7 News Belize

Will Still Set On Volunteers’ Expedition
posted (April 29, 2016)

That’s a pretty stiff deterrent to those dozens of folks planning to join Wil Maheia on his Sarstoon sojourn tomorrow.  But, with the law in place, will the expedition still happen?  That’s what Daniel Ortiz asked him via telephone today:…

Wil Maheia - Leader, BTV
"I'm stunned that such a law was put in place given the fact that Guatemalans continue to use that part of the river and our southern cayes to conduct illegal activities. So I am stunned that we a peaceful group, non-violent, no arms, nothing like that. We will take with us nothing like that so I'm stunned that the law could apply against us on peaceful move."

Daniel Ortiz
"Is the trip still going?"

Wil Maheia - Leader, BTV
"As of now the trip is still going sir."

Still going, and he’s not alone.  Maheia says that supporters are heading down south by the busload to the launching point at Barranco.

Wil Maheia - Leader, BTV
"We have so many people standing up to go right now that we were thinking of actually having to go outside of Punta Gorda to look for boats because there is a flood of people who have signed up and you can check the buses that are getting hired to bring people to Barranco. So you know in buses you can squeeze in extra people but on boats you can't do that. So that's our big concern is the amount of boat that will be available. I would have thought the government ought to come clean with the people of Belize and let us know exactly what is going on; our 1859 treaty which is what we were going to basically celebrate tomorrow clearly states that the Sarstoon Island belongs to us and the northern part of the Sarstoon River belongs to us."

A government release says, quote, “Government advises that this course of action has become necessary in order to prevent any "commotion" or "threat to public safety" that might arise (because) of the continuing tense and dangerous standoff between Belize and Guatemala over the Sarstoon, and the tipping point that could be caused by the unregulated insertion of members of the Belizean public into this very volatile mix.â€￾

And on the one month Sarstoon shutdown, the government release says, “During the one month period…it is expected that a diplomatic solution will be found to the problem, (which) will provide for safe passage of Belizean civilians along the Sarstoon River.â€￾

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