7 News Belize

Garbutt’s Falls, A Slight Return
posted (May 18, 2015)
The last time the Belize Territorial Volunteers visited the country's southernmost border marker at Gracias A Dios, they were detained by Guatemalan Authorities for allegedly straying into Guatemalan waters.

Well, the leaders of this activist group were determined that this setback wouldn't stop them from going to other markers, and they organized a trip yesterday.

This one was to the Garbutt's Falls marker in Western Belize, which separates Benque Viejo Town from Guatemala's Melchor De Menchos. Did this one cause any agitation at the western frontier? Well, our news team was there to capture the entire event on camera, and Daniel Ortiz Reports:

Daniel Ortiz reporting
At around 6 a.m. yesterday, 4 chartered buses, started taking on passengers at the Orange Walk Bus Terminal. These residents, intended to take a trip to the Garbutt's falls Border Marker to support the Northern Territorial Volunteers.

Each bus then made the trip all the way from Orange Walk Town to the Western Border.

About 4 hours later, the bus arrived at the beginning of the foot trail to the marker, and the passengers disembarked.

It was the biggest crowd that the Belize Territorial Volunteers had attracted to date, and they all made their trek through the unofficial contraband trail to the border mark, the entire length of which is right beside the fenced facility of the Belizean and Guatemalan immigration hubs for the Western Border.

It was only a 10 to 15 minute walk, and they soon arrived at the location known as Garbutt's Falls.

The leaders of the Territorial Volunteers were pleased that so many wanted to see a border point for themselves.

Antonio Giovanni De La Fuente - Leader, Northern Territorial Volunteers
"Well brother, I don't know what it is with the people from Orange Walk, but all we did was say we are going to Garbutt Falls Monument and the people of Orange Walk just turned up. And we had to close off at 4 buses and I'm sure we could have had more. But due to the fact that we knew that we would not be accompanied by any security forces today, we decided to close off at 4 buses which was the maximum that we felt comfortable with to bring here on our own."

Wil Maheia - Pioneer, Belize Territorial Volunteers
"I am so happy to see hundreds of Belizeans out there to today. To show solidarity with Belize, the world and government of Belize that yes indeed we do have a border. We're here at Garbutt Falls. And like Don Hector said, there is nothing artificial about Garbutt Falls. This is a real border, if you were on the other side of the fall, you're in Guatemala. If you're on this side you're in Belize. So there is no confusion about it."

Antonio Giovanni De La Fuente - Leader, Northern Territorial Volunteers
"We have effectively become somewhat a tour group. We seem to be taking Belizeans around to their monuments and as long as Belizeans want to come I think we should. And I will encourage other groups to do the same."

Wil Maheia - Pioneer, Belize Territorial Volunteers
"Big respect to the people of the North, the 'Orange Walkenos' and to other Belizeans who are out here today. This is the biggest gathering, the movement is definitely growing, and Belizeans are becoming more and more conscious. This is not a political thing, this is not a PUP, UDP, VIP or PNP thing. This is a Belizean thing and this is a time when we unite across party lines and show that Belizeans are first. Our country is first. As you can see, the monument has been neglected for many years, the garbage that is around here, the place is neglected. So to bring awareness to that and the northern territorial volunteers and all the volunteers will be painting the monument today to show again that yes that border marker separates us from Guatemala."

Alfredo Ortega - Participant, Garbutt's Falls Expedition
"This is my first time coming to get to know this monument over here. I have heard about the Garbutt Falls and the monument, this is the first time I am here. But for me it is a very important trip and with all these people that are here and as he had already said, I see some of my nephews are here along also. Because it is very important that we get to know where our markers are, what is our border, because if we can recall our minister said that we have an imaginary line. And I don't see where the imaginary line is because I'm not seeing anything in the sky, I'm seeing the land. And I can see clearly that there is a marker that demonstrates."

The activities at the border marker did attract the attention of the Guatemalan authorities, who came by checked what was happening, and then went on their way. Pretty uneventful as compared to the last trip, but the BTV says that citizen security while on these trips remain on the highest concern.

Antonio Giovanni De La Fuente - Leader, Northern Territorial Volunteers
"It is not the duty of us to provide security. It is the duty of the government of Belize to protect its citizens. I am quite sure that if a group of Mexican journalists, Nicaraguan journalists, American Journalists or students were on their way to this monument and they would have gone through the procedure what we did of informing the government, the Ministry of National Security, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs - there would be a contingent of security forces here."

At the top of our newscast, we showed you the meeting between the Belizean and Guatemalan Foreign Minister in Belize. They discussed the steps to be taken to amend the special agreement so that Guatemala can hold a referendum before Belize does on whether or not to go to the ICJ.

The BTV was started by it's pioneer, Wil Maheia, as an event to raise awareness and support against going to the ICJ. When we asked about his position on this amendment, Maheia condemned it on behalf of the BTV:

Wil Maheia - Pioneer, Belize Territorial Volunteers
"We condemn the fact that Minister Elrington is going to Guatemala. We hope that he would rethink his position and don't go to Guatemala to sign any amendment. He has not consulted with the people of Belize. Is this where we are going? Into a dictatorial government? And I would like to appeal to the Prime Minister and to other members of cabinet to urge him not to go because it is the wrong thing to do. We, the Belize Territorial Volunteers, definitely condemn such a move. You are going to sign an amendment that would give Guatemalans the right to have a referendum before us. Then they will be able to dictate whether or not we go to ICJ, if we go to ICJ we stand to lose land and sea. we say no to ICJ, no the referendum, and that the minister and the government is out of line for going to Guatemala, signing, appeasing Guatemala again without even consulting the Belizean people. We are the government, not just the UDP ministers."

Daniel Ortiz
"Persons hear you speaking so strongly against the position of the government, they'd mister Wil, he is a politician, he is running against them, he will at some point try to replace them. You aren't just pondering to public opinion just to try to gain popularity."

Wil Maheia - Pioneer, Belize Territorial Volunteers
"I think my record speaks for itself, my character speaks for itself, I have been doing this long before I got into politics. And maybe the reason why I got into politics was because none of the other two parties, none of the PUP, UDP have been listening to the people of Belize. And I hope that the people of Belize realize what they are in for and realize that if we succumb to their demands of going to the ICJ we can lose parts of our territory."

This weekend's trip was the BTV's second expedition to Garbutt's Falls. They first went there in June of 2013.

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