Another border line clearing by Wil Maheia and his Territorial Volunteers
Despite dire predictions and warnings by officials of government and the B.D.F., Toledo activist Wil Maheia, his Belize Territorial Volunteers and about one hundred and twenty-five Belizeans travelled near the Belize-Guatemala border without incident on March second. Emboldened by what it says was the successful symbolic gesture, the group is at it again. This time they say that they will divide the border in three sections for clearing, which starts on April sixth and seventh at Otoxha village. That could be a dangerous undertaking, since unlike Container Hill within Belizean territories, there are areas like Garbutt’s Falls where the border line is more a question mark than a straight, clearly defined line. Today Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington again issued a warning, though this time he tempered it with a grudging hint of admiration for the patriotism displayed. Freelance reporter Mike Rudon has the story.
Mike Rudon, Reporting
On March second, when a group of one hundred and twenty-five travelled from Jalacte in Toledo to Container Hill near Santa Cruz near the Guatemalan border, the only jungle they saw was far in the distance. In fact, the most danger anyone faced was probably getting cut by accident while chopping the already low-lying brush. Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington says that was all well and good, though it wasn’t really clearing the border.
Wilfred Elrington
Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs
“It is not possible Jules for anybody to go and clear the border unilaterally because in the final analysis, it will really only be a line, just a narrow line between Belize on one side and Guatemala on the other side. Just a line; you don’t know when you are crossing that line, nobody knows. You have to have very precise instruments, very modern instruments, very high tech instruments to actually mark where that line is and then you would have to cut this side and the other side would have to cut the other side to really and truly; it is really and truly a very difficult, technical exercise. Apart from that, those areas are covered in thick jungle. Yo can’t go cut that with machetes.”
And while Elrington was still very clear on issuing warnings to those who will head to the border on these new expeditions, this time he did take a moment to commend the participants for what they are planning to do, as long as they stay on Belizean territory, that is.
Wilfred Elrington
“I do appreciate that some people believe, that it is an act of nationalism. And it is an indication to the Guatemalans that we are prepared to go there and defy them in our interest to assert our ownership of this piece of land. And people genuinely feel that they are patriotic in doing so. And they may well be patriotic in doing so because there are a lot of people who are offended by the claim. And as a response to that offence, almost like a knee-jerk reaction, you want to go and show them, defy them—you can’t stop me from clearing my border. This is my border, this is my country. Nothing is wrong in people having that feeling. When it becomes problematic is when you are out there and you stray across into the Guatemalan territory. It creates all kinds of problems; not only for you who are going to be detained, but for the entire country now who has the trouble of trying to get you out of prison in Guatemala and we are also got to hope that the relationship between our two countries is not going to be prejudiced by it and lead to other more serious consequences.”
Since the group didn’t heed those warnings the last time, it is doubtful that they will do so before they head out to the border in April. Mike Rudon for News Five.
Leader of the Belize Territorial volunteers Wil Maheia will be clearing the area between Otoxha Village and Gracias a Dios Falls. Nancy Marin, who heads the Belize Coalition for Justice will be in charge of the area between Garbutt’s Falls in Cayo and Otoxha and clearing North to the marker at Aguas Turbias will be headed by Orlando de la Fuente.
We have thousands more Guat invaders here than they will ever have Belizeans in Guatemala. So if they lock up 1 of ours, we can lock up 100 or 1,000 of theirs. AND THAT’S WHAT WE SHOULD DO.
Why bow to the Guats, Sedi? They haven’t conquered us yet!
Belizeans do have their rights to clean their border with Guatemala, and the Government
of Belize should give them cover in case they are arrested by Guatemalan authorities.
Marcus Martinez
What a loser for this ministry like judas like Elrington two complete losers.
I applaud these people. It is actions like this that will make a difference in Belize. Not cowardly doing what other countries tell it to do! Next, I would like to see the Queens face removed from the dollar. Belize is suppose to be independent. That means Belize does not have to have the Queens face on their currency. Show your Independance, Belize !
How dare Will and his crew be Belizean patriots, true patriots, by the type of symbolism they are involved in! They should be sitting in their “ivory towers” issuing dire warnings that we Belizeans should sit by on our hands and wait for the next move by Guatemala. We Belizeans have no stake in this verbal rattling! Oh no! Shameful.
I think that there is ample warnings and gloom scenarios handed out to Will but the trespassers from Guatemala are “ignored” as the people in the ivory towers wring their hands in distress as they are unable to do anything! And the Commandant of the BDF, a professional soldier, issues warnings to Will! Really? What is the function of the BDF? Pray tell! There should be continuous eforts to gin up diplomatic networks to neutralize this type of madness in the international community. But the people in charge of that are too busy looking good and/or pontificating rather than being functional. Find people who are able to handle the technicalities involved in diplomacy to be involved continuously and not only when some issue comes up. There are many Belizeans who are capable. One only has to look around, but I guess if they are not “name brand” then they are not desired. By my statement I do not want anyone to believe that this is partisan, as both parties are guilty of this lack of attention. Such a shame!
WELL I SAY CALL LAND DEPARTMENT TO SURVEY THE LAND AND ISSUE LAND TO ALL BELIZEAN IN NEED, SO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE NEED TO BUILD THIER HOUSES AND SETTLE DOWN, AND FROM WHAT I SEE IN THE NEWS THERE IS PLENTY LAND AND ITS BEAUTIFUL SCENERY IS BREATHTAKING, WHY WAIT FOR THE ALIENS GUATEMALAN PEOPLE TO SQUAT INOUR LAND????
BELIZE IS OUR AND SO LET TAKE OUT LAND OK, BUILD UP OUR HOUSES AND START FARMING.
You guys are a bunch of idiots. Patriotism may seem right but it is not. I love belize but will not come even close to dying for it and all of u may not accept it but it is the truth. I but my kids 1 billion trillion times more important than a silly piece of land.