A/HRC/12/4
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village of San Antonio, the residents have indicated that they do not wish to be included in the
exercise since they prefer individual ownership to communal ownership.
30.
Some interim measures, notably a cease-and-desist order, have been instituted by the
Government, and remain in place, to ensure that the enforcement of the judgment is not
compromised while the legal advisers of the Parties agree on a framework for the
implementation.
31.
Thirty-eight other villages in the Toledo District have initiated a class action suit. While
this case is pending the Government has ceased the issuing of licenses relating to forestry or
petroleum or the sale/transfer of land, with the single exception of the license granted for seismic
testing in the Sarstoon Temash National Park in compliance with a separate court Judgement.
B. Interactive dialogue and responses by the State under review
32.
During the interactive dialogue, statements were made by 20 delegations. A number of
delegation thanked the Government for the comprehensive national report and for the responses
provided to advance questions. Statements were made welcoming Belize’s commitment to the
UPR process and its constructive participation and consultations with stakeholders in preparing
the national report .
33.
The United Kingdom welcomed the appointment of a new Ombudsman in January 2009
and hoped she would be given adequate resources to fulfil her mandate and investigate human
rights related cases. It expressed concern about continued reports of police violence and prison
abuse and welcomed convictions of police officers involved in such incidents as well as human
rights training at the Police Academy by the Human Rights Commission of Belize. It
recommended that Belize (a) consider ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention
against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT-OP). It
recognized the work of the Women’s Department and NWC in the new Domestic Violence Act
2008 and the national gender policy, and welcomed the the Gender-Based Violence Plan, and
recommended that Belize (b) continue to address the persisting gender inequality in the country.
It urged the Government to recognize the social, cultural and property rights of persons
belonging to minorities and indigenous Maya people, and take steps to eliminate all forms of
discrimination.The United Kingdom noted that HIV/AIDS remains a major challenge in Belize
and welcomed the multisectoral participatory approach to tackling it, with the National Aids
Commission to coordinating a national response and action plan. It recommended that the
Government (c) introduce human rights education for all government officials and departments
to ensure that a human rights-based approach is mainstreamed across government policy. It
further recommended that the Government (d) offer a standing invitation to all Special
Procedures and seek international technical assistance as recommended by several United
Nations human rights treaty monitoring bodies.
34.
Algeria encouraged the authorities to persevere in their approach establishing
interdependence between human rights and development. It emphasized the need for assistance
from the international community to strengthen the capacity of Belize to meet the challenges it
faces. It recommended (a) that the improvement of the situation of certain vulnerable groups,
especially women and children, be given priority; (b) that Belize step up programmes aimed at
eradicating poverty and improving social indicators, including in health and education; (c) that
the institutional and legal authorities work towards completing the process already under way for
accession to major international instruments of human rights; and (d) that Belize consider the
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