Harsh words were thrown last night at the Sacred Heart College Auditorium in San Ignacio. The event was the ICJ Lecture Series sponsored by "The Consortium of the University of Belize and the Social Sector Senators." It's a national tour where speakers from all three sides: yes, no and impartial present their arguments to the public.
Foreign Affairs CEO Ambassador Alexis Rosado presents on the "The Facts of the Claim"; while historian Assad Shoman presents on the case for going to the ICJ, while the Belize Peace Movement and other stakeholders present the "No to ICJ" position - in this case it was independent politician Paul Morgan.
Well, Shoman cut a wide swathe when he spoke about distorters and political opportunist in his address - we have this video courtesy HITZ 100 - "OYE" FM out of Cayo:
Dr. Assad Shoman, Author, Guatemalas Claim to Belize
"A small band of fact distorters jammed the radio waves, crowd Facebook pages preaching doom and gloom and making stuff up. What stuff? Well, that the special agreement rubbishes the 1859 treaty. But nothing in the wording of the special agreement does that. Belize has no idea about what Guatemala's case would look like if we decided to go to the ICJ and that therefore this puts us at a disadvantage when we go to court. The truth is it doesn't matter that we don't know exactly what they would claim. Its better for us if they claim the whole country, because it exposes the absurdity of the situation. It's better for us in a psychological way, not in the legal way. Whatever they claimed legally, they are going to lose. But think of it. If they claim the whole country and already they have recognized this country. So the court will - what are have you recognized? They won't have a territory? Can you have a country without a territory? They will just expose their absurdity. The more they claim, the more stupid they look."
"I say, enough of lies and enough of false truths. It's time to call out the mis-informers in or society. It's time to recognize that many people say and do these things because they have a political agenda. Many of the loudest naysayers are people who are or have been candidates of a political party and want to boost their political capital, especially as general elections zoom ahead."
And, Shoman went even further with the political roasting, taking a page out of his 70's playbook and going for some good old fashioned socialist polemic - while taking a stab at those PUDP "corruption machines":..
Dr. Assad Shoman, Author, Guatemalas Claim to Belize
"For example the argument that we have much bigger problems that the Guatemalan claim to worry about. Rampant corruption. Remember we talked about that. And I can add out of control crime. Massive poverty. Grossed inequality etc. etc. And they say the way to fix all of that is to vote NO. So we bring down the government and then we elect a corruption free government. Magic. Easy. Just like that. Really? Wow. What party is that? At the moment we only have 2 real choices, let face it. And both have proven term after term after term, to be efficient and creative corruption machines. Yes or no?"
"Do you believe that a new party will suddenly spring up and win elections from 2 parties that spend millions of dollars to bribe people for their votes? The only way to achieve a fair and just society is to change our system of government. Change our economic policies. Adopt socialist policies that favor the poor and marginalize. Be effectively anti=capitalist and anti-imperialist. In other words make a revolution. When you are ready to do that, let me know. In the meantime you need to get rid of this claim that is destroying the environment, robbing our resources, threatening our people, mortgaging the future of our children."
But, Shoman wasn't the only one throwing words, words were thrown at him - when he was asked about the highly controversial Heads of Agreement - which he signed unto. That signing led to riots in Belize because those agreements suggested that rights may be given to Guatemala for the Sapodilla and Ranguana Cayes and waters in that area.
Shoman said they only signed because the talks were falling apart - and the British needed something to leave with. So, he signed with no intention to concede anything:
Dr. Assad Shoman, Author, Guatemalas Claim to Belize
"Can you sign a paper that says that you will discuss these various topics in future and try to reach agreement? I will call that heads of agreement. We said fine. Everything that was in that heads of agreement was subject to Belize agreeing to it in the negotiations. We felt very confident about that, because if we have the power to negotiate and to say no every time they suggest something, then we have no problem. For example the thing that was most frightening to Belizeans was that the said with the rights over the Sapodilla and Ranguana Cayes and to the waters in that, as may be agree. Now when we signed that we knew we would not agree to anything."
Paul Morgan
"But you just heard from the horse's mouth how on an international basis he and his colleagues did not intend to honor something that they signed. That my friend is a lie. It's a lie. That is a bad thing and perhaps and I'm saying this very seriously now, perhaps, just from that one statement there recorded, we should not send Assad back to negotiate anything for us, because he is a liar."
The event lasted for three hours. Again, thanks to HITZ 100 - "OYE" FM out of Cayo for the video. The tour next goes to Independence village.
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