In October of 2007, the Maya of southern Belize scored a historic legal
victory in the Supreme Court when Chief Justice Dr. Abdulai Conteh recognized
customary land tenure as a legal right. But that was only for two villages,
Conejo and Santa Cruz and since that ruling in the courtroom, things haven’t
really changed on the ground. So, in June the Mayan villagers under the umbrella
organizations the Toledo Alcaldes Association and the Maya Leaders Alliance
filed another lawsuit against the Government, except that this one is for 38
villages, not 2. The suit went to the Supreme Court today not for hearing, but
for case management.
According to spokesperson Christina Coc, the claim is asking that the
CJ make a blanket declaration that all Mayan villages in Toledo have the same
indigenous rights.
Christina Coc, Maya Leaders Alliance Spokesperson
“It’s frustrating, it’s actually very insulting to know
that a year has passed and the implementation itself has not amounted to anything
concrete on the ground, the negotiations have stalled and for me I feel like
I understand that change takes a long time, I understand that there is continued
resistance to implement and safeguard our rights and I believe that the court
as I have said before has only highlighted that injustice. The court itself
cannot give you that justice, cannot provide that justice for you.
We have not seen those concrete changes, acts of good faith on the part
of the Government but at the same time I believe in the faith of the Maya people,
I believe the understanding of the Belizean populace and I believe in us as 
a nation defending our rights.”
Lois Young, Attorney General’s Representative
“If we don’t crystallize what it is that we are dealing with
and we just come with these broad constitutional claims? Everybody today is
on this bandwagon of the Constitution. Constitution is an important document,
it’s the supreme law but you can’t just grab the Constitution and
say, “Oh! Violation of my Constitutional rights!” here, there. There
are certain requirements in order for you to claim a Constitutional violation.”
Adele Ramos, Amandala
Aren’t they special, considering the history of our country and what the
Maya have been through historically, don’t they have a right to claim
recognition?
Lois Young,
“What about us black people? What about us, we don’t have the
same difficult history? That’s getting personal now but if you are going
to ask me that question…Everybody in Belize has a history that they can
categorize as difficult. Every ethnic race in Belize has a history that’s
difficult.”
Senior Counsels Lois Young and Rodwell Williams, who is acting on behalf
of landowner Francis Johnson, intend to file a preliminary objection to the
case. That hearing has been set for the first of December. It is of note that
in an earlier proceeding Attorney General Wilfred Elrington gave the court an
undertaking that no leases, transfers or similar activity relating to the land
in question would occur until the court has made a final determination in the
matter.
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