Last night, we took you to the Supreme Court for an injunction hearing in the case from the PUP. They are trying to delay the ICJ Referendum, which is scheduled for next week Wednesday.
The Government and, indeed, the entire nation, have been preparing for this referendum for months now, but if the PUP is successful tomorrow, Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin could order the Government to postpone it until further notice. That's if he is convinced that the PUP parliamentarians who take issue with the 2008 Special Agreement have a legitimate case.
These parliamentarians say that the Special Agreement is defective because the Barrow Government did not ratify it in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The Government strongly disagrees, and they've retained Former PUP Foreign Minister Lisa Shoman to defend them in this case along with the new Solicitor General and her team.
And now, Shoman's professional decision to take the case has led to a sinister thread of social media comments, with online bullies calling her a traitor and saying on facebook that she is treasonous, the penalty for which - one poster says - is death.
It's very ugly stuff, and Shoman yesterday posted: "I have no issue with anyone who wants to disagree with me or call me ugly names. But this man calls me a traitor and his post on Belize Forever 8867 is advocating my death. That is a direct threat. Those who push this kind of hatred need to understand and accept your role in fomenting violence." End quote.
She told us this evening that she is taking no chances, and she has reported the incident to police out of an abundance of caution.
The social partner Senators, Mark Lizarraga, Ashley Rock, Elena Smith, and Osmany Salas, have issued a joint statement condemning the threats against Shoman.
Their press release says, quote, "We, the Social Sector Senators, wish to make a pointed call for respect and tolerance for all in Belize irrespective of their personal positions on any matter, and do hereby strongly condemn any threats of violence against Attorney Lisa Shoman. The current divisive climate in our country is becoming more pronounced and the invective unfortunately even worse so. There is no place in Belize for bullying of any kind, let alone death threats and any threats or calls for either force or violence. We condemn those without hesitation, and call on all leaders in Belize, political and otherwise, to keep the peace in our beloved Nation..." End quote.
The Belize Network of NGO's also showed support for Shoman, and in their press release they say, quote, "The Belize Network of NGOs hereby condemns the threats of violence against Belizeans, in this the final days of education and awareness to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) vote….We call on the appropriate authorities to take all threats of violence on social media and other public platforms seriously…Such behavior is unacceptable." End quote
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