| Arguments Close in Mayan Land Rights Case |
| Thu, June 21, 2007 |
|
Closing arguments were heard today in the case of the Villagers of Conejo
and Santa Cruz against the government of Belize. In her closing this morning,
government's attorney Nicola Cho argued that the Mayas had not been discriminated
against and re-asserted that they did not have an unbroken history of occupation
of the Toledo District. Antonette Moore rebutted in the afternoon, arguing that
customary land rights had been established over centuries by the Mayans. On
leaving the courtroom, Director of the Julian Cho Society Christina Coc was
upbeat.
Christina Coc, Julian Cho Society
"I am relieved. I am excited and I am relieved. I am really pleased
with the way that all has unfolded. We are making history. I am very grateful
for the opportunity to finally have a voice in the justice system, finally have
a face in the nation of Belize. To know that those forests in Toledo are not
empty, there are Mayan people there that have practiced distinct livelihood
and that have been forced to prove this, not just to the court but to the nation
of Belize, to the world that we do in fact hold aboriginal title to the land
that we currently use and occupy. We have proven to the court that we do in
fact have customary rights."
Antonette Moore, Attorney for Mayas
"I would say that I am cautiously optimistic. I think that certainly
the claimants have presented the very strong case and I rebutted many of the
points that defense raised this morning and I can only say that I am cautious,
cautiously optimistic.
In my rebuttal I believe I sufficiently answered each of the points that
the government raised, two of them being the continuity issue, that the indigenous
people in southern Toledo have not been able to show continuity, that they have
been on that land throughout, from before the British arrived and before the
Spaniards arrived. The indigenous people who were here when the British came,
were practicing a system of land management and land use, land ownership, that
could be described as nothing else but customary land tenure."
Janelle Chanona, News 5
"If you are to be successful, how difficult do you think it will be for
the government to implement the relief that you are seeking?"
Antonette Moore,
"I don't believe...it would be very difficult for me to say but I don't
believe it would be extremely difficult. I think certainly it will require a
change in mindset but beyond that certainly it will also require perhaps changes
in legislation, change in conduct. So perhaps it will be difficult but I have
faith in Belize."
The Chief Justice has reserved judgement for a date to be announced.
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