P.M. Barrow: Guatemalan bodega has to go
Incursions in Belizean territory by Guatemalan nationals happen from time to time. There is the well know case of Guatemalan settlers that were eventually removed from Santa Rosa within Belizean territory and continuous reports of Guatemalan Xateros that cross into Belize to illegally harvest the prized xate. There is a report now about a bodega that has been erected in southern Belize well within Belizean territory by Leonel Arrelanos from the Guatemalan village of Santa Cruz Village. In making his rounds today, Prime Minister Barrow was asked what G.O.B. will do about this incursion on Belizean territory. It’s a structure that will have to be torn down, says Barrow, while still keeping a peaceful presence in the area until the land dispute is addressed at the I.C.J. level.
Prime Minister Dean Barrow
“That bodega will have to be moved, there is no question about that. The OAS has asked and I believe the Guatemalans have asked that we arrange things so that the removal can be done in full view of the right of observers; the relevant observers in terms of the O.A.S., in terms of the Guatemalan military, the Guatemalan officiary—even in plain view of the press just so that there can be no missteps, just so that there can be no false propaganda afterwards. And that is, I think, as it should be because of the sensitivities involved. But ultimately, the bodega has to go, it is on Belizean national territory.”
“I don’t pretend that if we go to the I.C.J. and we get a solution that that will stop incursions from happening. I think we would be foolhardy to believe that. These incursions, by and large, are not happening with any official encouragement. They are not happening as a result of any deliberate acts on the part of the officiary down in Guatemala. They are happening because of the natural pressures on people in Guatemala who are close to our borders who want more land and who want to do activities in our territory. So a permanent solution with the border properly defined will not stop them, but it will certainly help in terms of the actions that we have to take when these incursions happen. It will certainly help; it will mean that there is going to be absolute certainty that we’re doing what we’re entitled to do because the borders will be clearly defined. We will know for sure when people are in our country and we will be able to take the measures that are necessary to get them out of our country.”
“When people erect these structures they might get away with it for a while but ultimately, truth will out. What they have done will come to be discovered by the B.D.F. and will be dismantled and will be destroyed. So I’m not too worried about the fact that it’s not nipped in the bud right at the start as long as ultimately we do preserve the sanctity of our territory I’m happy.”
It is known that tomorrow the O.A.S. office in the adjacency zone will travel to the area for surveillance along with officials of the Pan American Institute to verify the precise location of the bodega.
