http://bolivianthoughts.com/2012/05/08/tipnis-group-bypasses-san-ignacio-as-it-was-barbed-wire-by-intransigent-people/ TIPNIS group bypasses San Ignacio as it was barbed-wire by intransigent people Posted by Bolivian Thoughts <http://bolivianthoughts.com/author/xxxyyy34/> ⋅May 8, 2012 ⋅ Leave a Comment<http://bolivianthoughts.com/2012/05/08/tipnis-group-bypasses-san-ignacio-as-it-was-barbed-wire-by-intransigent-people/#respond>
ANF reports and is published (around noontime today) in Los Tiempos website: A column of 30 police officers escorted the passage of the ninth indigenous March in defense of the TIPNIS which managed to overcome the blocking point for entering San Ignacio de Moxos, while some people of the town and surroundings were shouting in favor of the construction of the Villa Tunari – San Ignacio de Moxos road as well as insults against the marchers who remained silent and continued their passage. The sound of the ‘tamborita’ [little drum and flutes] broke the marchers’ path against sympathizers-blockers of the Government which, along with herders of San Ignacio de Moxos, shouted: “Road, highway” and against the indigenous people of the Isiboro Sécure National Park who reject the law 222 of previous consultation. Barbed wire closed access to different streets that linked with the people, the indigenous people passed long failed to respond to insults from villagers who were separated from the column of marchers by police escort. “The March decision is not to pass through the town but by the Beltway Avenue, that way we show respect to San Ignacio and want theirs as well as they do not live in the TIPNIS, [they should] respect our position in defense of the territory”, said the President of the Confederation of indigenous people of Bolivia (CIDOB), according to the Tierra Foundation. http://www.lostiempos.com/diario/actualidad/economia/20120508/marcha-indigena-logra-pasar-bloqueo-en-san-ignacio-y-se-dirige-a-comunidad_170750_358889.html May 7, 2012: a week full of conflict and potential escalating violence TIPNIS protest-walk group is facing today a blockade in San Ignacio de Moxos, TV news showing people with brand new rolls of barbed wire “fencing” the road where the marchers are supposed to be passing-by today (whose financing?), marchers’ group is around 11 km away of this conflicting town. Some inhabitants of that town do not want the marchers to go by midtown and bypass (not stop) the town and continue their march. Not even a mass service will be allowed. In sum, total intolerance with the people that are fighting for their territorial rights and also fighting for all of us while protecting our National Park; thus establishing jurisprudence over our whole National Park System. Medics, universities and the major union in the country (COB) are also planning to continue with strikes and probable blockades, so turmoil, intolerance among the population will more likely take place. The role of the police will continue to be that of suppressing some of those acts, while the central government continues to have an unclear conflict management policy of these issues. Follows the schedule of such conflicts, published by Los Tiempos, for this unfortunate, unproductive week in our beautiful and conflicting country…: THE WEEK Monday: • Protest-march of doctors in Cochabamba. • New picket line of the hunger-strike and blockades by the health group (medics, health personnel) • Public transport strike in La Paz • Strike of the University. • Indigenous people of the TIPNIS resumed their March. Tuesday: • Blockades by the health sector • Transport strike in La Paz. Wednesday: • Starts the 72-hour strike by the COB. • The blockade of the thousand corners by teachers in La Paz. • Startup of a March of the coca growers against the TIPNIS, in Cochabamba. Thursday: Strike of the COB. Friday: Strike of the COB http://www.lostiempos.com/diario/actualidad/nacional/20120507/gobierno-enfrenta-septima-semana-de-conflictos_170584_358520.html Conflict resolution and Negotiation skills are desperately needed inside current government institutions… lets not forget that liquid gas (GLP) shortage in Santa Cruz is beginning to affect and annoy some neighborhoods; and Jindal threatens to stop its work in El Mutun, and their potential unemployed workers are beginning to show signs of unrest, due to misunderstandings with the central government in terms of contract compliance and natural gas supply. Former ally accuses current government of generating the social conflicts Pagina Siete reports: [The former ally of current government, the political party] Without Fear Movement [MSM] issued a statement on the recent social developments, which points out that conflicts are caused and promoted by the Government of President Evo Morales. The document – entitled “the origin of social conflicts is the plan of repositioning the authoritarian, populist and demagogic Government plan” – points out that the three main problems facing the country (Protest-march in defense of Isiboro Sécure National Park and indigenous territory [TIPNIS]; protests of the Central Obrera Boliviana [COB, main worker's union]; and mobilization of medical doctors) have been generated by the ruling party. “It is the Government with its Decree 1126, demagogic