GOB gives their version of shooting incident near Chiquibul National Park
Earlier this week we reported on the most recent armed confrontation between members of the Belize Defence Force on routine border patrol near the Chiquibul National Park during which a Guatemalan from nearby San Jose, Las Flores was shot. On Wednesday, the Guatemalan government complained about the incident and today the government of Belize followed suit. GOB says that the incident occurred on Monday east of the Adjacency Line on Belizean soil contrary to reports made in Guatemala that the shooting occurred on their side of the border. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs maintains that the encounter followed repeated warnings by B.D.F. personnel to desist from proceeding into Belizean territory. The five Guatemalan nationals, who were armed with AK-47 assault rifles continued nonetheless and further threatened members of the team who were in the area to conduct a link up patrol with Guatemalan Armed Forces. The incident later resulted in an exchange of gunfire. The government says it remains committed to the implementation of the Confidence Building Measures and calls on the office of the OAS within the Adjacency Zone to conduct the necessary checks to determine the exact location where the incident occurred.
Most Guats do not recognize that there is a border with Belize, we are just temporarily occupying their land. In their minds, the incident occurred in Guatemala, even if it occurred on Turneffe Atoll!
The Guatemalan Prensa Libre always publishes absurd stories about incidents like these and try to ignite hostility against us Belizeans and our government. The owners of that newspaper have their own political/economic agenda — their eyes are on very valuable natural resources in Belize. More absurd is the complacency the Belizean authorities have on the daily selling of the Prensa Libre in our country by Guatemalans who cross the border. That newspaper first started selling at the Belize Western Border, then at Benque Viejo Town, later at San Ignacio, then at Belmopan, Belize City and all the way to San Pedro. The Belizeans purchasing these newspapers are such a disappointment as well. Many I know, don’t bother to buy Belizean newspapers. Indeed, the Guatemalans are achieving their purpose. The laugh is on us, fellow Belizeans.
PS: When a Guatemalan offers to sell you the Prensa Libre in Belize, try telling them, “No, thanks. But if you have a Belizean newspaper, I will gladly buy it from you.”
Armed with AK47 rifleS – plural? Just a few days ago it was only ONE AK-47, and the rest had machetes.
Will we ever know what really happened? Probably not, huh?
What most belizeans dont know or understand is the kind of asymmetic warfare being fought against us, this is strategy to concurr us economically using our resourses taking it back to guatemala for the development of their own economy. We as a nation must understand these tactics: if they cannot invade us militarily then they will do as the British to the scotts (IF THEY CANNOT BEAT US THEY WILL BREATH US OUT ). If you look around the most hispanics in this country are the Guatemalan they are depleting out resourses from within not just on the border. WAKE UP BELIZEANS JOIN THE BDF VOLUNTEER LETS TRAIN OURSELVES TO PROTECT OUR LAND BUY YOUR OWN ASSAULT RIFLE FOR THE TIME IS AT HAND PROTECT WHAT IS OURS ! SHOULDER TO SHOULDER WE SHALL STAND FORM! PATRIA O MUERTE
Really i dont understand my fellow Belizeans, BDF volunter we should protect our land i agree but not with VIOLENCE. yes there a lot of hispanics living here in Belize, but those are the hard working people that those the hard work “WE” BELIZEANS HATE to do . all they kNow is to ask for a DALLA.
There are only two ways of human interraction its either Persuation or Force… If they cannot persuade you to give up something they usually force you to do it….
In this case the Guats are forcing us to give up our natural resources to them by force….they do not ask for it or anything like that..THEY JUST TAKE IT….
We have tried to persuade them to stop stealing our resources but its not working….THERE ARE TIMES THAT THE ONLY ALTERNATIVE IS TO USE FORCE, DEADLY FORCE IF NECESSARY….
No amount of persuasion would have stopped Adolf Hitler, FORCE WAS THE ONLY ALTERNATIVE…
As I read the interview by Jules to the LEARNED MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS in Channel 7, I felt dismayed, disheartened and outwardly betrayed by these PUDP govt. The LEARNED ATTORNEY said that we cannot evict any Guat living along our border prior to 2000 without these Guats consent. This we know was accepted by a PUP govt. but the question is: WHY DID A UDP OPPOSITION ALLOWED a PUP GOVT. GET AWAY WITH IT?. To add insult to injury, when this UDP govt came to power in 2008, many Belizeans throught out the country had their lands taken away without their consent. The good Minister also said that we should come together and find out IF we can afford to put more boots at the border. My God, that is like a father saying he will see if he can feed his family. IT IS NOT A MATTER TO SEE IF IT CAN BE DONE BUT A MATTER TO BE DONE MUST URGENTLY. Then he goes on to say that this Guat has been a pain in the BUTT. He has been found with gasoline and a chain saw and with weapons. BELIZEANS; anyone of us found with an unlincensed firearm automatically go to jail with no right to bail. One thing is not being able to evict the Guat but the LAW of the land must apply equally. HOW COME THE LAW HAS NOT BEEN APPLIED TO THIS HIJO DE LA FREGADA?. As I have said before, PUDP govts. have the nasty habit of waiting for potential problems to explode. The Govt. of Dean Barrow should outlaw the sale of LA PRENSA LIBRE in Belize. Anyone found selling LA PRENSA SHOULD BE FINED, send to JAIL or BOTH. Also in the picture provided by Channel 7, their are individuals with clothings that are not fitting for this type of jungle operations especially the BLUE HAT. It makes for an easy TARGET. Remember, this is a dangerous area and the clothing should properly blend with the environment.
Chelsea Vink:Why don’t you move to Guatemala since you’re so hurted about the BDF protecting what is rightfully ours.You sound like a traitor to me.
To Chelsea Vink there are immigrants in Belize that have escaped thier country in search for a better future and they have recognized the authority of the GOB and are hard working and law abiding.. that is not the problem… the problem are those on the boarder that have no respect for your land, resource and our laws. What in Belize is for Belize. These people do not recognize our territory as ours so we have to make them forcibly comply.. Estos guatelateco deben de respetar la tierra y el pueblo de Belize asi como nosotros respetamos a sus hermanos, hijos, primos, o amigo que estan viviendo en alguna parte de nuestra hermosa y bella patria que es Belize.
I am completely against the illegal raping of Belize’s natural resources. I am concerned though that we don’t make this a racial issue because many of us who (thank our God and our parents for the wise decision) moved to Belize are productive citizens. We pay for our properties, pay taxes, do our community services, and contribute to Belize’s economy.
And please remember that being hispanic doesn’t make us Guatemalans, and being Guatemalans, doesn’t make anyone a criminal. Criminals come in different race and color. Government should address the problem with Guatemalans coming in to steal our resources, but those who were from Guatemala and are now Belizeans, are due respect given that they are law abiding and contribute to Belize’s development.
Well……SEDI said THAT WE HAVE AN ARTIFICIAL BORDER with Guatemala……
THEY AGREE WITH HIM……………WE BELIZEANS DON’T!!!!!!!!!