In 1993, the Government of Belize began granting logging concessions in Mayan territory to foreign companies without consulting with indigenous (Yucatec, Mopan, and Q’eqchi’ Maya) neither afrodescendant communities (Garífuna). In 1996 the Ministry of Natural Resources granted to a Atlantic Industries (a malasyan timber corporation) for log over 200,000 hectares of rain forest in the Toledo District. Following the concession, the Toledo Maya Cultural Council (TMCC) (representing 37 Maya indigenous communities), filed a claim in the Supreme Court of Belize. As a result of the failure of domestic litigation the Maya communities submitted a petition to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) in 1998. The IACHR resolves that “the State of Belize had violated the Maya communities’ rights to property by not recognizing their communal property right to their ancestral lands and territories” and recommended the government “to delimit, demarcate and title the territory through a free, informed, prior consultation, and to abstain, until then, from any act that might affect this territory” in the national court the case has been unresolved and the Government of Belize continues granting concessions not just for timber but also for oil exploitation in Mayan territories. Further, others projects such as a sawmill and a paved road into the forest are been built. The local people demand to be involved in decision-making and be recognized as subject of rights. In 2000 the government and the Mayan communities signed the “Ten Points of Agreement” for the recognizing the Maya rights for their traditional lands and resources. Those agreements have been ignored by the State. (See less) |
Since 1985 the Government of Belize began granting massive long-term logging concessions in Toledo province to foreign owned companies
In 1993, the Government of Belize began granting logging concessions in Mayan territory to foreign companies without consulting with indigenous (Yucatec, Mopan, and Q’eqchi’ Maya) neither afrodescendant communities (Garífuna). |
| Name of conflict: | Logging concessions in Mayan territory, Belize |
| Country: | Belize |
| State or province: | Toledo |
| Location of conflict: | Toledo |
| Accuracy of location | MEDIUM (Regional level) |
| Type of conflict. 1st level: | Biomass and Land Conflicts (Forests, Agriculture, Fisheries and Livestock Management) |
| Type of conflict. 2nd level: | Land acquisition conflicts Transport infrastructure networks (roads, railways, hydroways, canals and pipelines) Logging and non timber extraction |
| Specific commodities: | Timber |
| Project details | Around seventeen concessions for logging on lands totaling approximately 194000 hectars in the Toledo District (Southern Belize) |
| Project area: | 194,000 |
| Level of Investment: | unknown |
| Type of population | Rural |
| Affected Population: | 20000-23000 |
| Start of the conflict: | 1992 |
| Company names or state enterprises: | Atlantic Industries from Malaysia - owner Atlantic International from Malaysia |
| Relevant government actors: | Government of Belize, Supreme Court of Belize,Forestry Department, |
| International and Finance Institutions | Inter-American Commission on Human Rights |
| Environmental justice organizations (and other supporters) and their websites, if available: | EJos: Toledo Maya Cultural Council (TMCC), Programme for Belize (PfB), Kekchi Council of Belize (KCB), Toledo Maya Women’s Council (TMWC), Toledo Alcaldes Association (TAA) Supporters: Rainforest Action Network (RAN), Indian Law Resource Center (ILRC), |
| Intensity | LOW (some local organising) |
| Reaction stage | PREVENTIVE resistance (precautionary phase) |
| Groups mobilizing: | Indigenous groups or traditional communities Local ejos Women Local scientists/professionals |
| Forms of mobilization: | Creation of alternative reports/knowledge Lawsuits, court cases, judicial activism Arguments for the rights of mother nature |
| Environmental Impacts | Visible: Biodiversity loss (wildlife, agro-diversity), Loss of landscape/aesthetic degradation, Deforestation and loss of vegetation cover, Floods (river, coastal, mudflow), Desertification/Drought Potential: Global warming, Noise pollution, Reduced ecological / hydrological connectivity |
| Health Impacts | Potential: Mental problems including stress, depression and suicide |
| Socio-economical Impacts | Visible: Loss of livelihood, Violations of human rights, Loss of landscape/sense of place, Loss of traditional knowledge/practices/cultures, Displacement, Land dispossession Potential: Increase in violence and crime, Lack of work security, labour absenteeism, firings, unemployment, Other socio-economic impacts |
| Project Status | In operation |
| Conflict outcome / response: | Court decision (victory for environmental justice) Court decision (undecided) Strengthening of participation Under negotiation Application of existing regulations |
| Development of alternatives: | -Promotion of the ecotourism industry and sustainable forest management -Mayan communities have asked to have rights to their lands |
| Do you consider this an environmental justice success? Was environmental justice served?: | Not Sure |
| Briefly explain: | The Mayan communities have strengthened their participation and juridical knowledge about their territorios. They have submitted an international demand where they obtained a victory. But the State of Belize continues granting concessions and jeopardizing the mayan livelihoods |
| Related laws and legislations - Juridical texts related to the conflict |
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| References to published books, academic articles, movies or published documentaries |
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| Links to general newspaper articles, blogs or other websites |
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| Contributor: | Grettel Navas, Fundación Neotrópic |
| Last update | 17/03/2015 |