Lots of countries have trouble securing their borders.
Showing posts with label Amandala Online. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Amandala Online. Show all posts
Monday, September 5, 2011
Monday, April 19, 2010
AO - 4 Somalians request political asylum
From my archive of press clippings:
Amandala Online
4 Somalians request political asylum
Posted: 09/04/2010 - 09:48 AM Author: Adele Ramos - adelescribe@gmail.com
The African nation of Somalia continues to battle what has been termed an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, and four nationals, who all tell horror stories of genocidal acts by a rival tribe, have landed in Belize, on a trek that took them to Kenya, Dubai and Brazil by plane, to Columbia by road, to Guatemala by boat and now to Belize.
Read the whole article here.
Snippet(s):
"It was in Belize that Omar Yussuf, Sadak Hirsi, Abdikafi Hassan and Mohamed Farah, in their late teens and early twenties, were busted on the night of Friday, December 4, 2009, after their cayote left them. Reports to Amandala are that Immigration authorities apprehended them as they appeared to be headed toward the Belize-Mexico border on foot."
"Amandala notes that in a similar case involving two Cubans, Pedro Garcia Carrera and Karelis de Los Angeles Sosa Sanchez, and a Somali, Nur Abdi Shire, who came to Belize in 2009, Supreme Court Justice Michelle Arana had called on the Government to convene the Committee."
&
"There are five Cubans in Belize on special permits by the Immigration Department. If the Somalis are allowed to stay in Belize, they, too, would be granted special permits, said the Immigration source. When immigrants on special permits maintain good standing, they could also regularize their status in Belize."
Amandala Online
4 Somalians request political asylum
Posted: 09/04/2010 - 09:48 AM Author: Adele Ramos - adelescribe@gmail.com
The African nation of Somalia continues to battle what has been termed an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, and four nationals, who all tell horror stories of genocidal acts by a rival tribe, have landed in Belize, on a trek that took them to Kenya, Dubai and Brazil by plane, to Columbia by road, to Guatemala by boat and now to Belize.
Read the whole article here.
Snippet(s):
"It was in Belize that Omar Yussuf, Sadak Hirsi, Abdikafi Hassan and Mohamed Farah, in their late teens and early twenties, were busted on the night of Friday, December 4, 2009, after their cayote left them. Reports to Amandala are that Immigration authorities apprehended them as they appeared to be headed toward the Belize-Mexico border on foot."
"Amandala notes that in a similar case involving two Cubans, Pedro Garcia Carrera and Karelis de Los Angeles Sosa Sanchez, and a Somali, Nur Abdi Shire, who came to Belize in 2009, Supreme Court Justice Michelle Arana had called on the Government to convene the Committee."
&
"There are five Cubans in Belize on special permits by the Immigration Department. If the Somalis are allowed to stay in Belize, they, too, would be granted special permits, said the Immigration source. When immigrants on special permits maintain good standing, they could also regularize their status in Belize."
Friday, May 15, 2009
AO - Two Cubans and a Somalian seeking refugee status find favor with Supreme Court
Amandala Online
Two Cubans and a Somalian seeking refugee status find favor with Supreme Court
Posted: 07/05/2009 - 10:55 PM
Author: Rowland A. Parks
It is standard procedure for the Government of Belize to ship people back to their countries of origin once they arrive in Belize seeking some kind of refugee status. At the Kolbe-managed prison, there are a number of persons who are awaiting repatriation to their countries of origin. Although Belize has a refugee law and is a signatory to the United Nations Refugee Convention, the rights of persons seeking refugee status in Belize are at times overlooked.
Read the whole article here.
Snippet(s):
"But today in the Supreme Court, Belize’s Refugee Law was upheld, when Justice Michelle Arana ruled in favor of human rights activist Antoinette Moore in a judicial review that she filed on behalf of two Cubans and a citizen of Somalia, who are seeking refugee status in Belize.
The two Cubans filed an application for a judicial review, challenging the Government of Belize’s policy in relation to their refugee interest. The Cubans, Pedro Garcia Carrera and Karelis de Los Angeles Sosa Sanchez, and the Somalian, Nur Abdi Shire, took the Attorney General, the Minister of National Security, and the Director of Immigration to court, asking the court to affirm their rights to seek refugee status in Belize.
