Marigot: -- Several hundreds of men, women and children turned out to march against domestic violence and to pay tribute to the families of murder victims Nejumbia Fleming and her baby daughter Ronelia Fleming who was brutally murdered while sleeping in their home last Thursday morning.
Among the marchers were leader of government Sarah Wescot Williams, and Acting Lt. Governor Millicent De Weever as well as members of the Zero Tolerance Team of the St. Maarten Police Force. Elected officials such as senator Louis Constant Fleming, President of the Collectivity Frantz Gumbs, and council members Guillaume Arnell, Louis Mussington, Alain Richardson, and Daniel Arnell were also present in the gathering.
The marchers mainly women were dressed in white tee shirts gathered in front of Home & Tools in Bellevue. They marched carrying a candle while family members dressed in mauve tee shirts carried a frame photograph of the victims. The marchers marched silently through the streets of Rue de Hollande, then through Rue de la Republique then on to the market square. The first speaker and organizer Aline Choisy called on parents to take up their responsibilities in knowing where their children are and mostly in listening to them. Choisy said she is ashamed as a teacher by profession to see what is happening among the students she once taught in school. "When I see the youths selling drugs on the street corner and the girls dressing disrespectfully I get the feelings that I have failed as teacher". Choisy said. She called on young women to break the silence against domestic violence since this only leads to violent killings. "When a man hit you once, or twice the third time he kills you and you need to find someone to talk to and mostly to help you get out of the relationship. "Girls you need to also respect yourself if you are to be respected. Dress decently despite the fashion".
Mercedes Whyatt ( Electra) a friend of the victims were very emotional in her plea when asked the women who gathered at the Waterfront to do their part to make sure domestic violence is fully eradicated. Remembering the victims she said Nejumbia was a joyful young woman who took part in two shows, the Vagina Monologs and the Breast Cancer Awareness, the last activity Nejumbia participated in before she was brutally murdered.
Leader of government Sarah Wescott Williams said many of the people who were gathered there have fought and are fighting and would continue to fight many battles, but no one she said can imagine the battle, torment and pain the families of the victims are going through.
The island leader said even if one can imagine their pain no one would want to go through what the Fleming family is going through now. "As mother, and grandmother I think sanity would leave me if I am faced with what the families of Nejumbia and Ronelia is faced with." Wescot Williams said.
The island leader said that the time has come for the people of this island to rise up and speak out against this kind of injustice especially this type of senseless killing and violence. She said everyone that is snatched away at an early age is a loss for the island. Wescot Williams said that the people has to now reflect and ask themselves in what type of community they are living when something like what happened to Nejumbia and her baby can take place. "We cannot only break the silence, but the time has come for us to stop this violence. If we don't come together to break this cycle we will be gathering somewhere every week because a mother would be mourning the loss of son or daughter. We need to continue in this same strength and change our hearts and rise up. Wescot Williams said often time when people leave these gatherings and go back to business as usual the very next day, but she cautioned that this is not business as usual instead you need to stand up, declare that which is unacceptable to families and the community in general before good can be declared.
She reminded that the gale does not stop at the border and when one side of the island is hurting the other side feels the pain.
The grandmother and great grandmother of the victims Millicent Fleming said her love ones was snatched away by a heartless group of people but she can stand tall because she knows her redeemer lives. She asked the youngsters not to turn to violence but leave the justice system prevails for her loved ones.
In a passionate plea the sister of the victims Mellissa, said her sister life was not taken in vain. She said women should start loving themselves and stop the destruction of allowing violence to continue. Mellissa in tears asked the women to stop the silence. The cousin of the victims Shawn asked parents to reach out to their children and find out what's happening in their lives. He said that his father left him at a young age and even though his grandmother is displeased with the youths he made her know who his friends are. He said that many parents do not know what their children are doing and when confronted with the situation they are in denial. He said there are many parents who are pointing fingers at other people's children when in fact they don't know what their own children are doing on the streets.
