TAA Demands Meeting with G.O.B. Representatives to No Avail

Cristina Coc

Meanwhile, back in Santa Elena, as many as thirty-nine indigenous communities were represented at the gathering organized by the Toledo Alcaldes Association and the Maya Leaders Alliance.  During that meeting, there was a call for government officials to visit that location and discuss the draft land policy with those in attendance.  While that did not happen, spokesperson Cristina Coc spoke with us about their experience with the Free Prior and Informed Consent Protocol.

Cristina Coc, Spokesperson, MLA/TAA

“Every village is here today, including members of villages where their leaders have abandoned them and we are calling on the government.  We know that they are in PG right now.  We know they are pushing through with their consultation.  I don‘t know who they are talking to but clearly the people are out here and they are waiting for the Government of Belize to come and explain to them what is the rationale for limiting our rights and to hear resoundingly the unanimous stance of our people and a lot of times I am accused of being the only one.  I am accused of being the lone voice in the desert.  My people are here, we have shown ourselves and we want, we demand this government to come and face us now.  Explain to us why do you feel that you can just walk away with our lands. We are not gonna stand for it, our people are here and we are demanding that the government comes.  Come to meet with us.  There is nothing to fear here, if you can defend that policy, come and defend it to us now.  We are waiting for you and we are not going to leave until Mr. Andrew Marshalleck shows up here, until CEO Marconi Leal shows up here, until Samantha Matute, the Solicitor General, shows up here.  We are demanding their presence here among our people today and we are not going to leave until they get here.  We are asking you to convey that message to them This is loud and clear from our communities because at the end of the day it is the people that determine who these policymakers become, it is the people that people that elect a government and we are voters that are out here and we are saying, “Government, you need to come and explain yourself here.  So that‘s our message to the government today.”

Isani Cayetano

“How do you respond to the minister being on record today that perhaps you guys are jumping the gun as this is only a draft policy and nothing has been set in stone per se?”

Cristina Coc

“This government would not have come and consulted this policy had we not made any noise about it.  They would have liked for us to take it silently which is what has been, which is how the government has treated us.  When they passed the FPIC protocol, the same thing happened.  They made last-minute insertions, push that through the court and said that that was a final protocol.  We cannot allow that to happen with a legislation that is being drafted.  This legislation is going to change our lives.  This is not just a protocol, this is law that they are putting in place.”