And the government is also working on reducing the tensions along the boundary line between Laguna and Yemeri Grove. Today the PM said that they have started discussing it in Cabinet, and that they will not allow the situation to escalate into what he calls "balkanization."
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"It is unfortunate what is happening that we are starting this division between the indigenous people, the Mayans and the rest of our citizens. There's a ruling, CCJ, and we have to abide by it. Now we need to see how we can maneuver and live side by side as neighbors, as one people, as Belizeans."
"There's one country and I could assure you that our government will not give in to no more balkanization that the Mayans and the Creoles and the Hispanics, the Chinese, everybody needs to understand there is one government, there is one country, there is one people and that applies down south."
"Now what we discussed yesterday is to ensure that we can have a quick response team. That whatever we have, any of these instances happening that the police, people in the lands department, the forestry department can move out there immediately with the lands department with their maps to show where the lines is between the villages and the village boundaries and then where it does not exist then we need to be able to tell and listen, everybody needs to move away and move until we can set what are going to be the boundaries."
"So pretty much that's what we're doing. Cabinet has agreed that sometime before, hopefully before the end of the year, we want to set a full day to be able to discuss the Maya land policy and as to how it's going to be implemented, how it's going to work and to do it in such a way where we don't divide the country."
"I repeat again, a People's United Party government will not stand by, will not allow the balkanization of our country."
And the Kriol Council issued a release on the situation, saying that Yemeri Grove has been in existence for over 9 decades and has lived peacefully with the neighboring Maya communities, but that since the 2015 CCJ Consent Order, certain Maya leaders have been, quote, "encouraging actions on the ground that can only lead to ethnic disharmony." End quote.
The Kriol Council is now calling on the Maya leadership to commit to finding a solution to the difficulties between the residents of both villages. The Council says it is also prepared to play a constructive role in finding this solution. They are also calling on the government to develop mechanisms urgently in a manner that preserves the rights of all Belizeans, and they are insisting that Greg Choc recuses himself from dealing with the matter, since they believe he cannot act impartially.
