As we said, Cristina Coc and ten others were arraigned this morning in the Punta Gorda Magistrate Court following an early morning operation. Several persons in detention were reportedly injured when personnel from the Special Patrol Unit descended on their homes. Doors were allegedly knocked down and one man was said to have been punched in the neck, while another was struck on the leg. All eleven were roused out of their slumber and were not allowed to properly attire themselves before being dragged to Punta Gorda. Because of their partial state of undress, the men were not allowed to go before the magistrate. They resorted to borrowing various articles of clothing from others within the gathering in order to be arraigned in court. The predawn raid on Santa Cruz this morning, according to Matura-Shepherd, simply shows the power of the state in flexing its authority.
Audrey Matura-Shepherd
Audrey Matura-Shepherd, Attorney for Detained Santa Cruz Villagers
“What is amazing about this, it shows you the might of the state. The Prime Minister said in his interview on Monday that at all cost, he will make whatever authorities do whatever they have to do to bring justice and get these people. I’m don’t say we shouldn’t have justice; I believe there should be an investigation and the side of Mister Myles should be heard and the side of the community. But I want to be able to give you all today a copy of a letter that shows clearly that the police, the B.D.F. and NICH knew the problem and they knew that on that day a meeting was being held to discuss that issue and that the eviction as key to it and they were called out so that this may be done peacefully. Did they show up? No, they didn’t show up. But this morning at three-thirty or four o’clock, as though they are dealing with common criminals; they don’t even go to the border and get the Guatemalans at pre-dawn operations—they came to the village of Santa Cruz while men and women were sleeping. And what the police don’t want you all to see is that many of these people didn’t have on shirts and they were not wearing any shoes if you look because the police, in an inhumane way, refused to make them put on a simple shirt and refuse to make them put on a shoe. It is begging other friends out here that people took off their shirts and gave it to them so that they can go before the courts. And that needs to be known. So that pre-dawn operation is just showing the might of the state. It is happening in Santa Cruz and let me tell you, it happens in Belize City every day. It is not something new to me.”
As we mentioned earlier, bail arrangement was underway for the detainees to be released this evening. We will have a comprehensive report on the developments in Punta Gorda in Thursday’s newscast.
View the full article