Invasion of Chiquibul

Friday, November 18, 2011, 14:50

This news item was posted in Headline category and has 14 Comments so far.

FCD Executive Director, Rafael Manzanero, raises the alarm over plundering in the Chiquibul

“As Belizeans we get the impression that we need to do something, in our case we are saying we need to do something urgently” - Rafael Manzanero – Exec. Dir., Friends for Conservation

BELIZE CITY, Wednesday, November 16th, 2011

By Alton Humes

It is no secret that Belize’s national security is under extreme threat. The break-in at the Belize Defense Force armory from where 42 high-powered weapons were stolen reflected how vulnerable our nation’s security has become. The increased presence of drug traffickers is more evidence, and so is the heightened and rampant criminal activity. But nowhere is there microcosm of the serious and almost unabated threat than in the area of the Chiquibul Forest in the Cayo District, which remains Ground Zero for ‘invasion’ of natural resources that belong to Belize.

That was the chief focus of a press conference held today at the Radisson Fort George Hotel’s VIP Room in Belize City. Spearheaded by the Friends for Conservation and Development (FCD), who co-manages the vast area along with the Sarstoon-Temash Institute for Indigenous Management (SATIIM), the conference was specifically designed to present an update on the status of the Chiquibul Forest, the issues that face it and its management, and possible long-term solutions.

The press conference served to first and foremost present a clear picture of what was taking place in Belizean territory. The area is niche to some of the finest, more pristine rainforest, and is comprises of three main areas: the Caracol Maya Ruin-Archeological Reserve; the Chiquibul National Park and the Chiquibul Forest Reserve. It houses the largest, most diverse caving system in the country, and its water catchments directly serve the needs of most to all of the Cayo District, and the nation. But that is precisely why its treasures are ripe for plunder by Guatemalans.

The situation is badly out of hand. There is illegal agriculture encroachment, harvesting of non-timber forest products, illegal logging, poaching of protected animals and endangered species, and constant incursions. The message was crystal clear…it’s much worse than we’ve known and/or feared, and unless we end it now where it can be controlled, it’ll get way beyond our control.

Since 2007, the incursion unto Belizean territory for agriculture exploitation has increased exponentially. Data shows that deforestation has increased by almost 1,500 hectares of land since 2007. Whether the invasion stops or not, it doesn’t change the fact that FCD pretty much stands alone in the area, while valuable and costly flora and fauna (scarlet macaws, xate, cedar, mahogany and general trees and plants) are ‘raped’ from our forest, and to the tune of millions of Belize dollars. Just for context, a man, Rigoberto Gutierrez, a Guatemalan citizen, has his milpa knee-deep inside Belizean territory, and not even the high-and-mighty Organization of American States has been able to get him off. He has even been busted with firearms used for hunting, and Belize has laws against illegal, unregistered firearms; he hasn’t yet seen a day in our courts.

Rigoberto Gutierrez, a Guatemalan, has his home and milpa deep inside Belizean territory

If the trend continues unabated, in twenty years the total area that would have fallen under exploitation would have doubled, to 9,749 hectares.

“In 2009 – 4,680 odd hectares were cleared. Now as of April, 2011 we have an area of 4,900 almost 5,000 hectares being cleared. From 2009 we don’t have any good imagery for 2010 to see what was the area but from 2009 to 2011 April we had an increase, an expansion of deforestation of 250 hectares. FCD over the last years have been embarking on a monitoring system trying to measure the nests. Over three years, 2008, 2010, 2011 a total of 38 Scarlet macaw nests were monitored, out of those 38 monitored nests, 58% of those were poached, more than half. Looking at it year by year, in 2008 – 10 macaw nests were monitored, out of those 50% of those were lost; in 2010 – 19 macaw nests were monitored the percentage lost due to poaching, 47.4% and this year we have the greatest loss, out of all the nests monitored, only one managed to fledge so we have a very, very bad situation going on here, there is no indication of a decline or remain stable but we have an exponential increase,” informed Boris Arevalo, Wildlife Manager for FCD.

There is a monetary value to the loss suffered from the exploitation to the tune of millions of dollars.

Rafael Manzanero, FCD’s Executive Director, presented a set of recommendations that would help to end the plundering, but it is unknown if the current Government would implement such recommendations (a ‘Peace Park’ co-operation program with Guatemala is on the list).

