Southern Belize is witnessing escalating tensions over land ownership rights as conflicting claims between indigenous communities and private landowners intensify. In San Marcos village, residents are mobilizing to reclaim territory in Big Fall that they assert forms part of their ancestral communal lands, despite documented private ownership by a local farmer.
Simultaneously, private landowners in the Toledo district have expressed mounting concerns regarding the proposed Maya Land Tenure Bill, fearing potential infringement upon their legally held property rights and long-term security. The legislation aims to formalize indigenous land rights but has created uncertainty among non-Maya property holders.
Minister of Indigenous Affairs Dr. Louis Zabaneh addressed these developments, revealing that the government has established a provisional expert committee to mediate the complex situation. “We met a few months back with landowners to ensure we understood the situation from all perspectives,” Zabaneh stated. “These third parties are affected by any decision made regarding the delimitation of Maya areas that would cover private lands.”
The interdisciplinary committee includes representation from the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Attorney General’s Office, the Ministry of Environment, and notably, the Ministry of National Security due to the potentially contentious nature of the disputes. Recent progress has been made in addressing tax payment complications that had previously frozen land transactions for non-Maya residents near indigenous communities.
In a related development, Belize’s indigenous communities are poised to receive a substantial $40 million climate investment from the Green Climate Fund, administered through the Caribbean Community Climate Change Center. The Julian Cho Society will lead implementation efforts, though questions remain regarding governmental oversight to ensure proper fund distribution. Minister Zabaneh confirmed discussions about extending similar considerations to the Garifuna community during his November visit to the Fund’s headquarters in South Korea.