and in an improvised way, expanded to eight hours the work-day of health workers;” “is the Government which aborted the dialogue with the COB with its wage Decree of May 1st, and it is the Government that after promoting the March of coca growers against the TIPNIS, approved the illegal and unconstitutional law 222 of ‘subsequent consultation’ to build no matter what, the road by the OAS”, says the political pronouncement. According to the analysis of the party led by Juan del Granado, these errors originate in the loss of popularity of the Government during 2011, which forced them to seize the initiative, but on the basis of “authoritarian, populist and demagogic action”. The MSM believes that the “repositioning plan” arose from the social Summit organized by the Government in December and January in Cochabamba. “(Of the Summit) is not only the Decree against the health doctors, but the decision to divide the COB and return to the fray with the destructive road of the TIPNIS.” “It’s a shortsighted vision, short term, oblivious to the reality, what people are thinking and of electoral insight which has as its unique perspective, the “reposition” of the ailing image of the only candidate MAS by 2014: that of Mr Evo Morales”. Doctors and public health workers develop a general and indefinite, strike that has been accompanied by voluntary fasting of hundreds of affiliates, in addition to blockades of streets and roads in five departments of the country for more than one month. In parallel to this conflict against the consultation process that the ruling party develops inside the TIPNIS, some 500 indigenous March from Trinidad to La Paz. Finally, the COB has called a general strike and protests and street marches. On the subject of the sector, President Morales said Friday that a new “social Summit” will be convened to discuss the issue of the crisis of the State health and that “was suspended” the decree which increases six to eight-hour workday for State medical personnel. Doctors rejected the idea and insist that the Decree should be repealed altogether. The document produced by the opposing party [MSM] establishes that the Government and the ruling party are solely responsible for “serious”social conflicts that afflict the country and generate a harm to the population. In addition, it argues that “the sole responsibility of the Government is not only because it lacks the capacity to resolve the conflict, but because the same Government is the one that has created the conflicts”. http://www.paginasiete.bo/2012-05-07/Nacional/NoticiaPrincipal/2Nac00107.aspx ------------------------------------------------------------ 1. Health workers escalate protests, strikes called by the COB<http://ymlp.com/zKeyJn#health> 2. May Day nationalisation of electricity network<http://ymlp.com/zKeyJn#nationalisation> 3. Indigenous march to La Paz begins <http://ymlp.com/zKeyJn#march> 4. Summit of the Americas ends without agreement<http://ymlp.com/zKeyJn#summit> *1. Health workers escalate protests, strikes called by the COB* Strikes and mobilisations by health workers, doctors and medical students have been growing since January in rejection of proposed government reforms to reinstate an 8 hour working day (up from 6) for public health workers (see previous BIF News Brief<http://www.boliviainfoforum.org.uk/news-detail.asp?id=112#health>). A strike was initially called for 28 March, however this was called off after representatives of the Colegio Médico de Bolivia (Bolivian Doctors’ Association) entered into an agreement to negotiate with the Minister for Health, Juan Carlos Calvimontes. The strike was reinitiated on 10 April after negotiations broke down. Protests subsequently intensified as health workers and students took to the streets and blocked roads in La Paz, Santa Cruz, Sucre and Cochabamba, amid clashes as police attempted to disperse them. Some doctors in La Paz organised a march in defence of “the right to health”, arguing that while the protests were legitimate, health workers have a duty to provide services to the population. On 4 May an investigation was opened by the public prosecutor after a woman in El Alto claimed that her son had died because he was unable to receive medical attention to treat a case of diarrhoea. Attempts were made by the government to initiate dialogue by offering additional pay to compensate for longer working hours, though this was immediately turned down. Differing positions also began to emerge between the health workers and health professionals, with workers willing to compromise on the issue of working hours but demanding more pay, while the leaders of the associations of health professionals remain intransigent in their rejection of an 8 hour working day. On 4 May, President Evo Morales suspended the decree calling for the extension of the working day, so that these issues and others can be discussed at a health summit, called for the end of June. Meanwhile, the Central Obrera Boliviana (COB – Trade Union Confederation) called a 48 hour strike during negotiations over salary increases after leaders of the COB abandoned talks. Workers marched through the centre of La Paz on the 24 and 25 April, however, the strike was not supported by some sectors – a split was seen between