In her judgment that was issued in the applicants’ favor, Justice Arana ruled that the petitioners have a right to a refugee hearing. But most importantly, while they are awaiting such a hearing, they will do so in protective custody outside the walls of the prison."
Friday, May 8, 2009
AO - Bus "agitation at the Western Border"
From my archive of press clippings:
Amandala Online
Bus "agitation at the Western Border"
Posted: 27/03/2009 - 09:48 AM
Author: Adele Ramos
For several years it has been common practice for Central American tourist buses to traverse the roads between Guatemala, Belize and Mexico, with buses making stops in Belize, picking up tourists and taking them to other stops on their route.
Read the whole article here.
Snippet(s):
"(T)he Department of Transport implemented a sudden blockade, barring the buses from crossing both northern and western borders to pick up tourists here in Belize.
Chief Transport Officer, Candelaria Saldivar, told Amandala today that Linea Dorado (which operates in Guatemala and Mexico), San Juan Express (a Guatemalan line) and ADO bus services (originating out of Mexico) had been picking up passengers in Belize at San Ignacio, Belize City (at the Belize Water Taxi Terminal), Orange Walk and Corozal, when only operators with permits issued by the department can legally do so."
Amandala Online
Bus "agitation at the Western Border"
Posted: 27/03/2009 - 09:48 AM
Author: Adele Ramos
For several years it has been common practice for Central American tourist buses to traverse the roads between Guatemala, Belize and Mexico, with buses making stops in Belize, picking up tourists and taking them to other stops on their route.
Read the whole article here.
Snippet(s):
"(T)he Department of Transport implemented a sudden blockade, barring the buses from crossing both northern and western borders to pick up tourists here in Belize.
Chief Transport Officer, Candelaria Saldivar, told Amandala today that Linea Dorado (which operates in Guatemala and Mexico), San Juan Express (a Guatemalan line) and ADO bus services (originating out of Mexico) had been picking up passengers in Belize at San Ignacio, Belize City (at the Belize Water Taxi Terminal), Orange Walk and Corozal, when only operators with permits issued by the department can legally do so."
&
"The issue that the DOT is taking with the buses is that they have been picking up passengers in Belize even though they don’t have valid road service permits, and they have been doing so for several years, claiming that they don’t need a permit to come because of a Mundo Maya agreement, which Saldivar says the Belize Government does not have a copy of.
However, there are concerns that even if there were such an agreement, it is not reciprocal, because Belize does not get the same privileges in Guatemala and Mexico as buses from those countries have in Belize. "
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
AO - Busted Guat xateros were working for Belizean!
Amandala Online
Busted Guat xateros were working for Belizean!
Posted: 08/04/2009 - 10:10 AM Author: Adele Ramos
Belizean authorities have busted a band of 16 Guatemalan xatéros who were suspected to have harvested over 70,000 leaves in late March from areas in Belize where xaté harvesting is prohibited under law. While stories of Guatemalan xatéros plundering Belizean natural resources are not new, Forest Department’s Acting Chief, Marcelo Windsor, told our newspaper that this is the first time that they have had to penalize a Belizean to whom the department had given a license to harvest xaté from the forest.
Read the whole article here.
Busted Guat xateros were working for Belizean!
Posted: 08/04/2009 - 10:10 AM Author: Adele Ramos
Belizean authorities have busted a band of 16 Guatemalan xatéros who were suspected to have harvested over 70,000 leaves in late March from areas in Belize where xaté harvesting is prohibited under law. While stories of Guatemalan xatéros plundering Belizean natural resources are not new, Forest Department’s Acting Chief, Marcelo Windsor, told our newspaper that this is the first time that they have had to penalize a Belizean to whom the department had given a license to harvest xaté from the forest.
Read the whole article here.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
AO - Cops grab Czechs with yacht stolen in Martinique
Amandala Online
Cops grab Czechs with yacht stolen in Martinique
Posted: 02/04/2009 - 09:44 PM
Author: Aaron Humes
It’s a long way from Martinique to Belize, but a boat from the French Eastern Caribbean dependency found its way here – and straight into the hands of Belize City police.
Read the whole article here.
Snippet(s):
"On Monday morning police recovered the Ishtar, a white sailing yacht, at the property of Old Belize at Mile 5 on the Western Highway.
On board the boat were three sailors from the Czech Republic: Jan Minarik, 28, Milos Gaspar, 43, and Miroslav Dolezalek, 37.
