Yesterday we told you that several persons attended a ceremony in Indian Creek Village on Monday where they were given a "land certificate." However, this certificate wasn't from the Lands Department and holds dubious - if any - value. The lots that were reportedly surveyed and divided are actually on private property managed by the Ya'axche Conservation Trust. The Trust retained Courtenay and Coye to send this Cease and Desist letter. Still the ceremony continued and some 160 residents believe they now have title to the land.
However, the village chairman told us today that it is an illegal move by the village's alcalde. He's now asking for the government's intervention.
Domingo Choc, Chairman, Indian Creek Village
"We want to make it abundantly clear: what the village Alcalde is doing is illegal and moreover the Justice of the Peace is issuing his seal to sign land documents whereby he has no jurisdiction to do so. The village council is concerned and whereby we had recently met with the Minister, the TAA, the Maya Leaders Alliance and the Julian Cho Society to come and work together but unfortunately the Alcalde refused to cooperate with us because he believes he is the supreme leader of the village granted by the CCJ, which is against the CCJ order."
"As I mentioned earlier, we had a meeting and he agreed to work together with the village council and two days later, he jumped that agreement and he went on his own again and that is concerning to the village council and to the community as well."
Courtney Menzies:
"If I recall, the village had also wanted to rebuke the whole Alcalde System, to get rid of it in the village, is that still your position, or do you just want another alcalde?"
Domingo Choc, Chairman, Indian Creek Village
"Well at the moment, the system cannot be removed but our community are coming to the village council now that they prefer to elect a new alcalde because this alcalde himself is working alone and he is doing as he feels like he has the supreme power over the village council."
"The government officials are notified and then we want them to intervene as well to work with us and to put a stop on what the alcalde is doing."
And this isn't the first time the Indian Creek villagers and council have been at odds with the alcalde. Last year, they held a press conference asking to remove the alcalde system - or at least the alcalde.
We did reach out to the Minister of Indigenous Affairs who said that he's gathering information and needs a few days to respond.
