BELIZEAN PUBLIC IN AN UPROAR OVER FOREIGN

C O N F I D E N T I A L BELMOPAN 000055

SIPDIS

WHA/CEN - JENNIFER VANTRUMP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/02/2020
TAGS: PBTS PGOV PREL OAS BH GT
SUBJECT: BELIZEAN PUBLIC IN AN UPROAR OVER FOREIGN
MINISTER'S COMMENTS TO THE OAS

Classified By: J.A. Diffily for reason 1.4(b) (d)


1. (U) SUMMARY: A comment made by Foreign Minister Wilfred
Elrington following a meeting at the Organization of American
States (OAS) has stirred widespread discontent among Belizean
nationalists, NGO,s, and political leaders. Elrington was
quoted as describing Belize,s border with Guatemala as
&artificial8 and saying that Belizeans and Guatemalans are
the &same people with the same aspirations and desires.8
While the Minister may have viewed his choice of words as
diplomatic, reactions in Belize range from mildly
disapproving to deeply offended. Some view the statement as
a mistaken use of language, while others see the comment as
failing to reflect national views. More extreme reactions
call for a public apology from Elrington, a clarification to
OAS on the GoB,s policy, or for the FM to be stripped of his
portfolio. While Prime Minister Dean Barrow has noted that
the comments were &unfortunate8, he continues in his
support of Elrington. END SUMMARY.


2. (U) On December 16, 2009, the Foreign Ministers of Belize
and Guatemala met under the auspices of the OAS in
Washington, D.C., to discuss the Belize-Guatemala Territorial
Differendum. At the meeting, it was decided to establish a
high-level working group to promote communication on the
situation of the Adjacency Zone, to analyze issues provoking
difficulties, and advance pending bilateral issues.
Additionally, it was agreed that there would be a technical
evaluation of the Confidence Building Measures to make
recommendations for improvement.


3. (U) In Belize, Elrington,s comments have caused
significant public discontent. Elrington is quoted as
saying, &We have to interact to emphasize the view that we
are not different from each other; the fact of this
artificial border does not make us different. We are still
the same people, with the same aspirations and desires.8
Elrington,s comment stirred widespread displeasure by
Belizeans concerned with maintaining the country,s
territorial integrity and opposing any notion of Guatemalan
usurpation.


4. (U) Elrington,s comment came on the heels of press
reports by the Amandala newspaper and TV Channel 7 of
increasing border incursions by Guatemalan citizens from the
Peten region. Channel 7,s coverage began on December 7 with
the report of the arrest of a 28-year-old Guatemalan in
Caracol Archaeological Reserve just 500 meters inside
Belizean territory. The Guatemalan national was caught with
two freshly killed game animal carcasses believed to have
been shot in the Chiquibul protected area. Belizean
authorities later charged him with possession of an illegal
firearm and ammunition, and he was remanded to prison until
March 16, 2010. Channel 7 aired a series of reports that
exposed deforestation, illegal logging, xate (sha-tay, a type
of ornamental palm) extraction, hunting, and farming, all
attributed to Guatemalan incursions in the Chiquibul Forest
Reserve. On December 11, the Amandala newspaper reported a
visit by Mayan leaders into the Columbia River Forest Reserve
and Bladen Nature Reserve which lie further south of the
Chiquibul Forest Reserve. The report uncovered similar
illegal operations by Guatemalan xateros.


5. (U) Following the OAS meeting, there were heated
nationalist reactions condemning the Foreign Minister,s
comments. Elrington staunchly defended his views in
interviews. In an attempt to explain what he meant by
&artificial" Elrington noted that the border was artificial
in the literal sense that it is a man-made border as opposed
to a natural border. In a later interview with Amandala on
December 21, 2009, Elrington said that in Europe the
importance of borders is downplayed. He noted that Belize
participates in the Central American Integration System
(SICA) and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) ) which are
similar systems that downplay borders.


6. (U) These views failed to quell the outrage of
nationalists, NGOs, the media, and fellow political
personalities who have accused Elrington of failing to
reflect Belizean national views. There have been calls for a
public apology from Elrington and demands that the GoB
clarify its position to the OAS. The most extreme demands
were for the Prime Minister to strip Elrington of his
ministerial portfolio.


