2005 Belize unrest

An encounter between protesters and riot police in Belmopan on January 21.

Civil unrest broke out in the capital of Belmopan in Belize during mid-January 2005, provoked by the release of a new national budget with significant tax increases and by anger at the ruling People's United Party for the worsening fiscal condition of the Belizian government.

On January 13, 2005 the government of Said Musa announced its budget for 2005-2006. The budget included major tax increases on a variety of businesses and commodities, including a 11 percent increase in the real estate sales tax, a five percent tax increase for financial institutions, an eight percent tax increase on tobacco, and a 100 percent tax increase on rum. Although the government claims that these tax increases are comparable to increases instituted in 1998 under the previous government of the United Democratic Party (UDP), these taxes, on top of years of popular frustration at alleged financial mismanagement and corruption by the People's United Party (PUP) sparked protests at the National Assembly building on January 15, including confrontations between demonstrators and police. Demonstrations continued through the following week.

On January 20, the business community and labor unions called for a two-day nationwide strike. As employees did not report to work, water service for much of Belize has been turned off. On January 21, local news reported scattered demostrations in the capital city of Belmopan, including some burning of government buildings and roadblocks by protestors. As government ministers were walking towards the government building the demonstrators threw rocks and bottles at the ministers, prompting police and military to get involved and subdue the demonstrators. The government has reportedly installed cameras on the exterior of some buildings where protestors are expected to congregate, and government buildings have been preemptively barricaded. A major public demonstration is planned by the opposition for January 21 in Belmopan; the ruling PUP has also planned a counter-demonstration.

This is only the third time that this kind of unrest has hit Belize; the first time was in the 1950s and the second time was in 1980s, when there was a proposal drafted to cede part of the country to Guatemala.

There was a massive protest outside the National Assembly building in Belmopan on January 21, 2005 which led to violence. Protestors threw rocks at the police, who responded with rubber bullets and riot gas. Several protestors were arrested. The gunfire and sirens were audible at a distance of at least 1km. At least one larger booming sound, significantly louder than gunfire, was heard; the cause of this is unclear. Several protestors were arrested, inculding UDP stalwart Yellowman. The permission for the demonstration ended at 3pm but the protestors were given a one hour extension. At the end of the extension, repeated demands for disperal were largely ignored. Inspector Jefferires read the riot act to the crowd, and after an additional 40 minutes he ordered riot police to disperse the crowd, which they did using teargas and rubber bullets. Union workers laid down and refused to disperse and were dragged from the area physically. The police were very calm throughout the day, although some police cadets were said to have employed unnecessary force against orders; reports abound of fully trained officers restraining cadets and removing them from the police lines, and some assert that no rocks were thrown until after a protestor was hit in the head by a club wielded by a cadet.

External links

UK Travel Advisory
PM calls for calm while Barrow flips out, Belize Times, 19 January 2005. (pro-government paper)
Unions flex muscles in protest march, News 5 Belize, 20 January 2005.
Belize City Shutdown!, 7 News Belize, 20 January 2005.
Only in Belize! - personal blog by a resident of Belmopan, with pictures.
[1] Some factual errors but at least it's mainstrean press