When asked about the possibility of a National Environmental Task Force to supplant their small, but strong ranks, Manzanero was hopeful about such a possibility. But this is now, and solutions must be found if we are to stave off this sustained and merciless assault on our nation’s bounty.

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14 Responses to “Invasion of Chiquibul”

Bill said on Saturday, November 19, 2011, 19:49

¡Malditos beliceños! los que están invadiendo son ustedes muertos de hambre. Sus malditos soldados intimidan y queman los sembrados y sus humildes casas de los chapines que están en territorio guatemalteco. Me gustaría que hicieron eso frente a los soldados kaibiles para verlos quedar como cucarachas aplastadas. Por suerte sus hombres armados que juegan de soldaditos ya les va acabar la fiesta cuando tome posesión el General Otto Pérez Molina. Si me topo a un beliceño en mi hermosa tierra no respondo con lo que le vaya a suceder, ¡malditos negros, beliceños!
Sarkis said on Sunday, November 20, 2011, 0:18

-I m not suporting the first comment . just want to make cristal clear that that land the land you call home is a land that we Guatemans let you live in not because we want to but because we are forced to. The people wo brot you in to this land is not taking responsability over your ass. so chill out with the violence and let’s all live in paz.
Ganga said on Sunday, November 20, 2011, 1:14

Id you keep doing what youve don with my paisanos from Guatemala you belizins are gonna get in trouble. What you did is provoking Guatemala to invade you an regain our stolen land from you and england. You don’t know who you r trying to play with. We will make you stop treating our guatemalan people bad. And you will receive the double you’ve sone bad.
Ganga said on Sunday, November 20, 2011, 1:19

Lo malo que a quie a guatemala city (porque aqui si es una verdadera metropolis), bienen a parat buscando trabajo busando trabajo falsificando y comprando papeles, como ellos no tienen ni infraestructura miren si ciudad sucia parece un pueblucho muero se hambre! Batanea a la mierda de aqui monos cerotes!
Retired CEO said on Sunday, November 20, 2011, 15:44

Very sad comments, however it goes to show, how vulnerable and fragile this unholy allaince we have with our unfriendly neighbour, nevertheless we live in a world of denial and pretense, pretending that all is well on the western front. Very unfortunately I can one day soon, perhaps in the not too distant future see the reality unfolded with the Guats making an attempt to invade our once tranquil heaven of democracy. Thanks to the current PM and his bunch of bufoons in the GOB. Wake up! Rise up my fellow Belizeans, all that glitters is not gold.
Matias said on Sunday, November 20, 2011, 18:56

Poor Belizeans do not know what they’re getting, we are provoking a war almost certain to prepare poor blacks believe that the new President to have hara Guatemala Belize recover our department and send those apes back to Britain , hopefully our kaibiles are already guarding the border and give to those Belizeans bullets are nothing to us, that Guatemala live, if tomorrow your sacred soil foreign invasion threatens free to wind your beautiful flag to win or die call.
Lucas said on Sunday, November 20, 2011, 23:30

My name is Lucas Sanchez Cocom and let me say that SOLO LOS COBARDES SE ESCONDEN PARA LANZAR INSULTOS PERO A ESTOS COBARDES QUIERO DECIRLES QUE: UNA COSA ES LLAMAR AL DIABLO Y OTRA COSA ES VERLO VENIR Y, PEOR SI VIENE DESNUDO. These insults only puts in danger the lives of their inocent country-people who live in Belize. I would say to these cowards: BE CAREFUL.
Lucas said on Monday, November 21, 2011, 0:47

The Belize time should be very careful where they place blame because the PUP shares a lot of the blame. If when the PUP was in govt. would had taken immediate measures from the start, we would not have these problems which now have become explosive problems and the sad part is, we are not ready to face-off an invasion. I believe that hit and run tactics (guerrilla style) carried out by well trained and well equipped snippers is necessary for the job. Divide the territory in zones and sent the snippers out in pairs with orders to shoot at horses, equipements, destroy their provision and burn their camps. At night shoot into the air. Like ghosts show themselves just to disappear again in the jungle. retrieve the pair and sent out another pair. The strategy is not to confront but to constantly harass. These Guats come because they know that it is safe and will continue to come until they realize it is safe no more. I can assure anyone that the Guats will get scared when all of a sudden the horse falls death from under the rider; or that a chain saw expoldes in their hands, or that the bark of a tree flys around them as it is ripped off by a bullet. or that the camp all of a sudden catches fire; or suddenly find out that some one has been staring at them since who knows for how long.
Retired CEO said on Monday, November 21, 2011, 8:36