7. (U) The initial reaction was sparked by nationalist Emma
Boiton, who was the partner of the late Philip Goldson, a
noted Belizean independence figure. Ms. Boiton was quoted in
the Amandala Newspaper of December 18, &Their (Guatemala,s)
goal is to take what does not belong to them; their goal is
to take over Belize.8 She went on to say that &We (Belize)

have a border and we are not the same people,8 adding that
Belize and Guatemala do not even share the same language, the
same culture, or the same beliefs.


8. (U) Gregory Ch,oc, Executive Director of the Sarstoon
Temash Institute for Indigenous Management (SATIIM) noted
that Elrington,s comments were &outrightly outrageous.8
He has been among those urging PM Barrow to replace the
Foreign Minister or risk Elrington,s statement being viewed
as those of the GoB. (Note: Gregory Ch,oc was the previous
spokesperson of the Maya Leaders Alliance and remains a
prominent member of the Alliance. End Note.)


9. (U) While media personality Jules Vasquez viewed
Elrington,s comment as &a careless use of language8,
another media personality and KREM TV,s manager, Mose Hyde,
has been one of Elrington,s strongest critics calling for
his resignation. Hyde announced his station,s decision to
immediately cancel Elrington,s weekly television show
&Belizean Exposure8.


10. (U) On the political scene, John Briceno, the Leader of
the Opposition, said: &we can,t have a minister of
government talking about an abstract or artificial border,8
and like others has called for a public apology and possibly
a change of portfolio at the PM,s discretion.


11. (U) Senator Godwin Hulse, a nationalist and a private
sector-nominated representative in the Senate, has also been
a vocal opponent. He has called on Elrington &(to offer a
clear statement on this matter and inform the OAS
accordingly, requesting them to issue another press statement
with the clarification(8 He has challenged GoB to
&clearly state what its policy is on our border with
Guatemala and whether the Government considers it
artificial,. If not, then Elrington has not represented
the views of the Government and people of Belize, and
therefore, should apologize or resign from the post of
Foreign Minister.8


12. (U) Despite the general air of discontent, PM Barrow
continues to support Elrington. While the PM views the FM,s
comments as &unfortunate8, he said that calling for
resignation is &blowing the issue completely out of
proportion.8 PM Barrow also said that an apology and
clarification to the OAS are not necessary at this time.


13. (C) In a meeting with Ambassador on January 25,
Elrington opened the meeting with comments about the event.
He said that the &general masses8 do not have a complaint
about the statement, that the comment presented an &occasion
for enemies to express dislike8 of him, and that the
&passionate resentment8 of his enemies is fueling their
desire to &use resources to derail8 any public progress on
the issue. Elrington said that Belize does not spend enough
time educating the people on this issue.


14. (C) COMMENT. The public discontent is a reflection of
the deeply nationalist views of Belizeans who oppose any idea
of compromising their territorial integrity. The opposition
to Elrington,s comments was further incited by news of the
increasing number of incidents of border incursions by
Guatemalans who are allegedly depleting the country,s
natural resources along the unprotected border.
Additionally, Elrington,s steadfast defense of his views
also contributed to the escalating opposition. It is not
expected that the public opposition will result in any change
in GoB,s ministerial portfolio or GoB,s foreign policy
position on the Belize-Guatemala Differendum. However, the
sentiments expressed as a result of this incident may reflect
growing skepticism about the provisions of the 2008 decision
to take Guatemala,s claim for a final and binding decision
before the International Court of Justice. The Belizean
xenophobia aimed at Guatemala and Guatemalans manifests
itself in not-so-subtle ways. Even well-educated Belizeans
will speak of Guatemala as a threat to the independence of
Belize. The public outcry against a statement that was given
at the end of a productive meeting from which the Foreign
Minister emerged feeling hopeful for resolution is, from
Post,s view, unfortunate and a reflection of the lack of
effort made by the GoB to educate the public on the issues.
Post also finds it ironic that the public outcry against a
statement about the border has the ability to incite such
outrage but the public is silent on the GoB,s struggle to
deal with the issues of the daily events at the virtually
unprotected Belizean borders involving the trafficking of
people, drugs, and all types of agricultural contraband. END
COMMENT.
THUMMALAPALLY