Recommendations to Curb Guatemalan Incursions in the South

Cristina Coc

On Thursday night you heard Cristina Coc of the Maya Leaders Alliance outline growing Guatemalan incursions and the impacts on the bordering Mayan communities.  On Wednesday, the Ministry of National Security John Saldivar, accompanied by Ambassador Alexis Rosado, went to the village of Dolores where they met with members of bordering communities that are experiencing the encroachments. During the visit, the MLA’s Cristina Coc presented findings but also outlined a number of recommendations for the Government of Belize, through the Ministry of National Security and the Belize Defense Force, to address the incursions and the pressures on the Belizean communities. Here are the main points the recommendations in the proposal.

Cristina Coc, Maya Leaders Alliance

“The Government of Belize should investigate in document current incursions from Dolores to San Vicente. The government should stop Guatemalan incursions in these villages. And the villagers are ready to open the border with the protection of the Belize Defense Force to stop these incursions immediately. The communities are also asking the Government of Belize to promote the customary Maya practice under its ranks. Under the theme of reporting, monitoring and policing the border, we offer the following: That the government establishes a joint mechanism for information sharing; that there are increased and sustained patrols from Dolores to San Vicente and not only when there is a conflict but throughout; that there is collaboration with the affected villages to ensure optimal investigation; that the government institute measures to protect the identity of the information source, particularly the community leaders; that there are mechanisms for efficient and effective support response from the BDF and the police to the village leaders; that there is continuous engagement with high level delegation and the affected Mayan communities during the increased incursions. Under the theme of recognizing the importance of collaboration with village leaders, we offer the following: Government of Belize must ensure the security of leaders in deterring incursions. We continue to emphasize this point because this is a point that kept coming up in the discussions. The communities are often targeted, the leaders in particular. The government of Belize should recognize and promote Maya customary practice on its long standing record of governing and managing the jurisdictions that they find themselves in; the BDF and police to engage with the village leaders. Four: rectifying the status of Guatemalans claiming Belizean citizenship: The village leaders offer that they will update the census of residents in each village and offer this to the State officials.”