CCJ Ends Decade-Long Monitoring of Maya Land Rights Case
The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has officially ended its 10-year role in monitoring the implementation of the 2015 Consent Order, which recognized the land rights of Belize’s indigenous Maya people.
The Consent Order, agreed upon by the Maya Leaders Alliance and the Attorney General, mandated the Belize government to create systems protecting customary land tenure in southern Belize.
Final Compliance Hearing and Maya Community's Response
At the court’s final compliance hearing, Leslie Mendez, attorney for the Maya communities, expressed disappointment with the government's approach throughout the process.
“Today, 10 years later, we feel regretful to say we have not seen a different outcome, much less a meaningful one. We continue to be met with a recalcitrant government who dragged us through this long process, consistently acting in bad faith only at the insistence of this honourable court accepting to receive our inputs, but in the end only to turn around and reject any considerations of our views and contributions. It demonstrates that this government does not care about Belize’s indigenous peoples and is hellbent on continuing to deny us our rights.”
Mendez emphasized that the Maya communities acted with the "highest degree of good faith" for the entire decade despite ongoing denial of their rights by the government.
Significance of the Case
The case marks a crucial step in the long struggle for indigenous land rights in Belize, with the CCJ's withdrawal signaling a shift in how land tenure issues may be addressed moving forward.
Author's Summary: The CCJ's closure of its decade-long role highlights persistent challenges faced by Belize’s Maya people in securing recognition and protection of their indigenous land rights.