According to local police, their counterparts in Martinique had reported the boat stolen.
The Ishtar had been rented for a week in Martinique in February, but disappeared and was later reported stolen."
&
"Accompanying files list Gaspar as being sought in Platte County in the U.S. state of Missouri for failing to return a rented Coachman R/V worth US$75,000, and passing bad cheques, then fleeing the state to avoid prosecution."
Cops grab Czechs with yacht stolen in Martinique
Posted: 02/04/2009 - 09:44 PM
Author: Aaron Humes
It’s a long way from Martinique to Belize, but a boat from the French Eastern Caribbean dependency found its way here – and straight into the hands of Belize City police.
Read the whole article here.
Snippet(s):
"On Monday morning police recovered the Ishtar, a white sailing yacht, at the property of Old Belize at Mile 5 on the Western Highway.
On board the boat were three sailors from the Czech Republic: Jan Minarik, 28, Milos Gaspar, 43, and Miroslav Dolezalek, 37.
According to local police, their counterparts in Martinique had reported the boat stolen.
The Ishtar had been rented for a week in Martinique in February, but disappeared and was later reported stolen."
&
"Accompanying files list Gaspar as being sought in Platte County in the U.S. state of Missouri for failing to return a rented Coachman R/V worth US$75,000, and passing bad cheques, then fleeing the state to avoid prosecution."
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
AO - Guat milperos, xateros, loggers punk Belize
From my archive of press clippings:
Amandala Online
Guat milperos, xateros, loggers punk Belize
Posted: 24/03/2009 - 01:28 PM
Author: Adele Ramos
Guats not afraid, say Belizean law enforcement authorities “go soft” on them
Belize’s largest and most precious forest - the Chiquibul Forest – continues to be a stamping ground for Guatemalans who persist in their illegal encroachments on Belizean territory, to log precious woods such as cedar, mahogany, Santa Maria and Nargusta; cut xate palm, and even build homes, in defiance of Belize’s sovereignty and right to its territorial integrity.
Read the whole article here.
Snippet(s):
"The 2005 OAS agreement that Belize and Guatemala signed sets out specific procedures for the removal of people settling inside the zone. The agreements speak of relocating Guatemalans moving into Belize illegally after October 2000, and not before, with the exception of Santa Rosa, which was known to have existed before 2000."
"Even though the illegal settlement of Guatemalans in Belize is an undying issue, a much larger problem looms – the mass hacking of Belize’s pristine forests inside the Chiquibul National Park.
Rafael Manzanero, Program Director of the Chiquibul Maya Mountain Program and Executive Director of Friends for Conservation and Development, informed us today that Guatemalan milpa farmers have continued to make massive clearings on the Belize side of the border in the national park, where no one – not even Belizeans – should hunt, log, or exploit any of the natural resources, except for research purposes where permission is granted."
"More than trashing what is prized as Belize’s most beautiful forest, illegal encroachers – some of them reputed to be highly trained ex-military from the Kaibil special forces - are blamed for looting archaeological sites, and leaving their signatures on trees – such as the Kaibil sticker.
Xateros are mostly men (about 60%), but boys as young as 11 years of age have been intercepted as a part of their group.
Even though it is not exploited for commercial purposes in Belize, the xate industry in Guatemala is lucrative, netting an estimated US$140 million annually in export earnings, as the decorative palm is in high demand in the USA and Europe, especially for decorations around Christmas, Valentine’s, Easter and Mother’s Day."
Amandala Online
Guat milperos, xateros, loggers punk Belize
Posted: 24/03/2009 - 01:28 PM
Author: Adele Ramos
Guats not afraid, say Belizean law enforcement authorities “go soft” on them
Belize’s largest and most precious forest - the Chiquibul Forest – continues to be a stamping ground for Guatemalans who persist in their illegal encroachments on Belizean territory, to log precious woods such as cedar, mahogany, Santa Maria and Nargusta; cut xate palm, and even build homes, in defiance of Belize’s sovereignty and right to its territorial integrity.
Read the whole article here.
Snippet(s):
"The 2005 OAS agreement that Belize and Guatemala signed sets out specific procedures for the removal of people settling inside the zone. The agreements speak of relocating Guatemalans moving into Belize illegally after October 2000, and not before, with the exception of Santa Rosa, which was known to have existed before 2000."
