BELMOPAN - UPDATE ON BELMOPAN PROTEST; SO FAR VERY

UNCLAS BELMOPAN 000185 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR DS/IP/WHA, DS/DSS/ITA, DS/DSS/OSAC, CA/OCS, WHA/CEN - JASON MACK E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ASEC ELAB PGOV BH SUBJECT: BELMOPAN - UPDATE ON BELMOPAN PROTEST; SO FAR VERY PEACEFUL REF: A) BELMOPAN 179; B) 05 BELIZE 55 ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: As of 1530 local (1730 EDT),Te planned protest at Belize National Assembly in Belmopan (REF A) is still in process, and has been peaceful. The protest will likely continue until the National Assembly completes debate this evening. Utilities so far have not been interrupted. The protest has smaller numbers than planned (estimate between four and five hundred present),and organizers stress the peaceful intentions. More protestors may be bussed in this evening, after normal work hours and before the National Assembly breaks. END SUMMARY ¶2. (U) The union-planned protest in Belmopan had protestors bussed in from Belize City. Information on the number of buses varied: one report counted ten buses of protestors, police stated five buses. A Locally Employed Staff (LES) member attending the debate inside the National Assembly estimated the crowds at between four and five hundred. The protestors have stressed the peaceful nature of their assembly by singing "We are non-violent." ¶3. (U) The planned strike by utility workers announced last night on Belize media has apparently not occurred, or if so, in numbers too small to impact production. No interruption of utilities has yet occurred. POL/ECON is preparing a SEPTEL on the debates and protest, but the majority of protestors are apparently teachers and not utility workers as all union predictions forecasted. The possibility of additional protestors being bussed in for the evening has been suggested by a source. After normal work hours, union members not willing to strike may still show support as the National Assembly breaks up. ¶4. (U) RSO was able to drive with DEA past the protest site; nothing was visible from the main road. An RSO FSN stated about 40-50 of the protestors were "hard core," while the majority were simply observers. Local Guard Mobile Patrols have reported nothing noteworthy. Uniformed police are on site, with tactical units staged nearby but not in view. A key indicator as to the peaceful nature of the protest is the Police Commissioner approached the chain link barricade between protestors and police, and spoke with union leaders. ¶5. Conditions will continue to be monitored, and any updates necessary will be communicated to DS Command Center. 6 (U) POC for this cable is RSO Patrick Harms at 011-501-822-4011, ext. 4007. DIETER