T.C.G.A. opposes communal land rights suit
The issue of communal land rights for the Mayas is back on the radar. The Toledo Cacao Growers Association yesterday sent a stinging press release, distancing itself from the Mayan Leaders Alliance and the Toledo Alcades Association. Today they followed up with two releases signed by heads of households on behalf of over four hundred villagers from San Jose and San Pedro Columbia claiming that the Mayan Leaders Alliance were representing them in a lawsuit without their consent. The letter dated February sixteenth to the Attorney General requested the government to “do all in its power to refrain from granting communal land ownership to Maya Villages in the Toledo District.” Back in 2007, the Mayan Leaders Alliance and the Toledo Alcalde Association won a judgment in which communal land rights were granted to the villages of Conejo and Santa Cruz. The M.L.A. and T.A.A. hoped to have that judgment applied to the thirty-six other villages. And while the Mayan Leader’s Alliance claims that villagers were consulted through the Alcalde Association, Armando Choco says that his village and his association were not consulted. Choco is also the manager of the Toledo Cacao Growers Association says his membership prefers to obtain individual land titles rather than communal title.
Armando Choco, Manager, Toledo Cacao Growers Association
“I’m from San Pedro Columbia.”
Jose Sanchez
“So you are saying you’re village was not consulted?”
Armando Choco
“My village was not consulted. The Mayan Leaders Alliance were using the Alcalde Association to represent the Alcaldes of the communities. And the alcaldes represent the communities but the alcaldes did not consult the villagers or the members of a particular community of this issue before even going and signing the document.”
Jose Sanchez
“The issue you are referring to in hand is communal land?”
Armando Choco
“Yes.”
Jose Sanchez
“So why wouldn’t you want communal land?”
Armando Choco
“There are several implications that it could bring. At the moment farmers are not seeing the positive impact communal land would bring. For farmers it would mean they would have to go back and live the lifestyle of our ancestors, forty to fifty years or even more years ago. And at the moment farmers are not ready to sacrifice that. They have struggled all their way for better living and as a result it’s important for them to have some sort of documentation for their land. And the best system for them is through the government system, obtaining a document whether lease or title for their land.”
Jose Sanchez
“Historically, Mayas have not been getting land titles. Don’t you not think you should look at another option?”
Armando Choco
“Well, there is no other option when you look at the rise in changes and the modernization of a lot of agricultural commodities. Cacao, for example, is one way how we can definitely encourage farmers to do subsistence farming. So right now we are practicing some democracy amongst our people which is a very good move, a huge step in order for us to have great representation.”
Jose Sanchez
“How strong is your group?”
Armando Choco
“For the cacao growers association we represent a thousand, seventy cacao farmers. And that boils down to approximately seven thousand in a household or persons including wives.”
Jose Sanchez
“Do you plan to bring your own suit?”
Armando Choco
“No we don’t really… well at the moment no.”
The rift in the Mayan community comes at a critical juncture for the communal land case. The lawsuit would have been heard tomorrow but the government has requested an adjournment of the trial until a later date. In response, the Maya Leaders Alliance of Southern Belize will be holding a press conference tomorrow at the Radisson Fort George Hotel where hundreds of Mayans from the south are expected to travel to Belize City in order to attend.