"Even though the illegal settlement of Guatemalans in Belize is an undying issue, a much larger problem looms – the mass hacking of Belize’s pristine forests inside the Chiquibul National Park.
Rafael Manzanero, Program Director of the Chiquibul Maya Mountain Program and Executive Director of Friends for Conservation and Development, informed us today that Guatemalan milpa farmers have continued to make massive clearings on the Belize side of the border in the national park, where no one – not even Belizeans – should hunt, log, or exploit any of the natural resources, except for research purposes where permission is granted."
"More than trashing what is prized as Belize’s most beautiful forest, illegal encroachers – some of them reputed to be highly trained ex-military from the Kaibil special forces - are blamed for looting archaeological sites, and leaving their signatures on trees – such as the Kaibil sticker.
Xateros are mostly men (about 60%), but boys as young as 11 years of age have been intercepted as a part of their group.
Even though it is not exploited for commercial purposes in Belize, the xate industry in Guatemala is lucrative, netting an estimated US$140 million annually in export earnings, as the decorative palm is in high demand in the USA and Europe, especially for decorations around Christmas, Valentine’s, Easter and Mother’s Day."
&
"Whereas the over 400,000 acres that make up the Chiquibul Forest is underdeveloped, with very little access roads, the picture is very different on the Guatemalan side of the border, where there is a massive network of roads leading to villages only a stone’s throw from the border with Belize – the most notable cases being Santa Cruz near Jalacte, and La Rajoya, further north, visible with the naked eye from the Belize side of the border. "
Monday, April 13, 2009
AO - Cabinet decides to restrict foreign tourist buses from Mexico and Guatemala
Amandala Online
Cabinet decides to restrict foreign tourist buses from Mexico and Guatemala
Posted: 02/04/2009 - 09:41 PM
Author: Adele Ramos
Tourist buses originating from neighboring republics of Mexico and Guatemala have for several years had unbridled access to Belize and total freedom to pick up and drop off passengers anywhere they chose, even as Belizean drivers and tour guides are restricted in what they can do across the border. The Government of Belize says that all that will soon come to an end.
Read the whole article here.
Snippet(s):
"On Tuesday, March 31st, Cabinet made a firm decision that the relationships with our neighbors have to be reciprocal – meaning that whatever restrictions Guatemala and Mexico are imposing on Belize, have to be in turn imposed by Belize on their operators once they cross into our territory."
"Direct in-transit buses, which are destined to another Central American country but which pass through Belize, will have to carry a “manifest list,” which will be checked at both the northern and western border points to keep track of who comes in and who leaves with that bus. These buses should not drop off or pick up passengers anywhere in Belize."
"Belize has evidently stepped back from that hard-line stance in that it is allowing foreign operators to continue business as usual for another three weeks, even though formal word has yet to come from officials in Guatemala and Mexico on whether they will accede to Cabinet’s new protocols."
&
"According to the CEO, there are very clear improvements with the new system: (1) local tour guides will now have to be used on the foreign buses and a minimum payment system will be put into effect to ensure local guides are not underpaid; (2) foreign buses will not be allowed to stop at any other point apart from the Water Taxi Terminal in Belize (whereas they have been stopping anywhere they wish to pick up and drop off tourists); and (3) permits will be issued to operators and the Transport Department will be vigilant in ensuring that foreign operators obey the new regulations."
Cabinet decides to restrict foreign tourist buses from Mexico and Guatemala
Posted: 02/04/2009 - 09:41 PM
Author: Adele Ramos
Tourist buses originating from neighboring republics of Mexico and Guatemala have for several years had unbridled access to Belize and total freedom to pick up and drop off passengers anywhere they chose, even as Belizean drivers and tour guides are restricted in what they can do across the border. The Government of Belize says that all that will soon come to an end.
Read the whole article here.
Snippet(s):
"On Tuesday, March 31st, Cabinet made a firm decision that the relationships with our neighbors have to be reciprocal – meaning that whatever restrictions Guatemala and Mexico are imposing on Belize, have to be in turn imposed by Belize on their operators once they cross into our territory."
"Direct in-transit buses, which are destined to another Central American country but which pass through Belize, will have to carry a “manifest list,” which will be checked at both the northern and western border points to keep track of who comes in and who leaves with that bus. These buses should not drop off or pick up passengers anywhere in Belize."
