The case of the Maya Leaders Alliance (MLA) and the Toledo Alcalde Association (TAA) versus the Government of Belize resumed on Friday before Chief Justice Dr. Abdulai Conteh, with the reappearance of Dr. Richard Wilk, expert witness for the Toledo Maya.
Insisting on indigenous land rights, the Maya have brought the case to the Supreme Court, asking the court to establish those claimed rights in a total of 40 villages in Toledo. Back in 2007, they won their case for the villages of Santa Cruz and Conejo, and now they are returning with a land claim for 38 more villages.
Wilk had first appeared in court on Wednesday to present evidence for the claimants. He told the court that the Mayan claimants are historically linked to those Maya who had occupied the area even before the Europeans came to the country now known as Belize.
Appearing for the government, Senior Counsel Lois Young had her turn to question Wilk on Friday morning.
The Government’s side contends that the Maya who have brought the legal challenge to the court are not the indigenous Maya of Belize.
Young also raised questions about Wilk’s qualifications.
One major point raised by the Government side ties in with the growing debate over whether the Maya of Toledo support communal land tenure (whether they want the land to be under group ownership) or individual tenure.
The government’s side is emphasizing that there is evidence from the Lands Department that indicates that there are Maya in Toledo who have held individual leases/titles to land.
Interested party in the case, Francis Johnston, has said on record that he had bought land from a Maya man, his brother-in-law, Salvador Bochub, in Golden Stream Village (See map), to which he now stakes a claim.
Attorney Lois Young told reporters Friday that were the Maya to succeed with their claim, the Government would lose control over land in the biggest district of Belize, and what would result is “a state within a state.”
The case was adjourned until Tuesday morning.
Villages listed in MLA/TAA claim:
1. Aguacate
2. Big Falls
3. Blue Creek
4. Boom Creek
5. Conejo Creek
6. Corazon
7. Crique Jute
8. Crique Sarco
9. Dolores
10. Golden Stream
11. Graham Creek
12. Indian Creek
13. Jalacte
14. Jordan
15. Laguna
16. Mabil Ha
17. Machakil Ha
18. Medina Bank
19. Midway
20. Na Luum Caj
21. Otoxha
22. Pueblo Viejo
23. San Antonio
24. San Benito Poite
25. San Felipe
26. San Jose
27. San Lucas
28. San Marcos
29. San Miguel
30. San Pablo
31. San Pedro Columbia
32. San Vicente
33. Santa Anna
34. Santa Cruz
35. Santa Elena
36. Santa Teresa
37. Silver Creek
38. Sunday Wood