The callous execution of Special Constable Danny Conorquie at Caracol remains an issue of huge national importance tonight. Citizens and activists converged on the western border on Tuesday to protest the continuous incursions onto Belizean soil by Guatemala nationals. This is being followed by another in Belmopan on Thursday by the Tour Guides’ Association of Cayo. And another protest is in the pipeline by residents of the Cayo District for next week. In the wake of the murder last Thursday, there has been immense public outrage concerning the national security as well as the manner in which the government is handling the matter. Today, the conservation community is also taking aim squarely at the ministries of National Security and Tourism for their mediocre approach to addressing the issues. The Association of Protected Areas Management Organization is joining the national chorus in expressing its dismay. According to APAMO‘s executive director Jose Perez, it is apparent that despite all confidence building measures with Guatemala, the reality is that government needs to do more to protect Belize’s citizens, as well as its patrimony.
Jose Perez, Executive Director, APAMO
Jose Perez
“We publicly want to join the outcry and, I think, the general population in denouncing what we see as the senseless murders of one of our law enforcement officers in our territory that’s seemingly done by Guatemalans. We believe also that, or we’re appalled on the Minister of Foreign Affairs’ dismissive attitude in regards to this incident. We are also calling on the Ministry of National Security and the Ministry of Tourism, in particular to declare and develop a road map to address these illegal incursions into our protected areas. These incursions have been happening for years now, we feel that this murder is just the culmination of what has been occurring over the last three years. In 2011, actually, some villagers from San Jose, a village down south, were shot at by xateros. These incidents have been reported repeatedly to our law enforcement authorities but for some reason they have not been given the attention that they merit. As I said, unfortunately that we’ve lost a Belizean life, a young life and it’s time that government takes direct action to address these trans-boundary illegal activities. These activities are not only occurring in Chiquimula [National Park], they occur in the Columbia Forest Reserve, they occur in the Bladen Nature Reserve and our N.G.O. staff is currently being under siege by these people. We have to do something. We have to do something about this and we have to do it now. We also call on the government to be assertive in consulting with or engaging their counterparts in Guatemala. Let’s bring these people to justice man, it’s a life that we’ve lost, you know. It’s a life that we’ve lost.”
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