but I am willing to say that I condemn a human rights violation anywhere in the world. But honestly, my concern is not what is happening on the continent of Africa, between the Israelis and the Arabs. I do believe there should be an Arab State, as well as a Jewish state. I believe the Arabs have a right to self-determination in that land, but that has been happening for the last hundred years. So, My concern is not that. My concern is what is happening right now. This is urgent. This is here. We can do something about it. We can't do anything about that, except offering an opinion. So, my concern, my outrage was not that an opinion was offered about that. But, it is the silence on the massacre and bloodshed that is taking place in Mesopotamia."
As you heard, Barrow is calling for a bipartisan effort to address crime on the national level.
