24 years after Belizeans rose up against the Heads of Agreement, and plunged
the nation into unprecedented unrest and a state of emergency, the events which
defined and even changed the course of Belize's pre-independence history have
yet to be fully contextualized and analyzed by historians. And while Belize
saw a far tamer brand of unrest this year a group of social activists are trying
to make sure no one forgets March of 1981. A lecture series opened last night
in commemoration of the 24th anniversary of the people's rejection of the 1981
Heads of Agreement.
Turnout at last night's first forum was small and Odinga Lumumba who is
leading the effort today told us why it is important for us to remember 1981.
Odinga Lumumba,
"When they talk to you about the Heads of Agreement they mention riot,
you see, but the Heads of Agreement was an uprising against a document that
was unjust and not in the interest of the Belizean people. That was what it
was all about. You can never revisit the past, you can learn from the past and
the fact that the history of the Heads of Agreement has been denied to you,
that is the importance of these lectures. A nation that doesn't have knowledge
of its history is a nation that is doomed and that is one of the problems we
have in Belize. Without knowledge of ourselves, we are doomed to make the same
mistakes over and over and the example is exactly what situation our country
is in today because we are not realizing our self importance as a nation."
"The lecture is for all Belizeans because this is our country. I am
not talking those Belizeans who buy their passport, I am talking about we the
indigenous and the Belizeans of African descent. You see I am not talking about
those who come here and buy passports because they are not Belizeans."
Tonight's forum begins at 7 pm at the Saint John's Credit Union Conference
Room on Basra Street. Amandala Publisher Evan X Hyde is expected to speak. The
activities conclude tomorrow with a grand rally to commemorate the day when
they declared the state of emergency. The rally begins at 3 pm on Caesar Ridge
Road in front of Bismark Social Club. This is the second annual observance of
the anniversary and this year it is being held in tribute to patriot Henry Fairweather.
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