– Amandala special report –
If you were to fly along the Belize-Guatemala border, along the Chiquibul Forest—Belize’s most prized forest—you’ll see the evidence of illegal incursions into Belizean territory, allegedly by Guatemalans who live in the vicinity of the border and some who actually live illegally on the Belize side of the border.
Dario Tapia, Commander of the Belize Defence Force (BDF), said that every year the BDF does as much as it can to keep activities in check, but he confirms that some illegal settlements remain on the Belize side of the border, at Sapote and Retiro, Cayo District, and underscores the need for continuous monitoring, as stubborn illegal incursions are a recurring problem for Belize.
Tapia confirmed that there was an encounter between Belize security forces and Guatemalans last week. When we asked him about reports that the illegal migrants had surrounded and threatened BDF soldiers, Tapia said that to his knowledge, that did not happen, but the people encountered, insisting the Belize team was in Guatemala, did threaten that there were 70 others from a village nearby who would come to their aid.
Those 70 Guatemalans never came, said Tapia.
On Friday, Amandala accompanied personnel from Friends for Conservation and Development (FCD) on a Lighthawk flyover along the border, and what we saw was clear evidence that Guatemalans continue to come into Belizean territory, razing and burning forests at will.
FCD ranger Derric Chan explains that the slash and burn activities happen every year, and now they are getting ready to plant, including inside some of Belize’s protected areas.
Judging by the extent of burnings on the ground, enforcement is obviously a huge problem.
FCD did its last flights in February 2011. At the time, huge acreages of Belizean territory had been cut down. By Friday, May 13, all these areas had been burned and prepared for planting, since the rainy season is about to begin.
The Guatemalans plant corn, beans and squash, the FCD official said, indicating that these activities happen year in, year out, without fail.
Chan pointed to the residence of Rigoberto Gutierrez Ramirez, a Guatemalan living inside Belizean territory for almost 20 years. “This guy is in Belize,” affirmed Chan, adding that there are about 17 other cases, including Elias Lopez.
“They stay within an area called ‘the respected families.’ They are allowed to stay there. It is not their property,” he added.
The official said that the illegal settlers are to be removed “voluntarily” under a relocation program led by the Organization of American States (OAS).
“He won’t voluntarily move…” said Chan, referring to Gutierrez, who exploits mahogany and plants there. “Nobody knows what he does there and nobody knows how much acres he has.”
Amandala observed a spacious zinc-roofed building, three thatched houses, a pen for domesticated animals and a sizeable pond on the property where Gutierrez is staying.
Tapia told us that he is aware of the Gutierrez case. According to Tapia, Gutierrez “has been there forever,” living in the vicinity of Valentin Camp (where BDF soldiers are sometimes posted), but he said he is not aware of any pond on the property on the Belize side. Tapia also said that he was not aware that Gutierrez is one of the Guatemalans leading illegal farming on the Belize side of the border. The problem is that the border is not demarcated, he asserted.
Lisa Shoman, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, told our newspaper that the border situation is not getting any better, in her view. She said that when the People’s United Party was in power, there was constant pressure on them to address illegal incursions, but since the United Democratic Party has taken office, the pressure has slacked off.
Whereas she said she could not specifically remember the case of Gutierrez from her tenure as Foreign Affairs Minister (2007-2008), she did recall that there was one Guatemalan that Government had to keep moving from the Belize side of the border.
“We have to continue to insist we have a border…and defend it,” said Shoman.
According to Tapia, however, they “don’t have the manpower to cover the entire border”, and “are not there 24-7.”
Joyce Tun, Grants Officer for PACT – the Protected Areas Conservation Trust, one of the funding sources for FCD who participated in the flyover, told Amandala that the incursions are “very drastic.”
“It seems Guatemalans are coming over a lot, and a lot of enforcement is needed,” said Tun.
She said it is the government’s responsibility to keep these illegal activities in check.
“They should address it immediately. These people are already there and they are not moving,” said Tun. “After a while, it will be harder for them to address it.”
Rafael Baptist, Foreign Service Officer in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (led by Hon. Wilfred “Sedi” Elrington) told Amandala Monday that they do receive reports of illegal activities. If they are within the adjacency zone, which spans a kilometer on either side of the Belize-Guatemala border, the incidents are dealt with through the Organization of American States. Baptist indicated that people living illegally on the Belize side of the border should not be expanding their areas of settlement.
Amandala contacted OAS rep in Belize, Kim Osborne, to ask what is being done with respect to the Gutierrez case. How many such illegal settlers are on record? How many are to be relocated under the OAS-led program? Are settlers inside the zone awaiting relocation allowed to expand the acreages they occupy, or build more structures on the Belize side? Are they allowed to slash, burn and plant, as well as raise domesticated animals?
Osborne indicated to us that she would have to check with her OAS colleagues, including the border office, before she could get back to us with some answers.