"Belize has evidently stepped back from that hard-line stance in that it is allowing foreign operators to continue business as usual for another three weeks, even though formal word has yet to come from officials in Guatemala and Mexico on whether they will accede to Cabinet’s new protocols."
&
"According to the CEO, there are very clear improvements with the new system: (1) local tour guides will now have to be used on the foreign buses and a minimum payment system will be put into effect to ensure local guides are not underpaid; (2) foreign buses will not be allowed to stop at any other point apart from the Water Taxi Terminal in Belize (whereas they have been stopping anywhere they wish to pick up and drop off tourists); and (3) permits will be issued to operators and the Transport Department will be vigilant in ensuring that foreign operators obey the new regulations."
Thursday, March 26, 2009
AO - Belize hosts CARICOM bosses
Amandala Online
Belize hosts CARICOM bosses
Posted: 13/03/2009 - 09:05 AM Author: Adele Ramos
For the next two days Belize plays host to 154 delegates from 11 sister Caribbean states attending the 20th Inter-Sessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), being hosted at the Radisson Fort George Hotel in Belize City.
Read the whole article here.
Snippet(s):
"Belize Prime Minister Dean Barrow is leading the meeting, in his role as CARICOM chairman for the first half of 2009. During official opening ceremonies preceding today’s business meetings where officials met in caucus, Prime Minister Barrow embraced his regional counterparts and heralded the session as one of special significance."
"The meeting comes at a time when the Caribbean faces dire challenges brought on by the world economic turmoil, and CARICOM officials say they are convinced that it is only regional integration that can soften the consequences of the financial fallout."
&
"Prime Minister Barrow made a major announcement to his Caribbean counterparts, putting on record his administration’s intention to replace London’s Privy Council with the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) for both civil and criminal matters.
The Privy Council has been blamed for staying the executions of many convicted in lower courts with murder, but more than that, indications are that some countries in the region are warming up to the idea of having a court closer to home controlled by their regional counterparts to arbitrate their legal matters."
Belize hosts CARICOM bosses
Posted: 13/03/2009 - 09:05 AM Author: Adele Ramos
For the next two days Belize plays host to 154 delegates from 11 sister Caribbean states attending the 20th Inter-Sessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), being hosted at the Radisson Fort George Hotel in Belize City.
Read the whole article here.
Snippet(s):
"Belize Prime Minister Dean Barrow is leading the meeting, in his role as CARICOM chairman for the first half of 2009. During official opening ceremonies preceding today’s business meetings where officials met in caucus, Prime Minister Barrow embraced his regional counterparts and heralded the session as one of special significance."
"The meeting comes at a time when the Caribbean faces dire challenges brought on by the world economic turmoil, and CARICOM officials say they are convinced that it is only regional integration that can soften the consequences of the financial fallout."
&
"Prime Minister Barrow made a major announcement to his Caribbean counterparts, putting on record his administration’s intention to replace London’s Privy Council with the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) for both civil and criminal matters.
The Privy Council has been blamed for staying the executions of many convicted in lower courts with murder, but more than that, indications are that some countries in the region are warming up to the idea of having a court closer to home controlled by their regional counterparts to arbitrate their legal matters."
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
AO - Belize hosts CARICOM bosses
Amandala Online
Belize hosts CARICOM bosses
Posted: 13/03/2009 - 09:05 AM
Author: Adele Ramos
For the next two days Belize plays host to 154 delegates from 11 sister Caribbean states attending the 20th Inter-Sessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), being hosted at the Radisson Fort George Hotel in Belize City.
Read the whole article here.
Snippet(s):
"Prime Minister Barrow made a major announcement to his Caribbean counterparts, putting on record his administration’s intention to replace London’s Privy Council with the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) for both civil and criminal matters.
The Privy Council has been blamed for staying the executions of many convicted in lower courts with murder, but more than that, indications are that some countries in the region are warming up to the idea of having a court closer to home controlled by their regional counterparts to arbitrate their legal matters."
&
"Belize is also gearing up to replace its old passport with a new CARICOM passport, also as a part of its commitment to integration in CARICOM."
Belize hosts CARICOM bosses
Posted: 13/03/2009 - 09:05 AM
Author: Adele Ramos
For the next two days Belize plays host to 154 delegates from 11 sister Caribbean states attending the 20th Inter-Sessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), being hosted at the Radisson Fort George Hotel in Belize City.
