For all of its history in Belize, the Mennonite Community of Shipyard in the Orange Walk District has remained closed to outsiders.
But what happens when members of the community are suddenly not welcomed? Well, according to a group of Mennonites who were excommunicated, those persons become silent victims of sustained marginalization and discrimination, which sometimes escalated to violence. They say that the cases go unreported because there is a degree of public shame associate with excommunication, and those victims would rather suffer in silence.
Well, that tactic didn't happen on last week Thursday when a family became the targets of the mischievous mob from Shipyard - their former brethren. According to the allegation, the mob assaulted them with machetes, which caused a member of the family to pull his licensed weapon to scare them off. The men allegedly chopped one from the family in the head, but instead of that assailant receiving criminal charges, the man who used his shotgun to scare the mob off was charged with aggravated assault.
That caused a group from the community to become outraged, and they did an unprecedented thing; they took their complaint to the media. Tonight, we'll show you a startling look into the culture at Shipyard, starting with the man who was chopped by a member of the mob. Here's how he explained it:
David Friezen - Excommunicated Community Member (translated)
"They started to throw stones and sticks and they are trying to chase them away when they started to pull machetes. They cut him on his forehead and they held a machete to his throat and they told him that they were going to kill him. He said he was really afraid because he thought they were going to kill him. Then his mom came to meet him to try to protect him and they ran after his mom with the machetes. After this his dad came out and saw what was happening, so he took his license gun and he shoots into the air for them to go away."
Pete Penner
"Their religion says that you are not supposed to take part in their life. Those are lost sheep and you are not supposed to sell with them, do any kind of business, not associate with them in any way shape or form. But now they are being set free, they are free to do whatever they want. They can go listen to music, they can drive vehicles - but if they do it still pisses them off and they will come and retaliate against them."
Community member
"My problem is that I was excommunicated just because my son started to study the bible. That is something that is against the community, so the priest would tell what you have to do. You could read the bible, but don't try to study it or try to share it with your neighbor."
Mike Rudon, reporter Ch 5
"Because they did that your whole family was excommunicated?"
Community member
(Nodding)
Mike Rudon, reporter Ch 5
"What does it mean to be excommunicated? Do they come and tell you? How does it work?"
Community member
"I am not ready to do this."
Pete Penner
"What really happens is once you get labeled as a black sheep, you are excommunicated; you can't buy or sell in the community. You will be shunned until you come and repent and ask the elders for forgiveness. Once you are excommunicated you are free to do whatever you want and from my understanding they had music and they like to party and these people that are selling the religion they would come to their houses and steal their music equipment and that's where the violence begins."
Mike Rudon, reporter Ch 5
"Is this something that has happened before in the community?"
Pete Penner
"What has happened as far back as I can remember. This is everything they have; their house, their property - where else are they going to go. You've been brought up since a child…you look at this baby and they're taught every day that outsiders are all going to hell…those are worldly people. We are the only righteous people. And if you leave, you're basically being condemned…you're going to hell for eternity."
Henry Heathercope - Pastor, Evangelical Church of Excommunicated Members
"In terms of the division within the community we do see a lot of fighting certain times of the year particularly we would see it on extended holidays. The Mennonite community here has extended holidays at Easter time, on Pentecost, on Christmas time and generally by the time the holidays wind down then there is outbreak of violence and often times it is instigated by the fathers in the community and when things get out of hand then there are generally a few people that are picked on as the bad guys and the people that are liked are supported and everything gets kind of covered up."
Pete Penner
"We have a constitutional right for our beliefs, but we don't have a constitutional right to mistreat anybody."
Franz Petkau was charged aggravated assault, Discharging a Firearm in Public, and possession of a firearm whilst under the influence on Thursday for pulling his weapon Heinrich Petkau.
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