B.D.F. Rules Of Engagement at Sarstoon F.O.B.

Tonight, we’ll begin by revisiting the media’s most recent visit to the Sarstoon, the southernmost frontier point in Belize.  Reporters were invited to join the Belize Defense Force for the inauguration of the Sarstoon Forward Operating Base.  While at the location, they were also taken on a brief tour around Sarstoon Island.  We’ll share the Opposition Leader’s position on what transpired elsewhere in our newscast.  During the tour of the Sarstoon Forward Operating Base on Thursday, the Belize Defense Force held a briefing where Brigadier General Azariel Loria responded to numerous questions on his soldiers’ activities at the base. One of those questions was, what are troops trained to do in the event they come across persons engaged in illicit activities on Belize’s side of the river? According to the B.D.F. commander, there are protocols in place in the event a situation cannot be remedied by troops on the ground. Here is what he told us.

 

Brigadier General Azariel Loria, Commander, Belize Defense Force

“Whenever we have a situation here at the river mouth that cannot be remedied by the troops on the ground, by the commander here or the commander of the Sarstoon Village, right across, the GAF. We follow the chain of command; the patrol commander informs the operations officer at Fairweather Camp and the message is transmitted to us. We have our channels of communications open with the Guatemalan Armed Forces. We, however, do coordination with our military attaches. Thankfully we our attaches. I think there is a change, a changeover going on with the attachés. But we have our Belize attaché in Guatemala.  And he does coordination. The ultimate one, if it really gets out of control is the foreign affairs ministry and they will say what to do. And, that is higher diplomacy, above the other ministries.”