Guatemala is Claiming ‘The Whole Sarstoon’

During the forum today, Ambassador Assad Shoman explained what steps will be followed if a YES vote is secured on April tenth. According to Shoman, Belize will exercise its rights to ask the ICJ to implement provisional measures such as issuing a stop order to Guatemala from aggressing Belizeans who traverse the Sarstoon.

Assad Shoman, Citizens for the Defence of Sovereignty

“One provisional measure that we are sure to win is to ask the court to tell Guatemala to stop violating the Sarstoon river treaty. The 1859 states clearly where the border is at the Sarstoon. Guatemala has been recognizing has been recognizing it for one hundred and fifty years. It is just recently that it has started to not just use its arm forces to challenge us but also to make statements and send notes to our Foreign Ministry saying that they claim the whole Sarstoon. Therefore it is a state doing something that it should not do because it goes against everything that has been done over these years and against the treaty. The court will find no difficulty in issuing in effect a stop order against Guatemala in the Sarstoon. So shortly after, if we vote yes, that will happen. The foolishness at the Sarstoon will stop.”

Audrey Matura, Attorney

“I want to know is there a document that already outlines these provisions or what you said in terms of how we are being dealt in the Sarstoon  is one of the provisions you would suggest is placed in a document?”

Assad Shoman

“If there were such a document I will not tell you about it. Because if I tell you about it, I am telling Guatemala about it. This is a public forum. If fact I am sure Guatemala has someone here listening to this. You as a lawyer, would you give all your documents to the other sides before going to court? I doubt it.”

Audrey Matura

“I disagree. Two things, if there is such a provision we have the right to know what provisions will be place so that we vote yes, we know that our government already has a plan A as to what are the list of provisions we want. And to your questions, that Guatemala has their people here? You are damn right. We registered them and made them Belizeans.”