There was another incident with Guatemala in the disputed Sarstoon River this weekend - and tonight, it is causing major political and diplomatic waves. As we told you last week, Wil Maheia and the Belize Territorial Volunteers organized a trip to the Gracias a Dios monument to mark the one-year anniversary of Belizeans being detained by the Guatemalan Military on the Sarstoon. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned strongly against it, but the Volunteers were undeterred. They set out on Saturday only to encounter a Guatemalan navy that was determined to drive them off. They blockaded the river, and did so while coming over to the Belize half of the Sarstoon. The volunteers group turned back- and no one was hurt. But the encounter has left a deep impression in the national psyche - because the message is Belizeans can't go into the Sarstoon.
Today Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington said he was relived no one was hurt:...
Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs
"I think what we are very thankful for is that nobody got injured and in fact they came back safe. Nobody was taken to Guatemala. Nobody was taken into custody and that ended well. There is a suggestion coming from our military that one of the Guatemalan vessels may have entered into Belizean territory and that we are going to deal with in the usual way. We would lodge a protest and a strong protest to the Guatemalans saying that we do not countenance that kind of activity. Because if we were to come into conflict with the Guatemalans and that were to erupt into violence, the likelihood is that innocent people would get killed or damaged. This is an area that is disputed and you have the potential for harm to come about. It could be inadvertently, but in situations where there is tension or there is likely to be tension, one needs to be prudent."
Reporter
"Sir, from what I saw on Saturday from 4-5 Guatemalan boats filled with armed military men. They somewhat created a barrier in front of at the mouth of the Sarstoon River. Clearly, I think more than two of them were in Belizean waters. One of them was directly in front of the Forward Operating Base. My first question is whether or not would you concede that we lost Sarstoon Island or Sarstoon River? And 2) you mentioned that any Belizean who may go in that area may put themselves in danger. Does that mean that our Belize Defence Force soldiers cannot go freely to the FOB without seeking permission of the Guatemalan Naval Ship captain?"
Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs
"It is not understanding that they have ever been seeking permission to do that. It is my understanding they have always been going there and they have always been going there freely."
Reporter
"Do you agree that Guatemala is in total control of the Sarstoon River and Sarstoon Island?"
Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs
"No. I don't agree with that at all. I don't subscribe to that at all. As far as I know our military go up there every week, every single week and I suspect that our fisher folk are other people use that water very freely. But their position is consistent, they claimed the area and therefore they think they are protecting their territory. We claim part of the area and we want to go there. So we have a dispute."
Reporter
"Not our territory...."
Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs
"How do you mean we are not protecting it?"
Reporter
"Just recently you are building a forward operating base."
Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs
"Yeah, we are building our forward operating base on our side of the Sarstoon."
Reporter
"To which one of the Guatemalan boats were directly in front of. It gives us the impression as though...."
Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs
"No. Listen to this. The fact that you claimed something, does not mean that others don't claimed it. Nothing that just happened has surprised us. We understand these things and we are prepared for it. We are very grateful that nothing more serious occurred Saturday that what occurred. What they want to prove by going down there and getting yourself locked up? Last time when the group went down there, Guatemalans collected them and took them to Guatemala. They brought them back the following morning or they release them the following morning. What do you want Belize to do under those circumstances?"
Daniel Ortiz
"Sir but aren't showing clear instances where we will only co-exist with Guatemala if we are submissive?"
Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs
"Actually no. It is not my sense Daniel that the Guatemalans are coming over here and doing anything to us. But it is not the responsibility of any and everybody to go out there and try to solve that. We have authorities to solve it. We have people who area skilled, who are trained and who are paid to deal with that. We don't want anybody to go and interfere with that situation. Because by doing so, you are putting your soldiers in harm's way unnecessarily."
Elrington also reacted to the PUP's position that Belize should recall its Ambassador to Guatemala Alexis Rosado because of the aggressive profile that Guatemala's military and foreign relations has taken. Elrington scoffed at that:
Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs
"It's got to be a most ridiculous call. Why would you be doing that? So what, you don't want to continue to talk to the Guatemalans? How are you going to solve the problem with them unless you talk to them? You have to talk to them. They are not going to move you know. They will stay there in perpetuity. Now you want to have enemies behind you, or you want friends? And how do you go about getting friends? By behaving belligerent? No. Not being submissive neither. The Guatemalans are saying I want to deal with it at the ICJ."
Elrington also noted that it was under the PUP that BDF soldiers were arrested and locked up by the Guatemalan military - which led to negotiations where the words boundary or border was substituted for "adjacency zone."
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