First two massacre children buried

18 December 2012 - 02:00 By Reuters
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MEMORIAL: Twenty-seven wooden angels in a wooded area near the Sandy Hook Elementary School in commemoration of the victims of the massacre in Newtown, Connecticut, on Friday. The first funerals, of two six-year-old boys, were held yesterday
MEMORIAL: Twenty-seven wooden angels in a wooded area near the Sandy Hook Elementary School in commemoration of the victims of the massacre in Newtown, Connecticut, on Friday. The first funerals, of two six-year-old boys, were held yesterday

THE small Connecticut town shattered by an act President Barack Obama has called "unconscionable evil" yesterday held the first two of 20 funerals for schoolchildren massacred last week.

Schools across the US reopened their doors to confused and scared children full of questions about why the Newtown, Connecticut, shooting happened - and whether they are safe from the same danger.

Obama, at an inter-faith vigil in Newtown on Sunday night, spoke forcefully about his country's failure to protect its children and demanded changes in response to the mass shootings of the past few months.

"We can't tolerate this any more. These tragedies must end. And to end them, we must change," he said, adding that he would bring together law enforcement, teachers, mental health professionals and others to work out how to stop the violence.

Noah Pozner and Jack Pinto, both six, were buried yesterday .

Noah was described as mature for his age and "inquisitive". The family's rabbi said he had encouraged Noah's mother to focus on her other four children.

Jack was a wrestler who loved sports.

All the dead children were aged six or seven .

The principal of Sandy Hook Elementary School, the school psychologist and four teachers were also gunned down.

"We bear responsibility for every child . This is our first task, caring for our children. If we don't get that right, we don't get anything right," Obama said.

As other families prepare for funerals, schools across the US will attempt to return to business as usual, though there will be signs everywhere of how unusual the situation has become. Some schools will begin their day with a moment of silence. On Twitter, young people have urged their classmates to wear green and white, the colours of Sandy Hook .

But in Newtown, schools did not reopen yesterday. The district has said teachers need time to prepare for pupils' return.

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