M.F.A. Warns B.T.V. to Keep Away from the Sarstoon
Almost exactly one year ago, thirty-seven Belizeans maneuvering the Sarstoon were detained by Guatemalan military, taken under tow and escorted to Livingston. In fact, this Saturday will be the anniversary of that ill-fated trip organized by the Belize Territorial Volunteers and Northern Territorial Volunteers. The B.T.V. believes that there’s no better way to mark the occasion than to do it all again – at least the part where the group makes its way to the border marker at Gracias a Dios. But the Ministry of Foreign Affairs thinks that’s a very bad idea – so bad that today a public advisory was issued, stating “Upon learning of reports of a planned excursion by the Belize Territorial Volunteers on the Sarstoon River, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses its grave concern about the inherent danger in the course of such activity.” Warned off by the Ministry, Maheia released his own video advisory today.
Wil Maheia, Head, Belize Territorial Volunteers
“I just want to say that I am so disappointed that the C.E.O. in Ministry of Foreign Affairs had called discouraging us form going to Sarstoon. Now I don’t see why he is going to discourage us from going to Sarstoon. But he said that the Guatemalan Military had sent them, the Government of Belize, warning them not to let us, we Belizean go o the Sarstoon River. And our government has succumb, has given in to Guatemala because they are discouraging us form going to the Sarstoon this weekend which will mark one year since Belizeans were detained by Guatemalans and now they are telling us that we as Belizeans cannot go on the Sarstoon River. I find it disappointing that our government has not protested to the international community or called for assistance. The other day CARICOM was here they should have gotten a pledge form all the CARICOM nations, chastising Guatemala for bullying Belize. I just think that we have week leaders in this nation and the Belizean people, you have got ot get up and rise up so that we are not bullied by Guatemala because that is what is happening.”
There’s no word from Maheia on whether he plans to cancel the trip, but from past experience we’d say that the plans to go to the Sarstoon are still very much in effect.
