Petrina Francis, Staff Reporter
Students of St. George's girls, primary and infant schools lend their support to a demonstration outside the school recently. - File
WITH AT least seven children killed in one week, some children are growing increasingly intolerant of crimes that are being perpetrated against them and are urging the Government to move swiftly to address their plight.
Fifteen-year-old Jordano Flemming was stabbed to death while he was on his way from a church social a week ago. Hours before that incident, 17-year-old Romane Brissett of Race Course Westmoreland was stabbed to death by a 12-year-old boy.
In that same week, six-year-old Levanna Gordon was shot dead while travelling in her father's motor car. Her murder occurred just days after Lloyd Marshall McCool, three; Sean Chin, nine; Jesse O'Gilvie, nine; and Jihad McCool, six, were massacred in St. Thomas.
"We are tired of it now, and I believe that Jamaica needs to take a stance. Crime is rampant in our society and too many children are being murdered by the very people who are supposed to protect them," said Francois Douglas, student at Wolmer's High School for Boys.
Leethan Grandison, public relations officer for the National Secondary Students' Council (NSSC), echoed similar sentiments.
GRIPPED BY FEAR
"We are frightened, perplexed and paralysed by fear. We feel vulnerable and insecure because of the imminent and present danger,"
Francois told The Sunday Gleaner that the students at his school are very concerned and some are considering migrating to pursue their tertiary studies elsewhere because they feel unsafe.
Police statistics indicate that 105 children were killed last year.
"My schoolmates are very fear stricken because of the number of children who have been murdered recently," said Jermaine Allen, head boy of Glenmuir High School,".
"The children are the future of Jamaica and if you continue to murder us, Jamaica will have no future," he lamented.
"It's fully time that we hear the cries of our children ... rather we should not be allowed to cry no more," said Leethan.
Article six of the Convention on the Rights of the Child to which Jamaica is a signatory states that, "Every child has the inherent right to life and (2) States parties shall ensure to the maximum extent possible the survival and development of the child.
But Leethan said not enough is being done to ensure the safety of children. "We charge the leaders of this country to enact legislation that will discourage such atrocities," he said.
Dr. Pauline Mullings, chairman of the National Child Month Committee said when children are murdered it affects other children terribly.
"It is a traumatic experience for these children. It makes them fearful for their lives," she said.
Dr. Mullings, who is also a counsellor, told The Sunday Gleaner recently that children with whom she has spoken are fearful to go out because they believe that they will be the next victim.
"They are latching on to adults; they no longer want to go out," she lamented.
But Dr. Mullings said this kind of situation is unhealthy for children. She noted that children should not be fully dependent on adults, but the current situation that exists in the country has become difficult for them to be independent.
"It's crazy! We need to teach the nation how valuable our children are. We can't afford for Jamaica to be a place where nobody is here when our eyes are closed. We've got to save our children", an emotional Dr. Mullings said.
Shortly after the brutal murder of the children, several persons, including Dr. St. Aubyn Bartlett, Member of Parliament for Eastern St. Andrew called for the resumption of capital punishment.
Dr. Mullings and the public relations officer for the NSSC agree that capital punishment should resume.
