Continued incursions over the border by Guatemalans
The incursions into Belizean territory by Guatemalans have been going on for some time and have continued unabated. Over recent years Guatemalan farmers have been infiltrating not only our borders but have been entering our natural reserves. So last week when there were new discoveries of xate extractions and mass hunting of the Scarlet Macaw parrot in the Chiquibul Forest Reserve, the villagers expressed their concerns. Marion Ali reports.
Marion Ali, Reporting
The latest incursions by Guatemalans in the Columbia Forest Reserve in the Toledo District have so damaged the protected area that the villagers who live nearby have gone public to express their utter disapproval.
Concerned Toledo Resident #1
“We went behind Edwards Central and there most of the Xateros were travelling and we spend a day there and when we were coming back to where we camp, we meet—there were some xateros behind us but when they saw the boots print, so what they did they just escaped in the forest and we didn’t find them. What we are asking the B.D.F. is that they should patrol there at least twice a week.”
Concerned Toledo Resident #2
“Right now by our village Guatemalans are very, very close. It’s about only a mile or two miles from the village they come and cut xate. Right now the xate is very scarce now because once new leaves come in, the next ones come and cut it and that’s why if you go in the forest you would never see one because they are always cutting the leaves.”
The villagers are not only upset about the pillaging of the valuable xate leaves, they are now fearful that the Guatemalans may be become violent.
Concerned Toledo Resident #3
“If I go there it’s not only me and I got somebody else with me. I cannot do nothing with them. They could attack me and they could kill me or they could kidnap me out there.”
Concerned Toledo Resident #4
“The people of Belize have the right to fight those Guatemalans because they are coming and destroying the forest. We don’t want them Guatemalans to come here because they are dangerous. Right now they are coming to San Jose and try to thief this or do things they want to do here.”
The villagers are asking the Belize Defense Force to conduct more frequent patrols in the Columbia Forest Reserve to discourage the illegal activities. Marion Ali for News Five.
We’d like to thank Wil Maheia of Punta Gorda Town for providing us with the interviews in this story.
i personally dislike guatemalans for their disrespect to our nation boundries. i feel if our gov. with the efforts of the b.d.f they can control this situation or else we’ll end up like u.s with lots of ilegal people in our country later fighting for the same rights like a native belizean. this infiltration if not stop will bring severe consequences to our nation’s border and continuos arguements over our nation by guatemala. make a belizean try do the same across the border and you’ll see if they won’t shoot you to death.
mein.. what is barrow doing to address this issue… the guatemalans are coming over little by little. IS that one of ur agenda Honorable Prime MInsiter.. have u sold my Belize to the Guatemalans????
Lany,
I think Barrow busy with Shyne and his photoshoot. Probably he no care bout Belize either.
Send the Belize City gangsters to the boarder to protect our country. That should keep them busy.
Wake up Belize stop these guats from thinking they own us.I am not trying to drink any Gallo.Give me my Belikin.
I think the Maya community should become an independent country off from Belize and fight for their borders petition the UN to do this, if this govt’ does not even ask the Brits to help protect the border that was the pact and is why the governor general is here, if PM no pay mind go to GG if not you know what form your own little republic heck!