Read the whole article here.
Snippet(s):
"Prime Minister Barrow made a major announcement to his Caribbean counterparts, putting on record his administration’s intention to replace London’s Privy Council with the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) for both civil and criminal matters.
The Privy Council has been blamed for staying the executions of many convicted in lower courts with murder, but more than that, indications are that some countries in the region are warming up to the idea of having a court closer to home controlled by their regional counterparts to arbitrate their legal matters."
&
"Belize is also gearing up to replace its old passport with a new CARICOM passport, also as a part of its commitment to integration in CARICOM."
Monday, March 9, 2009
AO - US narcotics report lists Belize among "major money laundering" countries
Amandala Online
US narcotics report lists Belize among "major money laundering" countries
Posted: 05/03/2009 - 10:40 PM Author: Adele Ramos
The United States State Department has listed Belize among 60 countries which it describes as major money laundering destinations. Mexico, the United States, Venezuela, Cayman Islands, Guatemala and three other CARICOM countries - Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, and Haiti - are listed in the group.
Read the whole article here.
Snippet(s):
"Belize is listed in the 2009 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, published this week by the State Department."
US narcotics report lists Belize among "major money laundering" countries
Posted: 05/03/2009 - 10:40 PM Author: Adele Ramos
The United States State Department has listed Belize among 60 countries which it describes as major money laundering destinations. Mexico, the United States, Venezuela, Cayman Islands, Guatemala and three other CARICOM countries - Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, and Haiti - are listed in the group.
Read the whole article here.
Snippet(s):
"Belize is listed in the 2009 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, published this week by the State Department."
&
"The report says that the complex nature of money laundering transactions today makes it difficult, in many cases, to distinguish the proceeds of narcotics trafficking from the proceeds of other serious crime."Friday, March 6, 2009
AO - Belize and Mexico to resume border talks
From my archive of press clippings:
Amandala Online
Belize and Mexico to resume border talks
Posted: 17/02/2009 - 01:13 PM Author: Adele Ramos
1898 treaty coordinates and map are inconsistent, CEO Alexis Rosado says
Official information reaching Amandala is that the Governments of Belize and Mexico will make attempts to renew talks on the 1898 boundary treaty, which the parties claim had some errors resulting in a mismatch between the coordinates spelt out in the document, and the on-the-ground facts, as outlined on the accompanying map – the basis of Belize’s current national map.
Read the whole article here.
Amandala Online
Belize and Mexico to resume border talks
Posted: 17/02/2009 - 01:13 PM Author: Adele Ramos
1898 treaty coordinates and map are inconsistent, CEO Alexis Rosado says
Official information reaching Amandala is that the Governments of Belize and Mexico will make attempts to renew talks on the 1898 boundary treaty, which the parties claim had some errors resulting in a mismatch between the coordinates spelt out in the document, and the on-the-ground facts, as outlined on the accompanying map – the basis of Belize’s current national map.
Read the whole article here.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
AO - Guats send Belize diplomatic note on Jalacte
From my archive of press clippings:
Amandala Online
Guats send Belize diplomatic note on Jalacte
Posted: 10/02/2009 - 01:08 PM
Author: Adele Ramos
How long will a bodega (warehouse), illegally erected on Belizean soil back in December 2008 by Guatemalan businessman Leonel Arellanos, continue to stand? Prime Minister Dean Barrow said several weeks ago that the structure simply has to go – but will it ever be removed?
Read the whole article here.
Snippet(s):
"Amandala confirmed today that the bodega is still perched, intact, atop a hill at Jalacte, Toledo, guarded dutifully by armed Belizean Defence Force soldiers. Arellanos and his allies in his home village, Santa Cruz, Guatemala, have allegedly issued threats of violence against both Belize and Guatemala security forces, and so the matter remains highly sensitive, Belize Foreign Affairs officials say."
Amandala Online
Guats send Belize diplomatic note on Jalacte
Posted: 10/02/2009 - 01:08 PM
Author: Adele Ramos
How long will a bodega (warehouse), illegally erected on Belizean soil back in December 2008 by Guatemalan businessman Leonel Arellanos, continue to stand? Prime Minister Dean Barrow said several weeks ago that the structure simply has to go – but will it ever be removed?
