Tipnis

[applejuice]

Heading into the fifth day of the march, about 500 people has advanced about 82 km. They estimate it will take about 30 days to reach La Paz, several civilian organizations are collecting water, food and medicines for those in the march. Most concerned are the medics accompanying them, they seriously doubt people will resist the brutal change between the hot tropical weather and the dry, cold and tenuous atmosphere of the government seat. A small war of words has begun by the government, trying to disqualify the indigenous protest.

[Moco Loco]

Wish I could do something.

[auroraglacialis]

I can only hope (sadly - I wish I could do something more) that they will make some change. I find it so incredibly sad that in this economy and politics, people are not heard, no one listens. Not until they go on the streets for days, walk for weeks, endure physical hardship, put their bodies in the line or even smash things. What is the justification for this negligence - how come that a voice is only heard if it screams and cries - in a society that is supposed to listen to all its people.

[applejuice]

From a local newspaper:

The march has reached San Ignacio de Moxos.

About 1300 marchers have reached San Ignacio, an intermediate town. Problems were expected, as the town is largely a supporter of Morales and they agree with the construction of the road. However, no incidents were reported but a large number of policemen have closed the only road (and exit) of the town. Morales has criticized national media for showing images of children and pregnant women among the marchers.
As of 18:00, local press reports blockades in San Ignacio to force the marchers take a step back with their demands.
EDIT: At 19:00, Indigenous leaders declared a truce and they are expecting Morales to arrive to San Ignacio to start negotiations.

[applejuice]

After waiting for the president during weekend and after he called the marchers "smugglers and traffickers, neo-liberals and traitors ", the protests will resume tomorrow. In a interview in the state-owned broadcaster, Morales accused indigenous leaders of conspiracy, showing an alleged register of calls from cell phones belonging to indigenous leaders, to the embassy of the United States in La Paz. Our Constitution strictly forbids any kind of intervention on Telecommunications without an order from a judge and only if a state of emergency has been declared.

[auroraglacialis]

I guess it is a "state of emergency" if people actually want the government to keep their promises and respect the land of other people.
When it comes to economic growth, "prosperity" and "development" - anything that is threatening to slow that down is an emergency and "terrorism" of course. So sad.

[Human No More]

No, it is terrorism when people attack those who are uninvolved, as in a previous thread you made where people were performing actual terrorist acts. As far as I know (mainly from here), there have been no such incidents here.

[auroraglacialis]

It was linked here before:
Indigenous resistance is the new 'terrorism' - Opinion - Al Jazeera English

According to President Correa, "terrorists" are those opposing Ecuador's development

This is for ecquador of course, but I would not be surprised if the same kind of thinking will apply in Bolivia at some time. He is already putting out some crazy stories about them being incited by the US

Or this one:
From the Annals of Indigenous Resistance: “Terrorism”

The four heads of national indigenous organisations were accused of sabotage for participating in marches against laws to privatise water during a 2010 summit of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas in the indigenous town of Otavalo

Just saying that this quote is apt (again):
"Man darf nicht warten, bis der Freiheitskampf Landesverrat genannt wird" (Erich Kästner) - "One should not wait [resisting] until the struggle for liberation is called treason [or in our times probably terrorism]"

[applejuice]

Well, the expected counterforce of the government called the "Social Movements" (Movimientos Sociales), or as we named them: the SS (the obvious link to Hitler's forces is very well justified) are planning a demonstration of strength next week. Last time such a event took place, three people died, one of them was savagely executed by the Cocaleros in middle of the city (recordings of that exist), the other two died after they were shot by unknown people. According to them, every single person that might question any decision emerged from the government is a traitor and deserves to be in jail for life. This morning, the government minister had a sort of a rage attack in a press conference. He ran out of pejorative adjectives for those who are marching and Morales repeated that the road will be build "yes or yes".

[auroraglacialis]

Sounds like this is a protest in slow mo, man. Peaceful protest march, people just basically want to go to the government and ask them to reconsider and then they get picked upon and eventually are met with blockades and violence and then of course they will not just go back and accept not being heard but they want to really get the change they demand and then it will end up in a clash. Sigh.

[applejuice]

Two envoys from the government have reached the marchers and have advanced in negotiations today, however, the demands of more attention have stalled the efforts of the government to stop the protest. There's general indignation towards the attitude of Morales, yesterday, one of his ministers (though nobody knows what exactly he does) insulted and tried to disqualify the protest by showing documents of very known projects financed by USAID to help those regions. "They are allies, USA and the CIDOB (CIDOB is the Indigenous union of eastern lands)", he said, "they want to stop the change in this country, it would be a patriotic act to expel USAID from the country" "Only some leaders are marching" were his words. Also, the Government Minister said "who are they to condition the negotiations?". Such declarations have provoked a rejection feeling, given the supposed indigenous roots of the president. "That's the true face of the president of Bolivia: there are first class, second class and third class of indigenous people. The first class is the only one that gets all the attention from the government and those are the Cocaleros, nobody else matters" said the former vice president, Victor Hugo Cardenas, the first indigenous person elected in free elections as vice president, much before Morales.

[auroraglacialis]

Kinda hypocritical to rant about the US when being at the same time in favour of the Coca plantation. After all, th eUS is probably the biggest market...

[applejuice]

That's the truth, my friend, it is all about coca for Morales.

[Pa'li Makto]

This reminds me of a thread someone put up about illegal logging in the amazon and protesters getting gunned down.
I hope it wont come to that in this movement against the road construction but I can see tensions building.
Maybe the indigenous people can make a human chain and block the construction...

[applejuice]

I don't think it will evolve to that. However, cocaleros have bowed to stop the protest and it is very plausible that violence will erupt. (Should that come to happen, it will probably unleash a rebellion, everybody is tired of Morales and the corruption of his government, but don't say this to anyone).