"How you can end the the Guatemalan Claim" - that's the name of a new book launched by Assad Shoman and published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The original idea was that the book by Belize's pre-eminent living historian would be used as an awareness tool, to get the public to support the referendum. But, as Shoman himself says, there's not going to be a referendum this year, or next. Still, they launched the book today in the hope that it can help to build critical mass and support for the referendum going forward:..
Assad Shoman
"I can tell you that those resolutions do not in any way guarantee our borders. We never even discussed borders, not United Nations, in that struggle for independence. We were fight for the right to be independent, but they do not have the effect of defining a border. The UN resolutions on the membership of the United Nation, does not even reflect what our borders are. The only organ under the United Nation system which is qualified to define a border legally is International Court of Justice - the only one. Any decision of that court is binding and the Security Council which is the only organ of the United Nations empowers to take action including military action."
"How can we achieve real safety and security not just by shouting "dis da fu we" but by having other countries and especially the one that claims us Guatemala recognize that this is for us. How do we achieve that because that is the only way we can have real security."
Find the book at: http://www.belizereferendum.gov.bz//images/documents/How%20You%20Can%20End%20The%20Guatemalan%20Claim.pdf.
Shoman also discussed Belize's standing as a sovereign nation. Many people like to relay on the fact that this country is accepted as an equal in the fraternity of nations at the United Nations - and this alone stands as a testament to our sovereignty. Shoman says it's not that simple:..
Assad Shoman
"To now say we are considering it and we've been considering it for some time and we take a positive stand on it is very disappointing to me yes. Very disappointed and I understand sometimes that politics gets in the way of moving forward as a people. As I said last night I would think that not supporting this going to the court clearly and ambiguously now on behalf of the PUP leaders is a betrayal of what the PUP has been doing all its existence which was to achieve independence for territorial integrity."
Shoman also commented on the PUP's recent hesitation about coming to a decision to support the referendum process., The party has long been deliberating, but not coming to a decision. For this former PUP Minister of Foreign Affairs, that's a disappointment - we also asked the current leader for his view on it:..
Hon. Francis Fonseca
"We respect what he has to say but I had made it very clear on many occasions that the People's United Party will proceed on this matter at its own pace. He is right, the People's United Party started this process and we have an obligation to respect the process and we are treating it with the seriousness that it requires and demands, but we will not be pushed in the wrong direction. This is not Assad Shoman's People's United Party. This is not the PUP of 1950. This is not the PUP of 1981. This is not the PUP of 1998. This is not even the PUP of 2008. Political parties are not static bodies. They change, they evolve and the new people come into those organizations with new ideas and we have to respect that and we have to grow from that."
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