Read the whole article here.
Snippet(s):
"Amandala confirmed today that the bodega is still perched, intact, atop a hill at Jalacte, Toledo, guarded dutifully by armed Belizean Defence Force soldiers. Arellanos and his allies in his home village, Santa Cruz, Guatemala, have allegedly issued threats of violence against both Belize and Guatemala security forces, and so the matter remains highly sensitive, Belize Foreign Affairs officials say."
&
"BDF Commander Dario Tapia told Amandala this morning that the bodega is still under BDF guard, and that Arellanos has not had access to the area.
Apart from the incursion at Jalacte, there continue to be repeated incursions by illegal farmers and xateros on Belizean soil – hard to contain, Tapia told us, because the army cannot patrol the border 24/7."
Saturday, February 14, 2009
AO - After 4 months, Somalia pirates free Faina passengers and crew for ransom
Amandala Online
After 4 months, Somalia pirates free Faina passengers and crew for ransom
Posted: 06/02/2009 - 09:28 AM
Author: Adele Ramos
Deputy Registrar of the International Merchant Marine Registry of Belize (IMMARBE), Annette Garel, confirmed to Amandala this morning that the Somalia hijackers who invaded the Belize-flagged vessel, Faina, and took its crew and passengers hostage four long months ago were early this morning in the process of releasing the vessel.
Read the whole article here.
Snippet(s):
"International press reports say that Ukraine had paid the pirates a ransom of US$3.2 million to US$3.5 million for them to finally free the vessel and the persons who had been on board when they hijacked it.
The pirates were counting the money while they were leaving the vessel in small groups, said press reports."
&
After 4 months, Somalia pirates free Faina passengers and crew for ransom
Posted: 06/02/2009 - 09:28 AM
Author: Adele Ramos
Deputy Registrar of the International Merchant Marine Registry of Belize (IMMARBE), Annette Garel, confirmed to Amandala this morning that the Somalia hijackers who invaded the Belize-flagged vessel, Faina, and took its crew and passengers hostage four long months ago were early this morning in the process of releasing the vessel.
Read the whole article here.
Snippet(s):
"International press reports say that Ukraine had paid the pirates a ransom of US$3.2 million to US$3.5 million for them to finally free the vessel and the persons who had been on board when they hijacked it.
The pirates were counting the money while they were leaving the vessel in small groups, said press reports."
&
"When the vessel was hijacked on September 25, 2008, there were 21 Ukrainians, Russians and Latvians onboard; however, the vessel’s Russian Master, Capt. Vladimir Kolobkov, had died shortly after from a heart attack."
Monday, February 2, 2009
AO - Guats pouring into Belize - 33 caught, deported!
Amandala Online
Guats pouring into Belize – 33 caught, deported!
Posted: 13/01/2009 - 12:59 PM
Author: Adele Ramos
The dangerously porous nature of the Belize-Guatemala border along with the continued infiltration of Guatemalans into Belizean territory continues to be a matter of major national concern, particularly at Jalacte, Toledo, which has come to be known as an informal “port-of-entry” for Guatemalans coming into Belize—some of them for work, but others feared to be coming for not-so-legitimate purposes.
Read the whole article here.
Snippet(s):
"Official sources tell our newspaper that an “intelligence driven” operation in the South last week resulted in a major bust of 33 illegal aliens—mostly Guatemalans—as they were being bused into Belizean territory, without proper documentation. Multiple sources tell us that the Guatemalans were not charged, but deported back to their country."
&
"Amandala was able to confirm with police sources that 33 illegal immigrants, who we are told came through Jalacte, Toledo, were processed in Independence last week. There were two Salvadorans who were charged for illegal entry, but the remaining people, all Guatemalans, were deported after being given an OTL – Order to Leave."
Guats pouring into Belize – 33 caught, deported!
Posted: 13/01/2009 - 12:59 PM
Author: Adele Ramos
The dangerously porous nature of the Belize-Guatemala border along with the continued infiltration of Guatemalans into Belizean territory continues to be a matter of major national concern, particularly at Jalacte, Toledo, which has come to be known as an informal “port-of-entry” for Guatemalans coming into Belize—some of them for work, but others feared to be coming for not-so-legitimate purposes.
Read the whole article here.
