Cultural Survival expresses its solidarity with the Maya Peoples, the Maya Leaders Alliance, and the Toledo Alcaldes Association, in southern Belize in demanding that the State of Belize comply with the 2015 Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) ruling and respect Indigenous rights to land and Free, Prior and Informed Consent in every matter that affects Maya Peoples.
In March 2021, the National Garifuna Council launched their initiative, "Food Sovereignty for the Garifuna people of Belize." The project’s mission was to create productive, small-scale green spaces to enhance food security and build community health for the Garifuna Peoples in Dangriga and the larger Stann Creek District of Southern Belize.
Maya Q’eqchi’ and Mopan Peoples from southern Belize have always fought for their right to live peacefully in their own lands.
On November 29, 2022, the Caribbean Court of Justice heard arguments in the case Maya Leaders Alliance v The Attorney General of Belize regarding the compliance of the State of Belize with the court’s 2015 decision in favor of Maya land rights.
By Monica Coc Magnusson (Q'eqchi Maya, CS STAFF)
By Monica Coc Magnusson (Q'eqchi Maya, CS Staff)
On June 16, 2021, the Supreme Court of Belize ruled in favor of Maya land rights, upholding the community of Jalacte’s right to Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) on their customary lands. The court issued a decision in the case, Jalacte Village vs. the Attorney General, ruling that the government breached the Maya Peoples’ constitutional rights, obligating the government of Belize to return the lands that had been taken without the community’s consent and ordering compensation of the equivalent of $3.12 million USD.
Indigenous Community Media Fund Partner Spotlight: Hamalali NGC Radio, Belize
By Ifáṣínà Efunyemi (Garifuna)
On December 17, 2020, United Nations Secretary General António Guterres appointed Pablo Mis, Maya Q’eqchi’ from Laguna Village, Toledo District, Belize, to the Advisory Board of Trustees of the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples. This is the first time that an Indigenous representative from Belize is appointed to the Board of the Fund.
By Elodio Rash, Seferina Miss, Florenio Xuc, Donna Makin, Rosita Kan, and Roberto Kus
Land Acknowledgement
We acknowledge that we are headquartered on Massachusett land, in Cambridge, MA, and we thank the past, current, and future Indigenous stewards of this territory.
