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There is another developing story. It is well-known that Guatemalan nationals illegally enter Belizean territory for illegal activities. Most recently when the Sarstoon law applied, their fishermen routinely traversed into Belize to fish while the local fisher folk were barred from entering the Sarstoon. Now, on Thursday night, a total of eight Belizeans were detained […]
The much anticipated Istanbul talks are over and done with, but there is no definitive resolution and certainly no protocols coming out of those very high-level discussions. A release sent out by government speaks of recommitment to peace and stability and the recognition that there is need for protocols governing the Sarstoon – not exactly […]
The fact is that if Guatemala agrees to any protocols with equitable use of the Sarstoon as an end point, it would represent a significant back-tracking. In past months the Guatemalans, both military and diplomats, have run to a so-called status quo for cover – a status quo which they say requires that Belizean civilians, […]
Both positions are polar opposites, so the next step is actually to the point where concrete protocols enter the equation. We’ve actually been there. On April eighth Belize presented eleven Sarstoon protocols which were promptly and roundly rejected by Guatemala. More than six weeks after, both countries are preparing to get back to that point. […]
The incident in Chiquibul in which a Guatemalan minor was shot also made it to the negotiating table in Istanbul. Following that incident, Guatemalan officials including President Jimmy Morales, Foreign Minister Carlos Raul Morales and Defense Minister Williams Mansilla unleashed a blistering condemnation of Belize and at one point even lashed out at Prime Minister […]
And finally, in our coverage of the Istanbul talks, we asked Courtenay about the ongoing investigation into that Chiquibul incident. The OAS launched one at the request of Guatemalan authorities, but since then no information has been forthcoming. Eamon Courtenay, Opposition’s Representative, Belize Delegation “My understanding is that the O.A.S. is taking the steps […]
There’s a lot of news tonight revolving out of Belize/Guatemala talks and the Sarstoon – perhaps the most sensational being that G.O.B. has revoked the Sarstoon Prohibition S.I., that piece of legislation which made it illegal for Belizeans to go into the Sarstoon. According to a release from the press office, quote, Government’s decision comes […]
That’s big news indeed, since the Sarstoon has remained a potential flashpoint for months. So that brings us to the Istanbul talks, scheduled for May twenty-first. We’re told they didn’t happen then, but actually on Monday and today with the participation of Magdalena Talamas representing O.A.S. Secretary-General Luis Almagro. Looking at a release on those […]
While those talks were supposed to be happening on Saturday, the P.U.P. had planned a trip to the Sarstoon. They claimed that it was an educational trip as opposed to a political trip, though the intent to send dual messages of protest to the Belize and Guatemala governments was clear. The trip never materialized, and […]
The revocation of the Sarstoon Prohibition SI comes only four days after it was challenged in Court by the People’s United Party, and three days after the P.U.P. planned an educational trip to the Sarstoon to protest the SI on the ground, so to speak. The expedition was cancelled at the eleventh hour, and today […]
So what’s the P.U.P. position on the big news coming out of the Istanbul breakthrough? That agreement between both foreign ministers that Belizean military and civilians will be allowed to traverse the Sarstoon unhindered? The Opposition actually has a representative in Istanbul, Senator Eamon Courtenay, and notwithstanding Government’s releases, today Deputy Leader Hyde told News […]
The P.U.P. may not be showing much enthusiasm just yet, but for Ministry of National Security C.E.O. George Lovell the agreement is a welcome one. We’ve all seen the footage where Guatemalan forces descended on the B.D.F.’s Forward Operating Base, and it wasn’t to borrow sugar from a good neighbor. We’ve also seen footage of […]
Last Wednesday, the C.E.O.s of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and National Security spoke out for the first time on an allegation made by Belizean Roger Plett. Plett claimed that the week before he and another man, Rudy Friesen, were forced into Guatemalan territory by civilians and military who commandeered a tractor and bulldozer as […]
The Sarstoon River is currently a study in confusion and controversy. Here’s why. We’ve always owned half of the southernmost waterway. Guatemala has a claim, but we own it. Things are different now. Guatemala appears to own it, while we have a claim. The river is monitored by GAF who insist that the B.D.F. must […]
The Belize Council of Churches is weighing in on the Belize/Guatemala differendum and has issued a statement in support of a peaceful solution to the enduring territorial dispute. The position taken by the church is a bit overdue since other social partners, including the unions and the business community, have contributed to the ongoing public […]
Last weekend, Guatemalan Archbishop Oscar Julio Vian openly spoke out against the government of President Jimmy Morales for seeking to use the territorial claim as a smokescreen to divert attention away from issues that are plaguing Guatemala. It is a sentiment that is shared by others in that country. Nonetheless, the membership of the Belize […]
The church is somewhat late in joining this national conversation, but what is the impetus behind a need for it to weigh in on Belize and Guatemala? According to Bishop Phillip Wright, recent events within the Chiquibul Forest and along the Sarstoon River have prompted the council to formulate a position. That opinion also includes […]
The Asian community being an integral part of Belize’s social fabric, along with its involvement in the private sector, we asked a representative of the Belize Chinese Christian Mission to share the concerns of the community on the territorial dispute. Fred Hsu, Belize Chinese Christian Mission “The Asian community, we need more education on […]
Very high level delegations from Belize and Guatemala will be meeting in Istanbul, Turkey on Saturday to discuss the Sarstoon. That’s the venue slated for the talks surrounding what has become a key factor in the bi-lateral road ahead. Tensions in the Sarstoon are at an all-time high – actually to the point where even […]
The talks are critical for another more local, political reason. The unpopular and controversial SI passed by G.O.B. prohibiting civilians from entering the Sarstoon expires six days from Saturday. Prime Minister Barrow has indicated that he will not extend it. So the ideal scenario would be that on Saturday there is some ironclad agreement which […]
Since the start of this week News Five has been bringing you the remarkable story of an alleged cross-border kidnapping, albeit a short-lived one. We’ve spoken at length with Roger Plett, one of the men who claimed that he was taken across the border by Guatemalan military and civilians, and tied up. On Wednesday night […]
That investigation is the focal point of the allegation, and any official diplomatic action which may or may not occur as a result of it. Officialdom weighed in on Wednesday in the persons of C.E.O.s George Lovell and Lawrence Sylvester, representing the Ministries of National Security and Foreign Affairs respectively. There was a suggestion from […]
Six days after Guatemalan military and civilians allegedly came onto Belizean soil and abducted two men, along with a tractor and bulldozer, there is finally official comment from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and National Security. Today, the C.E.O.s of both hosted a press briefing to inform the public that they have indeed, despite appearances, […]
But there’s a problem straightaway with that response, firstly from the Ministry of National Security. The investigation is the first line of action in whatever government’s response will be. Just minutes ago News Five managed to verify with Roger Plett that Police have still not been to the actual site very near the border where […]
According to Colonel Lovell, they have been liaising with their counterparts and colleagues in Guatemala and at the O.A.S. since day one, verifying that no Belizean was still in Guatemalan territory. But that’s a cute situation. Verification by the O.A.S. that the Belizeans had been released, as we were told by Lovell, would seem to […]