Snippet(s):
"Official sources tell our newspaper that an “intelligence driven” operation in the South last week resulted in a major bust of 33 illegal aliens—mostly Guatemalans—as they were being bused into Belizean territory, without proper documentation. Multiple sources tell us that the Guatemalans were not charged, but deported back to their country."
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"Amandala was able to confirm with police sources that 33 illegal immigrants, who we are told came through Jalacte, Toledo, were processed in Independence last week. There were two Salvadorans who were charged for illegal entry, but the remaining people, all Guatemalans, were deported after being given an OTL – Order to Leave."
Saturday, January 17, 2009
AO - Guatemalan xatéros and loggers rape Columbia River Forest Reserve
From my archive of press clippings:
AmandalaOnline
Guatemalan xatéros and loggers rape Columbia River Forest Reserve
Posted: 06/06/2008 - 11:43 AM Author: - Amandala exclusive -
The Ya’axche’ Conservation Trust, a community-oriented NGO in southern Belize, has forwarded to Amandala the report of a multi-agency patrol conducted in May in the Colombia River Forest Reserve, which, we believe, is of national importance.
Read the whole article here.
Snippet(s):
"Guatemalan xatéros and illegal loggers, for many decades, through successive Belizean political administrations, have largely had a free hand in decimating our forests and looting our national heritage near the border between Belize and Guatemala.
Today, police told us that in the reserve on Friday, May 23, 2008, they discovered three Guatemalan men, Concepcion Mendez Ramirez, 25, and brothers Isidora, 38, and Carlos Gomez, 28, with 50 bundles of xaté leaves. The men were charged with unlawful possession of forest produce and appeared in Punta Gorda Magistrate’s Court, in front of Magistrate Roberto Ordonez. They all pleaded guilty to the offence and were fined $500 each. They were unable to pay and are currently serving 6 months in jail."
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"(T)he remnants of a Mayan pot found at a xatéro camp demonstrates that, as has been seen in the Chiquibul, the cultural heritage of Belize is being slowly dug up and exported. It will never be known what else has already been removed by the highly active Guatemalans from the Southern Maya Mountains, as the area’s archaeological significance has been explored only on the outskirts.
The high level of illegal human activity in the area appears to be having a devastating impact on the local populations of wildlife. All of the patrol members agreed that almost no wildlife was seen in the area, compared to what should have been very high levels. This observation is supported by sightings of shotgun cartridges, the carrying of a slingshot by one of the xatéros, remains of birds and kinkajous (nightwalker) that had been killed and eaten in the area."
AmandalaOnline
Guatemalan xatéros and loggers rape Columbia River Forest Reserve
Posted: 06/06/2008 - 11:43 AM Author: - Amandala exclusive -
The Ya’axche’ Conservation Trust, a community-oriented NGO in southern Belize, has forwarded to Amandala the report of a multi-agency patrol conducted in May in the Colombia River Forest Reserve, which, we believe, is of national importance.
Read the whole article here.
Snippet(s):
"Guatemalan xatéros and illegal loggers, for many decades, through successive Belizean political administrations, have largely had a free hand in decimating our forests and looting our national heritage near the border between Belize and Guatemala.
Today, police told us that in the reserve on Friday, May 23, 2008, they discovered three Guatemalan men, Concepcion Mendez Ramirez, 25, and brothers Isidora, 38, and Carlos Gomez, 28, with 50 bundles of xaté leaves. The men were charged with unlawful possession of forest produce and appeared in Punta Gorda Magistrate’s Court, in front of Magistrate Roberto Ordonez. They all pleaded guilty to the offence and were fined $500 each. They were unable to pay and are currently serving 6 months in jail."
&
"(T)he remnants of a Mayan pot found at a xatéro camp demonstrates that, as has been seen in the Chiquibul, the cultural heritage of Belize is being slowly dug up and exported. It will never be known what else has already been removed by the highly active Guatemalans from the Southern Maya Mountains, as the area’s archaeological significance has been explored only on the outskirts.
The high level of illegal human activity in the area appears to be having a devastating impact on the local populations of wildlife. All of the patrol members agreed that almost no wildlife was seen in the area, compared to what should have been very high levels. This observation is supported by sightings of shotgun cartridges, the carrying of a slingshot by one of the xatéros, remains of birds and kinkajous (nightwalker) that had been killed and eaten in the area."
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