Tensions that once threatened to boil over in San Marcos Village are now showing signs of cooling, after a high-level meeting delivered what officials are calling a pathway to calm. The small community in Toledo District, home to just under a thousand residents and rooted in Maya heritage, has been at the center of a growing land dispute in recent months. Villagers have been insisting that portions of land being cleared by a private owner fall within their traditional communal territory, a claim reflecting a wider, long-standing struggle over Maya land rights in southern Belize. On Wednesday, Indigenous Affairs Minister Dr. Louis Zabaneh sat down with leaders from San Marcos, the Toledo Alcalde Alliance, and the Maya Leaders Alliance to tackle a simmering land dispute with that private landowner. The talks ended with an agreement aimed at easing the standoff and restoring calm in the community. So, what exactly was decided, and will it hold? Today, Minister Zabaneh shared those details.
Louis Zabaneh
Dr. Louis Zabaneh, Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs
“Yesterday we met with the San Marcos leaders, chairman, alcaldes, leaders of the TAA and MLA at our office in Belmopan and they are having a dispute with a land owner, a third party in the CCJ context, so that we can lower the temperature and formulate a plan going forward. So what we agreed there is that over the next three weeks we will have people from the Ministry of Natural Resources to identify a specific area that is in contention. We are grateful that both parties agreed. Once that is established we can move to the next step. What we are asking everybody to realize is that we have a process sin place. Just Monday we had our first meeting of the review panel. This is an importance process where two members from Government meets with two members selected from the Maya leadership and we look at the draft legislation and find a way where that goes back to the subcommittee of Cabinet and onward to the House. That needs to occur before anybody can start to make statements that they have an absolute right for this or that.”
The Maya Leaders Alliance is scheduled to meet with residents on Friday to discuss this issue and other pressing matters. We’ll have the details coming out of those talks.
Lingering Doubts After Alleged Indian Creek Abduction
Tonight, questions still linger over a disturbing incident in southern Belize. Three weeks after the alleged abduction of Indian Creek’s First Alcalde, Marcos Canti, details remain unclear. Was an official police report ever filed, and what really happened during those hours he was missing? We put those questions directly to Indigenous Affairs Minister Dr. Louis Zabaneh. Here’s what he had to say.
Louis Zabaneh
Dr. Louis Zabaneh, Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs
“We are waiting for that. We discussed that briefly yesterday that it is taking quite a while. But, we are hoping the report will soon be forthcoming so that country can know what really happened there.”
Paul Lopez
“There must be some questions from Cabinet or even skepticism at this point without any updates.”
Dr. Louis Zabaneh
“When it takes a while like that and there is nothing definitive, everybody is waiting to hear what evidence or what information has been collected. So, we have asked minister Mira who is working with the commissioner and I am sure they are doing their best to bring that report to us as soon as possible. News Five’s continues to wait for an update or an official police report on the matter.”
Village Leader Accused in Violent Attack Video
The Office of Indigenous People’s Affairs is also looking into a video allegedly showing an alcalde from a southern village violently attacking a member of his community. Today, Minister Zabaneh confirmed that an investigation has been launched into the matter. He says, there is no place for that kind of violence in any community.
Louis Zabaneh
Dr. Louis Zabaneh, Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs
“Absolutely it was brought to my attention yesterday and our Indigenous People’s Affairs Office is looking into it today and we are hoping to be there as soon as possible to go on the ground. So yes that is something that is very concerning.”
Paul Lopez
“What was your takeaway?”
Dr. Louis Zabaneh
“Violence can never be the answer to solve anything, regardless of what the circumstance may be. As a country we cannot condone using violence for whatever, whether it is domestic violence or something going on in a village. Absolutely zero tolerance for that. We have to find a way to work and communicate with each other and that is the way how we solve problems.”
We will continue to follow to see what the investigation reveals.
Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.
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