7 News Belize

Does The BDF Want An Apology From Guat Officials
posted (September 2, 2016)
So, the BDF dodged the bullet in that incident, and they're also looking to move forward from the fatal shooting of the Guatemalan minor, Julio Ruano.

They've been exonerated in an OAS independent Investigation, but as we showed you, the Guatemalans are not accepting the findings.

So, does that make things difficult for cordial relationship between the BDF and the Guatemalan Armed Forces to continue? That's what the press asked the BDF Commander today:

Reporter
"Magdalena Talamas who is the OAS secretary general's representative on Belize-Guatemala affairs has said that they do not pronounce themselves on individual incidents, yet they put out a release repudiating the death. As the commander for the force who has been maligned by the Guatemalan president, foreign minister, etc., do you expect that the OAS would have put out a statement on what were the findings so that this is disseminated?"

Brig. Gen. David Jones, Commander - BDF
"Well they will only present the facts of investigation, there was a statement made that they repudiated the death of the minor which was unfortunate for them to have made such a statement because it implied that someone was at fault and in particular it could have implied that the BDF was at fault and it was something wrong that we did."

Reporter
"What happened on April 20th, does that change procedures that are followed by FCD rangers and the BDF?"

Brig. Gen. David Jones, Commander - BDF
"In regards to changes in tactical situations on the ground, they are going to continue patrolling with us, they are going to be brief that if there is any shooting that occurs from any direction, how exactly they are supposed to react and that will continue. There is going to be more emphasis on it now because we intend to have some more CPs in place. Two are being planned to go in shortly, Caballos and Cebada because those are two of the areas where we don't really have coverage right now and those are the two areas we suspect people are encroaching a lot inside the Chiquibul. We want the arrest the situation, so we're going to put two more Cps in that area and there's going to be more weapon handling training not only for FCD but also for members of the forestry department and Yaxche."

Reporter
"Do you foresee that the stance and the position that the Guatemalan officials have taken on the report that that's going to present a challenge in terms of the relationship that you had with your counterparts in Guatemala?"

Brig. Gen. David Jones, Commander - BDF
"It is a difficult task to continue negotiation under the circumstances of the stance being taken by Guatemala, but it's not going to affect the relationship that I have with the Guatemalan general. he is still of the opinion that things can work out peacefully, we can have an amicable solution to what's happening and he has pledged to continue working closely with me and to find a peaceful solution to what we're trying to do. I am quite pleased and happy with what the 2 independent experts have found and I am quite happy and pleased to hear that they are going to also do the investigation on the shooting of Staff Sargent Lambey and special Constable Danny Connorquie."

The Guatemalan Foreign Minister is quoted as saying that his country will be complaining to the OAS about the Secretary General's Special Representative, and Prime Minister Dean Barrow, for saying that they should apologize for those inflammatory remarks they made, accusing the BDF of murder and human rights violations.

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