Yemeri Grove and Laguna Land Dispute Continues
The border dispute between the communities of Yemeri Grove and Laguna is arguably one of the most publicized land disputes in southern Belize. Following their press conference in Belize City on Thursday, leaders from Yemeri Grove invited the media to their village for a tour of some of the disputed areas. Today a News Five team travelled down to the village that is located just a few miles outside of Punta Gorda Town. There they found out more about the extent of the claims that both communities are making and why one family is being accused of land grabbing. News Five’s Paul Lopez has that report.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
This map from the Ministry of Natural Resources is central to the Yemeri Grove and Laguna boundary dispute. Yemeri Grove argues that all lands within the red boundary line belong to them. On the other hand, Laguna Village contends that their lands fall within the boundaries of the yellow line. What represents Laguna’s boundary line overlaps with what Yemeri Grove claims as its own.
Arden Edwards
Arden Edwards, Former Village Councilor
“This is the highway, this is down the highway, this is down Laguna Road. If you notice everything in yellow is where Laguna is claiming. Laguna is claiming the lands all the way up to the southern highway, very important for you to notice.”
Within these proposed boundary lines, there is an area of development that has been highly contentious. Those lands, marked out with orange lines on the map, run along the Laguna Road. Residents of both villages have had heated encounters in this area because of land clearings and ongoing construction.
Arden Edwards
“If you look there wasn’t this development here, all of this. The Google map has shown, all of this , no development, nothing at all. You watch 2018, nothing at all. You can’t hide from the fact, the truth is the truth. This won’t tell us lie. We aren’t drafting this, this is an official picture from Google earth. Yemeri Grove, Laguna Road. It is plain to be seen. 2021, see nothing.”
Now, there are several structures being built within the area. And, both villages recently agreed to place a temporary stop to all developments in the disputed area so as to decelerate the conflict. The Government of Belize has placed an interim demarcation in the area. But, what the Deputy Alcalde of the Laguna Village, Monica Coc, and the leaders of Yemeri Grove understand from the agreement conflicts.
Monica Coc-Magnusson
Monica Coc-Magnusson, Deputy Alcalde, Laguna
“The interim agreement was that we would preserve the status quo. What that means is that everything that is currently in place, is preserved. It is not distributed. The agreement went further to say that both parties agreed that there would be no new permanent development. That is it, that is as basic as it gets.”
Last week, a resident of Yemeri Grove captured this video of ongoing works on a structure within the interim demarcation, following the verbal agreement. The resident was irate that works were continuing in the area. But, Coc says they are misunderstanding the issue.
Monica Coc-Magnusson
“Like I said to you, you are preserving what is currently on the ground. That is what we mean when we say status quo.”
Reporter
“So it is not a stop order?”
Monica Coc-Magnusson
“A status quo is basically saying we are going to preserve what is currently there and we aren’t going to do anything new or further, so the houses that are there, that continues, that is a part of the status quo we are preserving.”
We trekked through the jungles to further investigate these boundary claims. After approximately ten to fifteen minutes on foot from the southern highway, across streams and through farm lands, we came upon this cleared path inside the jungle that stretched for acres.
Herald Usher
Herald Usher, Chairman, Yemeri Grove Village
“What I am saying is that this line we are standing in comes directly from behind the Coc resident and all of this land they are claiming, one person is claiming all of this land and I must say that it is not the Mayans from Laguna village, all of it is being claimed by one family.”
According to Herald Usher, the Chairman of Yemeri Grove, that family is Monica Coc and her husband. Usher explained that two decades ago, Coc’s father was provided with lands in Yemeri Grove Village. He asserts that Monica Coc has laid claim to additional lands behind her father’s property, which is now being considered as the property of Laguna Village.
Herald Usher
“It is very frustrating for me my brother. The truth is, why I am so passionate about it is that whenever you speak about our land, to hand over to these people from the MLA and the Maya people is that my navel string is planted here. This is all I know. This is where I grow up and all my life, I love to hunt. Once I am not working I am in the bush hunting.”
Monica Coc does not dispute owning these lands in the area. She explained that the cleared path marks the boundary of her property which she says has been in her family for generations. She further explained that the clearance also marks the boundary of lands that Laguna claim as its own.
Monica Coc-Magnusson
“As far as I am concerned there is no new clearing going on back there. That is my house, my land. I have been there, I grew up in Laguna, I was born in Laguna, these lands we use and occupy have been in my family for generations. In fact the land behind this area where you are standing right now is a part of my father’s milpa lands. My father use to have rice cultivation back there. I now live back there. The red line is the interim demarcation that was done by the government. It is a temporary demarcation and that is not the village boundary. The yellow line is the village boundary. That is very different. Where my house and milpa is not inside the red line, it is outside the red line.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.
