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As we've told you, Justice Michelle Arana has already made a ruling on the issue of Government granting permits to US Capital to drill inside the Sarstoon Temash National Park. The parties were supposed to have participated in court ordered mediation, but today, the Executive Director announced that Government had applied to the court to discontinue this course of action. Here's how she put it:

Froyla Tzalam, New Director - SATIIM
"We were unable to have our legal team present and as he had also mentioned that once more justice is being denied to the claimant communities of the Sarstoon Temash area. As he had mentioned government of Belize had made an application to discharge the mediation order by Madam Justice Arana on August 5th, 2014. However Justice Arana had appointed a mediator after that date which to me shows her commitment to the process. We had all hope that the mediation process was one in we could get the recognition and respect for our customary laws, traditions, customs, institutions and the land tenure system to be fully and effectively addressed."

Then, as we've shown you, US Capital has been slowly gaining ground with the Mayan Communities, but SATIIM maintained that the Claimant Communities stand firm against oil exploration in their land. But, as we told you, a release came from the Mayan Village of Midway that after consulting with representatives from DAVCO, a government entity, they've changed position. Today, we asked SATIIM's executive about it:

Froyla Tzalam, New Director - SATIIM
"What we heard are individuals and it's unfortunate that you didn't hear when Greg mentioned earlier that the greatest danger that we face are not outsiders you know, it is people within our own communities who have their own agendas and so we are mindful that when we hear something being said on the national press we look at the individuals' concern and don't get all excited over what I consider a storm in at tea pot. We are mindful that there will always be these saboteurs, they are being paid. We can only continue working with the communities and continue saying we need to continue fighting because whatever benefits come, we must also have a percentage of that."

Greg Ch'oc, former Executive Director - SATIIM
"We will be meeting with Midway to ascertain the release that we've heard whether it really represent the community or it's a continuation of people within dissatisfied individual in the community making statements. At this point I can't say that it is the position of Midway."

Shortly after the press conference, one of the members of Crique Sarco pulled us aside requesting to set the record straight. He told us that he has attended one of these meetings with DAVCO, where there was misinformation. He claims that DAVCO misreported Crique Sarco's position to Central Government:

Villager of: Crique Sarco
"I was included in the village meeting when DAVCO went and had a meeting at the village of Crique Sarco."

Reporter
"What do you want to say about it?"

Villager of: Crique Sarco
"I want to let the public know that they (DAVCO) went and confuse the village. We had told them that we want oil, but we are standing on our resolution, a resolution that was filed within the villages and community and we told them not to go and tell the government that we accept oil. That's the same thing they went and did; they went and put it in the media saying that 90% of Crique Sarco is in oil. This is one thing we never did accepted."