The Indigenous Community Stands In solidarity with Cane Farmers

While the plight of the cane farmers takes center stage in the north, the south has spoken up. Several members of Belize’s indigenous community have joined together to release a statement declaring their stance of solidarity with the B.S.C.F.A. This included the Toledo Alcaldes Association and its partners at the Maya Leaders Alliance and Julian Cho Society. In a joint statement released today, the associations condemned the Government of Belize for its failure to resolve this dispute and for allowing it to have occurred at all;  stating, “every day we see this wealth consolidated in the hands of a very few. We see the economic opportunities encouraged by our governments to these very few”. The associations stated that the plight of the cane farmers resonates with that of the indigenous community, as they recall their own struggles with land ownership. According to them, the government, “promised that it would respect the rights of the Maya people of the south and work with our leaders to implement the CCJ Consent Order” while campaigning as the opposition. However, they claim that the government is now proposing a Maya land tenure policy that they say would result in the division of their leaders. The associations asserted their desire to defend their dignity, families, and children whom they feel are being threatened.