Monday, December 30, 2024

We, the citizens of the Jewel, have been more than patient in response to Guatemala’s disrespect of our sovereignty, our borders, our citizens. We excused them when they ventured deep into our territorial waters last month, while claiming they didn’t realize that they were in Belizean territory. For goodness’ sake, all those vessels are fitted with GPS devices; so, no, they knew exactly where they were, and at the same time, were testing our military, and the will of every Belizean! Instead of being locked up, followed by negotiations between GoB and the Guatemalan government, they were allowed to leave, only to be able to repeat this unlawful behavior in the future.

Belize does not have a navy, but we have an admiral. Belize does not have an air force. Compared to Guatemala, our armed forces are nothing; by that I mean too small to stand up to their forces. After all, they are used to battle, killing their own in an almost endless civil war a couple of decades ago. So, no, we can’t stand up to them militarily, and I would never advocate suicide on our part. But when they brazenly invade our territory, whether on the Sarstoon, on our seas or by land, through our very porous borders, these people should be held accountable, according to international laws. They should be locked up and tried and imprisoned, if convicted, for illegal entry! Wat a ting!

We, as Belizeans, cannot travel wherever we want to in our own country, specifically on the Sarstoon! Wil Maheia is our only defense and conscience against a very aggressive Guatemalan navy! When they do chance us, and they do so every opportunity they get, our government tells us that nothing can be done because we can’t win? So, we must accept this disrespect and humiliation, until when? When the ICJ finally decides our fate? When our government starts getting some cojones and stands up to these bullies diplomatically? Or maybe when hell freezes over?

We don’t have to go to war with Guatemala to have them start respecting our borders and honoring our sovereignty, like every other nation does. If we were patriotic enough, we would have hundreds of our citizens, a flotilla of boats going up and down the Sarstoon, week after week, in our territory, daring these bullies to stop us! What would they do-start a war? Increase their naval presence? After all, we are on our side, the right side, in our territory!

Maybe what we need is more international press coverage of their illegal operations in our territory. But unfortunately, this government does not respect us enough to fight, in whatever form they can, to shine the spotlight on these fascists, and shame them into changing their modus operandi and leaving us the f@#* alone!

The worst state any person can be in, is one of uncertainty. We have been living like this for too long; something has got to give, or maybe we just give up and let them trample all over us.

We have choices, but who will take the initiative to stop this relentless and reckless assault on our territory, our people, our nation? They already believe that they have the upper hand; we have to change their minds, somehow, and soon!

“The best lack conviction, while the worst is full of passionate intensity.”- William Butler Yeats.

Glen