Closing arguments were heard today in the case of the Villagers of Conejo and Santa Cruz against the government of Belize. In her closing this morning, government's attorney Nicola Cho argued that the Mayas had not been discriminated against and re-asserted that they did not have an unbroken history of occupation of the Toledo District. Antonette Moore rebutted in the afternoon, arguing that customary land rights had been established over centuries by the Mayans. On leaving the courtroom, Director of the Julian Cho Society Christina Coc was upbeat.

Christina Coc, Julian Cho Society
"I am relieved. I am excited and I am relieved. I am really pleased with the way that all has unfolded. We are making history. I am very grateful for the opportunity to finally have a voice in the justice system, finally have a face in the nation of Belize. To know that those forests in Toledo are not empty, there are Mayan people there that have practiced distinct livelihood and that have been forced to prove this, not just to the court but to the nation of Belize, to the world that we do in fact hold aboriginal title to the land that we currently use and occupy. We have proven to the court that we do in fact have customary rights."

Antonette Moore, Attorney for Mayas
"I would say that I am cautiously optimistic. I think that certainly the claimants have presented the very strong case and I rebutted many of the points that defense raised this morning and I can only say that I am cautious, cautiously optimistic.

In my rebuttal I believe I sufficiently answered each of the points that the government raised, two of them being the continuity issue, that the indigenous people in southern Toledo have not been able to show continuity, that they have been on that land throughout, from before the British arrived and before the Spaniards arrived. The indigenous people who were here when the British came, were practicing a system of land management and land use, land ownership, that could be described as nothing else but customary land tenure."

Janelle Chanona, News 5
"If you are to be successful, how difficult do you think it will be for the government to implement the relief that you are seeking?"

Antonette Moore,
"I don't believe...it would be very difficult for me to say but I don't believe it would be extremely difficult. I think certainly it will require a change in mindset but beyond that certainly it will also require perhaps changes in legislation, change in conduct. So perhaps it will be difficult but I have faith in Belize."

The Chief Justice has reserved judgement for a date to be announced.