Gun Amnesties have been tried several times in the recent past in an effort to reduce crime. However, judging by the number of gun killing and armed assaults, it seems to have had had little impact on the illicit movement of arms and the crime rate. And as the country grapples with the current wave of violence, Belizeans are more and more willing to place their faith elsewhere, and what better place than the church? The Belize Association of Evangelical Churches, headed by Pastor Eugene Crawford, is organizing a two day gun amnesty program which it believes through divine intervention, will have significantly better results than the government's past efforts.
Pastor Eugene Crawford, Belize Association of Evangelical Churches
"The difference really is the fact that the church is now involved with it and we believe this is a direct act of God. We believe that there will be sovereign move of God in the comprehensive plan in the ridding Belize of some of the social ills that she is facing at this time."
Jim McFadzean
"Now I note with interest that there is no cash being offered for this type of amnesty. Why is that?
Pastor Eugene Crawford
"A part of it is appeal to the consciences of those who are using guns. We do not believe really in guns for cash. We do realize that there are many social needs that need to be addressed and therefore anyone who comes in with guns will be certainly given a good package, a part of what the church has been doing all this time in meeting the needs of the community."
Jim McFadzean
"What's the church's appeal to these people with illegal weapons and ammunitions for them to turn it in? What would be the motivation for them to turn the weapons and ammunitions into your possession?"
Pastor Eugene Crawford
"I think every Belizean wants to see this country prosper. The motivation would then be a direct appeal to them that Belize can once again be a good place. The word of God says that righteousness exalts a nation and sin is reproach to any people. We need to see that we have moved away from the principles of the scripture from God and that needs to be restored before we can see an entire new playing field being brought forward. And the church again I say is ready to take up our part. I think that the church as to now step forward and make herself more available to all the other stakeholders, NGOs and Central Government that we are able and are ready and prepared to be a part in the restoration of our country, Belize."
Jim McFadzean
"Is the church offering only depository for these guns? or are you offering a little bit more than what the other amnesty efforts have offered in the past?"
Pastor Eugene Crawford
"We don't see our gun amnesty as a sort of just band-aid effect, we see it as part of a comprehensive plan which the association will be prepared to unfold in a couple of months. It is ongoing day-by-day but yes as a big project. We don't want these things just to be an event. We would want them to be something that is sustainable. We want to get to the place where we can get the business, the Christian community and business associations together to offer some life skills training and to offer some jobs. This is a rich country and if we use our resources well we can meet the guys out there in the streets and they can be happy and they can live also."
There will be three depository centers set up to receive the guns and ammunition on Thursday May 27th and Friday, May 28th. The Central Assembly Church on Freetown Road, the Conscious Youth Development Program on North Front Street, and Youth for the Future located at the Bel China Bridge.
The Association of Churches is also organizing two prayer marches on the two preceding days of the Amnesty to highlight the importance of the program. The marches will leave the Constitution Park at 6 A.M. and 6 P.M. on Tuesday and Wednesday, and will primarily target the hot zone areas of Belize City.
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