Sedi Elrington: There’s Nothing Special About the Sarstoon Island

Reports of aggression against Belizeans by the Guatemalan Armed Forces at the Sarstoon River have stirred national ire.  The river is shared, or should be shared, by Belize and Guatemala, but there have been repeated claims backed up by images that the GAF has been turning Belizeans away impeding them to freely paddle up the river.   Belizeans are told they must inform the B.D.F. that they wish to traverse the river—a move that is interpreted to mean that Guatemala controls movement on the entire river.  The B.D.F. has also been tasked to escort the trips.  The GAF, meanwhile, has been insisting on Belizeans to follow the “protocolo.”  At the town hall meeting Minister Elrington was asked what will be done to address the Sarstoon occupation if hypothetically Belizeans vote yes and our case is successful.

Wilfred Elrington

Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs

“The history shows that the Belize Defense Force goes up there every single week and contrary to, no, no, no, with no permission, we have always used it.  I don’t know what is the fascination with the Sarstoon Island you know, because the Guatemalan claim is to the whole country.  There’s nothing special about the Sarstoon Island.  It’s to the whole country and Belizeans have from time immemorial have gone and come back over the whole country, but what some Belizeans seem not to understand is that if you have controversy, you will have flare ups.  I am claiming your land and you believe that it belongs to you is going to create problems.”