Political activist involved in bizarre kidnapping

As the B.T.L. vesting bill was being passed in the Senate this afternoon, many were focussed on its impact on the telecommunications industry, but for the members of one family, the bill allegedly meant the difference between life and death for their loved one. On Sunday night, reincarnated political activist Derek Aikman, was reported missing and since then a series of events has created more questions than answers about his disappearance.

Asst. Supt. Aaron Guzman, O.C., C.I.B. Belize City
“We cannot say what happen to Mr. Aikman. What we are doing now, we are going based on a report made to the police initially in Ladyville because that is closer to his residence and it falls under their jurisdiction but C.I.B. Belize City has become involved.”

Jacqueline Godwin, Reporting
Up to news time tonight, forty-seven year old Derek Aikman was still missing. According to Kim Aikman, around eight thirty on Sunday night her husband called home to say that while on his way to a church service in Hattieville, three masked men had kidnapped him and then taken him to an unknown location. During the call, Aikman told his wife where his vehicle could be found. Thirty minutes later, Aikman’s 1999 Nissan Pathfinder was found exactly where he said it would be, on the Boom/Hattieville road near the junction to Fresh Pond.

Asst. Supt. Aaron Guzman
“Well I do not want to get into details in reference to what we are working on but yes the vehicle, Mr. Aikman’s vehicle was found on the Boom/Hattieville road. We have processed it out there initially and it as brought in to Belize City where our technicians have concluded processing that vehicle today. The results have not been completed yet; we have learnt a couple things from the process of the vehicle which I will not get into.”

Inside the vehicle police found a note, ostensibly written by the kidnappers.

Asst. Supt. Aaron Guzman
“Yes a note was found inside the vehicle, yes.”

Jacqueline Godwin
“Basically saying what?”

Asst. Supt. Aaron Guzman
“It is making a demand that I don’t know that Mr. Aikman or his family can concede to.”

Jacqueline Godwin
“What demand?”

Asst. Supt. Aaron Guzman
“I will not say the demand but I’m saying that in my opinion it is a demand that they cannot…it’s not a monetary demand.”

Twelve hours after his first phone call, Aikman, sounding distressed, called into the W.U.B. morning talk show.

(Video courtesy Krem T.V)

Mose Hyde, Krem T.V.
“Hello”

Derek Aikman(sounding distressed)
“Hello, hello.”

Mose Hyde
“Mr. Aikman, have you been released?”

Derek Aikman
“Mose, they will take away the phone. I only have two minutes. I just need to tell my wife and kids that I love them and if she could please ask Dr. Godinez to please say something that I need to have my thyroid medication because they are not giving me any food, only water and I need my thyroid medication. I’m not afraid and I’m not frightened. The bottom line is Mose, they are saying that if they pass the B.T.L. thing, whatever, into law today they are going to kill me. I don’t know where I am; they have me blindfolded. I travelled probably about an hour by vehicle, whatever, after they captured me. I don’t know where I am and only one of the persons is talking, the other two aren’t talking.”

Kalilah Enriquez, Krem T.V.
“Did you say if they do pass or if they don’t pass? I suppose he is gone.”

Asst. Supt. Aaron Guzman
“If that was Mister Aikman it makes us feel comfortable to know that he is alive and so that’s the best news we can have right now.”

Since that phone call Aikman has not been seen or heard from.

Asst. Supt. Aaron Guzman
“It is troubling generally because the area that it occurred, the time, so we are limited on witnesses and like any other case it is troubling for us to deal with but we are trying our best.”

Dianne Finnegan, Member, Belize Covenant Movement
“We are just begging return Derek home to his family. His kids are suffering; they missed school today because of the fact that they can’t really deal with it. There’s a lot of support coming in. We are just asking be conscious and return him to his family.”

Dianne Finnegan and Moses Sulph are members of the Belize Covenant Movement. This afternoon they adamantly maintained that the group’s founder has been kidnapped and is being held against his will.

Dianne Finnegan
“Some people think that this maybe fabricated or being staged and there’s no human being with a conscience that could put their family through such hurt and pain like what Kim and the kids are going through. They are devastated over this whole issue. They are going through a lot of sadness, one because nobody is saying anything; yes we are getting a lot of support from the police department but there is no back and forth forwarding of information so you just basically have to sit and wait until something comes up.”

It is believed Aikman was kidnapped because of the recent work he and his group was doing, regarding national issues like the U.H.S. Guarantee Motion and the B.T.L. Vesting Bill.

Moses Sulph, Member, Belize Covenant Movement
“I think when it comes to standing up for justice you can always be sure that negative things will come at you.”

Dianne Finnegan
“As a matter of fact Kim called me just a while ago to say the night is coming in quickly and again spending another night knowing what is happening, not hearing anything and it is so – I’ve known Derek for many, many years – and it saddens me as a friend, imagine what it is doing to his family.”

The peak of Derek Aikman’s political career came in 1984 when he unseated George Price in the Freetown constituency and became Minister of Education in the first administration of the United Democratic Party. He later was removed from his House seat due to being declared bankrupt following the failure of a business venture to create a national airline. Since then, Aikman has started many businesses and most recently appeared on the periphery of the local political scene as organiser of a national referendum on the U.H.S. debt.