Plus TV and Integrity Radio
Invite you to a
Public Forum for Discussion & Information

Topic: The Belize Guatemala Differendum -
Are we ready for the International Court of Justice?

As you are aware, the Belize-Guatemala dispute has been a long, drawn out process that has been slowly moving to a final resolution. Today, leaders will be signing the COMPROMIS at the OAS in Washington which gives jurisdiction to the International Court of Justice to hear the dispute between Belize and Guatemala. Part next of this process will be nationwide referendums that will be held on the same day in both Belize and Guatemala. And as reported in the news, "the public education campaign will start in Belize right after the special agreement is signed." That is now...

This event, co-sponsored by PlusTV and Integrity Radio is designed to assist the Church in the first instance and the public at large to know the issues, both FOR and AGAINST. Thus, a series of THREE PUBLIC FORUMS will be taking place, the first of which being this coming WEDNESDAY NIGHT, 7 pm at the George Price Centre in Belmopan. You are invited to attend and participate in this very important public forum event.

Forum 1 - Wednesday December 10th, 2008
7 pm at the George Price Centre for Peace and Development - Belmopan
Focus: Updating the public on issues surrounding the Belize/Guatemala/ICJ situation

Panelists
Senator Henry Gordon - Senator for the Church
Ms. Sandra Coye – Historian & Community Activist
Mrs. Sharon Pitts Robateau - Attorney at Law
Mr. Emerson Guild - Activist for justice and social change

Future Forums
Forum 2 (to be announced)
Focus: Panel comprising some members of actual negotiation team for Belize

Forum 3 (to be announced)
Focus: Moderator led discussion/debate with one person FOR and one person AGAINST; questions taken

Relevant News Stories (archived)

Barrow Confident of Win at ICJ
posted (October 15, 2008) www.7newsbelize.com

Belize and Guatemala are moving closer to a referendum on whether the Belize Guatemala matter should be taken to the International Court of Justice. We say that because the Prime Minister today announced that the so called compromise will be presented to Cabinet next week. The final wording is being hammered out by both sides. The Belizean experts are led by Ambassador Fred Martinez with support from Assad Shoman, Eamon Courtenay, David Gibson, and a cast of other diplomatic all-stars. This compromis is basically the declaration to be put to the International Court of Justice. The Prime Minister discussed the development today.

Hon. Dean Barrow,
“The Minister of Foreign Affairs will be bringing the draft to Cabinet and thereafter it will be circulated publicly. The timeline is of course that after the circulation and public discussion of that document, we would go to the National Assembly for approval of the document and that would then clear the way for the holding of the referendum which you will recall must be done simultaneously with Guatemala. We operate always on the basis of the fundamental safeguard that whatever is signed can only be ultimately put to the ICJ if the people of this country agree. Personally I am convinced that the Guatemalans have no case. I personally am convinced that the ICJ will be obliged to rule in Belize’s favour. I concede as a lawyer there is always a thing called litigation risk and that is why it is not ultimately what I feel, it is what the Belizean people feel.”
And while the Prime Minister and Party Leader will endorse it for his party, the body of the party will be under no compulsion to stick with his position; it will be as he describes it, a conscience vote. The Prime Minister also expects to meet with the leader of the opposition next week. Once the compromis is received, the attendant issues will be ventilated in a series of public education consultations.

Special Agreement Signing Ceremony In Sight
posted (November 6, 2008) www.7newsbelize.com

H.E. Fred Martinez, Chief Negotiator
"The special agreement really is the structured form by which both countries will approach the International Court of Justice. One, it sets out that both countries are agreeing to go to court and giving jurisdiction to the court for this specific issue. And the last part of the agreement is that both countries will consult with their people in a referendum, which is the most important part in a sense, as, with regarding the people. And that the referenda will be simultaneous; that is, on the same day in both countries. And the question to be asked of the people is also in that agreement."

"I'm not seeing any referendum taking place in either of the countries before July/August of next year. Once the referenda have agreed; let's say the people of both sides have agreed. Thirty days after the referenda you notify the Registrar General of the ICJ that you have now started your proceedings. And so many months after that notification, Guatemala will have to present its case in writing then Belize has it's equal amount of time, let's say 12 months to present its reply, Guatemala has another six months to rebut that reply, then Belize has another six months to rebut that rebuttal. So you're talking maybe about three years of written procedures back and forth. Then the court convenes you to the oral procedures. That is when both sides go in front of the judges and argue their case with the presentation of all the legal battalion, of all their lawyers. So that's another while. And then after the court takes time to deliberate, to find information amongst themselves. So, you're talking easily five, six years.

Jules Vasquez
Sir, and then finally, I know you are not on their negotiating team, but what will be in the Guatemalan claim? Do we have any idea?

Fred Martinez, Chief Negotiator
"No, we don't know what their claim in front of the ICJ will be because they have to consider carefully what documentation they have, what evidence they have, to substantiate their claim. Can you go to the ICJ and claim that all of Belize is yours? When you have recognized it as a sovereign state? And you want to make a state disappear? Can you go and ask only for a small piece? I can't judge for them they will have to be the ones to put their claim, but we're ready for whatever size they come with."
"We have every reason to believe that we have an airtight, very rock-solid case in front of the ICJ. I have no qualms; I have no worries about that. If it fails in a referendum, or if it fails to even reach a referendum, that means the process of going to court is finished and therefore the only plan B left is to continue talking to Guatemala to ensure that the security of our borderline is preserved."