Trouble is brewing over village lands in the Toledo District and on Friday the Minister of Indigenous Peoples Affairs, Dolores Balderamos Garcia sent out a cautionary letter. It is addressed to the heads of the Toledo Alcalde's Association and the Maya Leader Alliance and warns, quote, "a concerning situation may be developing in the Toledo District regarding the attitude towards land by various Maya Villages." End quote.
And the concern is that there could be some attempt at a land grab reaching into the lands of other non Maya villages. Balderamos Garcia writes that her Ministry has received complaints from villages of Yemeri Grove and Barranco that certain Maya villages may be claiming and occupying lands which these non-Maya villages consider to be theirs.
Balderamos warns that "If there is such an expansionist position being adopted by these Maya villages or residents using the ruling of the Caribbean Court of Justice as justification our Ministry must take note." End quote.
She adds that the boundaries of all villages have not yet been definitively set and boundaries must be mutually agreed upon.
It's an attempt by the state to try and create some order and restraint - especially around those Garifuna villages - whose existence may actually pre-date that of their Maya neighbors.
