Julian Cho honored by Audubon Society
His untimely death in December shocked the nation. Last night the Belize Audubon Society posthumously honored Mayan activist Julian Cho with its most prestigious prize. The James A. Waight Award, named after one of the society’s founding members, is given annually to the person who makes the greatest contribution to conservation and the defense of Belize’s environment. Accepting the award in a ceremony held at the Radisson was Julian’s widow Maggie. As part of the program Channel Five presented a collection of Cho’s television appearances… and we think they’re worth sharing.
December 2nd, 1995 – Punta Gorda
Julian Cho
“Indigenous people have been very passive; we have always been taken for granted that we should sit down and we should not voice our opinions. It is like a milestone. I’m not glad that it is happening but I’m glad that after all we are one people and we are going to speak as one people.
This is not a political demonstration; by no means it’s not a political demonstration. However, if I can predict there is one thing that would happen if nothing is done about this. I think the people will get into the political arena if nothing is done about this Malaysian company.”
December 18, 1995 – Belmopan
Julian Cho
“You are saying that the Colombia Forest Reserve is not unique therefore you’re willing to log 24,000 acres. We are telling them that it is unique for us and apart from its uniqueness, it is of special spiritual significance to us. And I tell them that we have been to the mountain in Belmopan but we are asking them now since we have been to the mountain, let the mountain come to us now. We are not coming back to Belmopan to meet with the Prime Minister. We are not coming back to Belmopan to meet with Minister Dito Juan if they do not want to continue dialogue with us. We are fighting for the dignity of our people. We have been taken for granted too many times and enough is enough for us.”
January 31, 1996 – National Television
Julian Cho
“All these big international agencies come… Have you ever…? None of the money actually gets to the grassroots organizations, to the Mayan people. All of the money that is channeled through these agencies are wasted in the bureaucracy of the government.”
Q: “You all can say that?”
Julian Cho
“We can say that and yet the government would turn around and say where is the development? We have spent $50,000,000 on the Maya people; they are the priciest people in the country; no other ethnic group has ever been in such an advantageous position. What happen? Can you prove to us that you guys have been working? And I think that is an insult to the pride of the Maya people.”
April 11, 1996 – International Airport
Julian Cho
“The number one plan that we have is to begin a mapping process of all Maya inhabited areas in the Toledo District. This would be to find out where the Mayas live. We have done this with consultation of the people and Mr. Ch’oc can tell you that we have contacted the 34 villages. We are going to begin the mapping process and it will take some time and we are looking forward to getting cooperation from the government but even without the government cooperating with us that we will be able to get come technical assistance abroad to do the logging process.
The logging is a soar point and it is one of the issues that we are dealing with. We would like the Malaysian Logging Company, the Atlantic Industries Limited to stop pushing roads into the Colombia Forest Reserve; we would want that stopped immediately. We would want the logging behind Santa Anna to stop immediately and we would want to have dialogue with our government as to how we can resolve this issue.
I want to tell the government that we can go abroad and we can lobby and we have a lot of friends abroad and that if they don’t listen to us then it will get rough in Toledo.”
May 29, 1996 – Belize City
Julian Cho
“The Colombia Forest Reserve is a unique area. I would suggest that it be turned into a Maya National Park whereby the entire country may gain from it economically in terms of tourism, whereby the Maya would have access to the natural products for their houses, for herbs. Whereby the Mayas would get directly involved with promoting tourism, building trails continue,… just use the forest but not to exploit the forest.”
October 15, 1997 – Belmopan
Julian Cho
“For me it means unity; for example the pens that wrote the atlas is the hands of 34 different leaders in the Maya villages.
In December of 1995 we descended in Punta Gorda to tell the government that we were not happy with the concessions that were given out on Maya lands. Since that time no concession has ever been revoked, in fact since that demonstration more concessions have been given. What have we learned then since 1995? For one we have learned how to organize. Gradually we are becoming an entity which would be forceful in any respect of the word: politically, socially, culturally. We are united. We are united. We are united. We are united.”
Two forensic examinations have concluded that Cho’s death was the result of a fall from the roof or staircase of his house. His family is still not entirely convinced that the fall was accidental. No evidence of foul play, however, has yet been discovered.
