BELIZE CITY, Belize (26 Apr 2005) -- Army troops and police have been deployed to restore order after looting and violence in Belize killed one. A week of rioting knocked out power and telephone service throughout the country including popular tourism destinations. Anti-government demonstrations started after telephone workers called a strike to demand a stake in BTL, the country's largest telecommunications company. Up to 80 percent of the nation's teachers joined the strike and union leaders are threatening wider action that could cripple Belize's tourism industry, which many Belizeans describe as "eco-colonialism". The demonstrations escalated into looting, violence and sabotage of key power and communications systems. Although Belize is renowned as a popular tourist destination with beautiful coral reefs, small island resorts and Mayan ruins, the small Central American nation of 270,000 people is plagued by poverty, crime and corruption. Opposition leaders, strikers and protesters have called on Prime Minister Said Musa to resign and for new elections. "The government must call for new elections now because they've lost their mandate, because they've lost the confidence of the people," Douglas Singh, chairman of the opposition United Democratic Party (UDP)," told reporters. In 1981, riots led to the country's independence from Britain. Since the country gained its independence, political power has shifted between the People's United Party headed by current Prime Minister Musa and the UDP. | 