We cannot forever continue to cast blame on those who were once in power, the buck must stop at the current leadership, those who are currently in charge must take absolute responsibility for what is currently happenning on their shift. The current PM, and his bunch of bufoons have been running the show for the more than four years now, this is the nature of Leadership, the buck stops at whose in charge not what was or who were in charge.
Ricky Malthus said on Tuesday, November 22, 2011, 11:33

We don’t want guatemala to rape our forests but we don’t want Jamaicans,Barbadians, and the people of Caricom to rape us or our forests either. Furthermore, Caricom is raping our businesses, our Supreme Court System, our social system, our Belize Central Bank ( there are trained caribbean Quislings managing the BCB), our fisheries, our nationality, our livelihood and our economy. So , please put everything on the table and inform Belizeans what’s really happenning to and in our country. Which of the Raping is worse, being raped by Guatemala or being raped by Caricom ? Come on Jules, let’s put the tough questions to that ape-shitting Barrow if you know how to talk. Remember time is not on your side.
Ricky Malthus said on Tuesday, November 22, 2011, 11:42

Rafael, please do you homework more efficiently for efficacy on the ground. Yes, Guatemala has committed a heinous act but has it ever entered into your mind that you stood by and did nothing while the entire country is being raped continuously and the quantatively analysis shows that we have lost several billions of our dollars over the past 25 years. So please go call a press conference to explain this and try to get Jules to attend. He is such a buffoon when he challenges the PUPs.
Be Real said on Tuesday, November 22, 2011, 12:39

Guates are just haad head. Belize da fi Belize. Why did they not try and get the land from Britain long before Independence instead of trying to intimidate little Belize because they think Guatemala has much bigger army. I see Guate’s bluff. It is 2 decades and a Cold War too late for Guatemala to even seriously contemplate invading Belize. The balance of power in global politics has shifted over 2 decades and countries who are not in NATO cannot thinik about invade another country unless they have secret approval from NATO and US. Russia only invades neighbouring countries when push comes to shove. Guate attacking Belize would end with Guatemala being bombed to stone age by the Western Powers unless they manage to secretly get the West to back them which is highly unlikely because Belize is a former British colony and because of that Britain would not countenance a Guate invasion. And since Britain and US are the closest of all allies the US would side with Britain and put Guate in its place by telling them that they do not want a war in their backyard unless it is approvaed by Washington. GUATEMALA ARE JUST BLUFFING. THE PROBLEM IS THAT GUATE CITIZENS JUST NUH UNDERSTAND THAT BELIZE DA FI BELIZE!!!
Leo said on Saturday, November 26, 2011, 1:37

Please My fellow Belizeans We were divided by the British so that they could exploit the land, but we are in a new era today so lets all Unite, Creole, Mestizo, Maya Garifuna and others or whoever has a Belizean Passport and lets build a fence on the western part of the country. The fence should be monitered and gates open every now and then to allow the crossing of wildlife. The United States is building a fence at the Mexican border so why shouldn’t we do it. Lets Put politics aside Mr. Musa loves his country and the prime Minister loves his country, Lets keep the spirit of the father of the NATION!
Juan Pueblo said on Wednesday, February 1, 2012, 8:40

Be real, you are real stupid. First NATO has no business in America, it is an European alliance. Second there are treaties in Latin America that call for nations formed more than 100 years ago to protect the continent from invasion (this would include the Brits !). So if you think that the Guatemalan army will not invade beliceans territory your are sorely wrong. Right now as president Guatemala has a former chief of military intelligence, and the man responsible for genocide in the Ixcan area. Do you think he cares what the US says? He will be planting bombs and an army in Belize, unless your poor government arrests and condemns the responsible parties of a recent murder of a Guatemalan peasant by a dumb border incursion from your armed forces. Guatemala has nothing to loose and much to gain by invading Belize. Englandis currently too busy in Argentina to defend you, and the gringos have no reason to interfere, and no money for that either. Belize needs to appeal to the UN for a mediator and the OEA for legal support in this matter.