Maya Leaders Say Indian Creek Conflict Is Just the Beginning

The situation in Indian Creek has escalated, and now nearby communities are on edge. Leaders from Golden Stream and San Marcos warn they could face the same fallout if the government doesn’t step in. They’re taking that message straight to Prime Minister John Briceño, calling out years of land disputes, stalled protections, and what they describe as ongoing injustice against Maya communities. Shane Williams has more.

 

Shane Williams, Reporting

In a show of unity, Maya leaders packed buses and traveled to Laguna Village on Friday, bringing their communities together to send a clear message. What’s happening in Indian Creek is no longer just one village’s problem. The unrest is rippling across the Toledo District, and leaders say it’s a warning sign, one that shows just how quickly tensions can boil over when land disputes are left unresolved. Now, they’re speaking with one voice, hoping to stop the next crisis before it starts.

 

Edwin Caal, Chairman, Golden Stream Village

“I believe this issue is getting worse for three reasons. Government keeps delaying the demarcation of the land we use. Government keep delaying making a law that will protect our land. Instead, they want to make a law that will limit our land and our rights. We reject the proposal of five acre per person.”

 

Caal also accuses authorities of siding with third-party interests whenever disputes arise on Maya communal lands.

 

Edwin Caal

“When the third party do something like bulldozing and we report it, they don’t come ready to help us. But the minute we begin to protect our land from encroachment, they are ready to stop us, sometimes use police to stop us.”

 

Meanwhile, in nearby San Marcos, Chairman Alberto Muku says residents who had been farming and occupying their lands since the early 1990s started losing them when bulldozers moved in.

 

Alberto Muku, Chairman, San Marcos Village

“An individual by the name of Papi Pena began bulldozing and clearing lands that the community members had been occupying. Some individuals were pressured to leave, offered financial compensation to vacate their lands, or in some cases, received nothing at all.”

 

Muku is also accusing authorities of using divide-and-conquer tactics and political interference in the Maya land rights issue.

 

Alberto Muku

“As the current village council chairman, I myself was handpicked by a political influencer who hope that I will keep my community divided on the issue of land rights. But as you can see, you can all see, I am here today doing the honorable thing and upholding the will of my people. Our population is growing, and our children depend on these lands for their future.”

 

In a direct message to Prime Minister John Briceño, Muku warns that the decisions government makes now will determine how Maya communities remember this administration on election day and for generations to come.

 

Alberto Muku

“We are Belizeans, and yes, we are members and supporters of the People’s United Party. History will remember your actions toward us today, and we will ensure that future generations remember them as well when we go to the polls. When General Election comes.”

 

As tensions continue simmering in the south, Maya leaders say meaningful protections, clear land demarcation, and fair legislation are urgently needed before more communities find themselves at the center of conflict. Shane Williams for News Five.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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