Did BTV Intentionally Incite the GAF? BTV Says Not So!
The Belize Territorial Volunteers claim that twice on the weekend, they had a face-off with the Guatemalan Armed Force on the Sarstoon River. Today, a press conference was held to denounce the GAF’s actions and to call on the government to take note and report the matter to the Organization of the American States. On Friday, the group was preparing for the annual eco challenge on the Sarstoon and on Saturday, paddlers returned to the area for the competition. The B.T.V. also claims that they were not supported by the Belize Defense Force. But that is their side of the story because the Ministry of National Security says that Wil Maheia and his group never requested the B.D.F.’s escort, as is the protocol. In a release issued today, the ministry says that on Friday a vessel with five men and two women, including Maheia, passed near the forward operating base and didn’t stop. According to the release, “Checking in at the F.O.B. is required of Belizeans, not in deference to the GAF, but to afford the F.O.B. forewarning to organize properly and to adequately account for the safety of those onboard.” At today’s press conference, the B.T.V. and partners discussed the matter and Maheia responded to the Ministry’s release. Andrea Polanco tells us more:
Wil Maheia, Founder, Belize Territorial Volunteers
“Do you know that this area is for Belize?”
Personnel, Guatemalan Armed Forces
“It is not for Belize. There are some international protocols that you must respect. Those protocols established that this area is not for civilians to navigate.”
Wil Maheia
“Really? Who said so?”
Andrea Polanco, Reporting
That exchanged happened on Friday, September fourteenth, when the Belize Territorial Volunteers were on the Sarstoon River scouting a route for the Sarstoon Island Eco Challenge that would be held the following day, Saturday. But during the trip, the Volunteers were encountered by the Guatemalan Armed Forces who asked the BTV to move out from the area. This encounter would set the stage for another incident that happened on Saturday, September fifteenth, during the staging of the Eco Challenge. Here’s a part of that exchange.
Wil Maheia
Wil Maheia
“The guys are endangering our lives out here. Three Guatemalan gun boats. We have our Coast Guard clearly out-manned. These Guatemalans are violating our sovereignty. They are violating our human rights to move around freely in our country. The Guatemalans came over and tried their very best to stop our boat and when they saw that we didn’t let them stop our boat, they called for reinforcement.”
And so today, the BTV and partners condemned what they call an act of aggression in the Sarstoon. They say that the Guatemalan Armed Forces repeatedly tried to stop them from going around the island. They are now calling on GOB to make a formal complaint about this incident.
Bobby Lopez
Bobby Lopez, Belize Peace Movement
“We join the BTV on calling in our Government to immediately send and notify Guatemala and the O.A.S. of this incident, which violates the confidence building measures. But we further call on our Government – this is an act of aggression by the military of Guatemala. And this is an incident that needs to go to the Security Council of the United Nations. And so, we call on our Government. Please.”
And to compound matters, according to the BTV, there were two B.D.F. vessels and a Coast Guard boat present – but that the B.D.F. just looked on while they were aggressed – and while the Coast Guard attempted to assert its presence, in the end the BTVs were left on their own. But did this incident happen because the B.T.V failed to follow protocol when operating within the Sarstoon? According to a release from the Ministry of National Security, all Belizeans who go to the Sarstoon are to make a request at the Forward Operating Base for B.D.F. to escort them – it is standard practice that, according to the ministry, the BTV failed to do so. And the reason why the BDF didn’t intervene was to avoid armed conflict. But Maheia says that is simply not true – he claims they notified the B.D.F. not once but twice prior to Saturday’s race.
Wil Maheia
“We did inform them the day before. You are having a race. It is impossible to inform while our race is going, to stop the race to inform the military. But the day before we made a special trip down there and informed that we would be having the race tomorrow. The Saturday before that we informed the B.D.F. and the Coast Guard in the village of Barranco that there will be a race the next Saturday, which would have been the fifteenth. So, completely false what he has put out. They were informed. Secondly, he can’t say they would not want to get involved because the situation was pressurized because the Coast Guard did show some guts and was with us for a little while. So, they did get involved. The Coast Guard was there. The Coast Guard, I think, just couldn’t stand to see the GAF harassing us and so they did try and show some support. Unfortunately, they were out boat, out gunned and out manned, while two BDF boats sat at the dock. If those two B.D.F. boat had come along with the Coast Guard, of course the GAF would have had to back down.”
And the BTV maintains that movement shouldn’t be restricted in any part of Belize, including the Sarstoon.
Giovanni De la Fuente
Giovanni De la Fuente, Northern Territorial Volunteers
“The freedom of movement in the country of Belize doesn’t require any notification, until and unless the Government of Belize declares a statutory instrument which will declare an area as a special area and they will restrict our movement. There is no restriction of movement of Belizeans in the Sarstoon up to today’s date.”
Reporting for News Five, I’m Andrea Polanco.
The release from the Ministry of National Security also points out that the actions of the GAF to prevent Belizeans from going around the island are not only illegal but contravention of international law. And so that is why the Ministry had requested locals to check in with the B.D.F. before proceeding up the river. The release adds, “In the past, the B.D.F. has escorted Mr. Maheia along the river upon his request, and his trips have gone without incident. This recent incident, therefore, questions the true intentions and motives of Mr. Maheia.”
