We offered some ladies a ride from San Ignacio to the Benque/Guatemala border where the protest was held. After some introductions, we realized that one of the ladies was Danny Conorquies mother. Her name is Jean Conorquie. Mrs. Conorquie said Danny was the second of 3 children. She said she was comforted by the support Belizeans were showing her family, and thanked us for driving all the way from Orange Walk. At the border Will Maheia invited me to share some words with the group gathered. I spoke of the Confidence Building Measures signed in 2005 by Ambassador with Ministerial Rank, Assad Shoman. In it Belize agreed to change the name of our border to an adjacency line. In Article 7, it also stated that both Belize and Guatemala agree to clean the 3 border markers and keep the area clear. So I was surprised that last year Foreign Minister Sedi Elrington STRONGLY discouraged us from visiting the Aguas Turbias border marker in Northern Belize. We were offering to clear the border marker, a job that our government should have been doing, yet it seems Elrington was too timid, and feared that doing so would antagonize the Guatemalans. So...Assad Shoman changed our border to an adjacency line, and Sedi Elrington was too intimidated to even clear the borders markers, as required by the Agreement. The point is that Belizes position has steadily eroded since Independence. it is clear that both the PUP and the UDP have failed Belize. It is time that Belize take a step back and rethink our strategy regarding Guatemalas claim. Guatemala has repeatedly reneged on its commitment to solve the territorial differendum. While Guatemala vacillates, Belize needs to return to the status quo: -Remove the so called adjacency line and replace it with a border. -Keep the border markers clean -Demarcate our border -Increase our presence along the border by staffing customs, immigration, police and military check points along the border -Encourage Belizean settlements along the border by granting logging concessions, ranching and schools -Maintain robust diplomatic relations with Guatemala, while placing the onus on Guatemala to prove her case in any way she sees fit. We have shown good faith and have been extremely accommodating in seeking a solution. Belize needs to press the Reset button. Let Guatemala pursue her claim on her own. We have ceded too much and gained nothing in return.
Posted on: Wed, 01 Oct 2014 01:59:33 +0000
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