urban teachers who supported the strike and departmental-level teachers’ leaders who called on their affiliates to travel to work as usual. Negotiations have been ongoing over annual salary increments, with the government offering up to an 8% increase to general salaries, saying that anything greater would lead to a fiscal deficit (this is more than 1% over last year’s inflation rate). On 1 May the president announced an increase in the minimum wage of nearly 23%, up from 815 to 1000 Bolivianos per month. The COB called an emergency meeting on 3 May saying that the grass-roots would decide whether to accept the government’s offer. The offer was rejected and they announced that they would call a 72 hour national strike in solidarity with striking health workers, as well as street protests and marches in cities across the country. *2. May Day nationalisation of electricity network* President Morales announced in his annual May Day speech that the government would be nationalising Transportadora de Electricidad SA, Bolivia’s national energy grid, which was owned by the Spanish electric company Red Eléctrica de España (REE). Morales said that the company had not invested sufficiently in the energy network, and for this reason it would be returning to state hands (it had been privatised during the Banzer government in 1997). The move follows other nationalisations of previously privatized companies as the Bolivian state regains control of the country’s energy supply. *The terms of the nationalisation are that the Bolivian national electric company ENDE will buy REE shares at an independently valued price within a time-frame of 180 days. The Bolivian operation represents a small portion of REE’s investments worldwide, its US$16.4 million annual profits are less than 3% of the Spanish company’s total yearly net profits. After initial criticism, the Spanish foreign minister, Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo, conceded that the takeover was legitimate.* *The announcement coincided with a visit to Bolivia of the president of the Spanish oil company Repsol to inaugurate a natural gas processing plant at the Margarita gas field.* *3. Indigenous march to La Paz begins* The IX indigenous march to La Paz began on Friday 27 April, as around 300 indigenous marchers set out on the route from Trinidad in the Beni. This is the second march rejecting the road through the TIPNIS national park and indigenous territory, and follows the same route as previous indigenous marches that took place during the 90s and early 2000s in defence of the rights of lowland indigenous peoples. Led by the lowland indigenous federation, CIDOB, with participation by representatives of highland indigenous organisation CONAMAQ, the march aims to gain wide popular support for indigenous and environmental rights and respect for the Bolivian constitution. One of the principal demands of the march is to oppose the consultation process which would decide whether a road project through the park should go ahead or not (see previous BIF News Briefing <http://www.boliviainfoforum.org.uk/news-detail.asp?id=118#TIPNIS>). The marchers argue that the consultation process is flawed because it is not “prior” consultation since the contract to construct the road had already been signed with Brazilian company OAS. The situation was further complicated when the government cancelled the OAS contract earlier in April, saying that progress on other sections of the road had not been satisfactory. This did not appease the demands of CIDOB and other opponents of the consultation who argue that regardless of the contract, building has already begun at both ends of the road project and the government still intends to build the road through the TIPNIS. A more conciliatory approach by the government was in evidence when Interior Minister Carlos Romero negotiated with local authorities in San Ignacio de Moxos to disband a blockade which aimed to detain the march. Romero said that the government would guarantee the rights of the marchers to protest and would provide security for the marchers if necessary. Also, following a request by president Morales and advice from the UN OHCHR, the Plurinational Legislative Assembly has drafted a law which will postpone the consultation another 90 days, meaning it will now be scheduled for 10 September. ** *Bolivia Information Forum*, 6-9 Manor Gardens, London N7 6LA www.boliviainfoforum.org.uk [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- LAAMN: Los Angeles Alternative Media Network --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribe: <mailto:laamn-unsubscr...@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe: <mailto:laamn-subscr...@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Digest: <mailto:laamn-dig...@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Help: <mailto:laamn-ow...@egroups.com?subject=laamn> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post: <mailto:la...@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive1: <http://www.egroups.com/messages/laamn> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive2: <http://www.mail-archive.com/laamn@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yahoo! 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