WATER FIGHT: BOLIVIA vs. BECHTEL Last week brought an end to one of the greatest water battles in history. The people of Bolivia have successfully reclaimed ownership of their water from the Bechtel Corporation. In 1999, Bechtel made an arrangement with the Bolivian government to take ownership of the water supply and charge citizens for its use. Within weeks of the takeover, Bechtel raised water rates by 50% and made it illegal to gather rainwater without a permit. The ensuing citizen revolt forced Bechtel out of the country. Bechtel then sued Bolivia for $50 million for "profit losses." But last week, after four years of legal disputes and public pressure, the case was dropped. "This is the first time that a major corporation like Bechtel has had to back down from a major trade case as the result of global citizen pressure," said Jim Shultz, executive director of The Democracy Center in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Bechtel's surrender coincides with the election of indigenous populist farm leader, Evo Morales, who has long been a sharp critic of Bechtel and other transnational corporations operating in Bolivia. [link] <http://www.organicconsumers.org/Politics/bechtel012006.cfm>
Keith Addison wrote: >Hi Ken > > > >>Interesting confleunce of failure of foreign aid and >>water as a human right. >> >> > >"Same as energy, same as food, same as money." > > > >>One of the important facts >>left out of the information on water and Bolivia is >>that the IMF put stings on a loan to Bolivia to >>improve water infrastructure which was sadly in need >>of repair. The IMF required that Bolivia privatize the >>ownership of their water distribution system before it >>would lend them any money. Bechtel Corp. got the >>contract and immediately increased the price of water >>by 60% and later doubling and tripling the price of >>water. Peasants who couldn't afford the price started >>collecting rainwater and were sued by Bechtel who >>claimed that even the rainwater had to be paid for. As >>a result the peasants protested and Bechtel was thrown >>out. The water problem led to the election of leftest >>Morales. Interesting how money from the IMF that had >>strings to supposedly promote ownership by large >>corporations had the opposite effect. >> >> > >Yes. Didn't Anup Shah cover that? I thought he does. It was in the >link I added in the original post: > > > >>For a glimpse at water issues worldwide in 2002 see: >>http://snipurl.com/qcpd >>Re: [biofuel] Sewage & Waste Water - was: Somewhat OT: Animal Waste >> >> > >One article mentioned: > > > >>"Bolivia's War Over Water" reports from the scene by Jim Shultz, >>executive director, The Democracy Center -- In April 2000 Bolivia >>grabbed the world's attention when the city of Cochabamba erupted in >>a public uprising over water prices. In 1999, following World Bank >>advice, Bolivia had granted a 40-year privatization lease to a >>subsidiary of the Bechtel Corporation, giving it control over the >>water on which more than half a million people survive. Immediately >>the company doubled and tripled water rates for some of South >>America's poorest families. The entire city went on a general >>strike. The military killed a seventeen-year-old boy and arrested >>the water rights leaders. But after four months of unrest the >>Bolivian government forced Bechtel out of Cochambamba. >>http://www.democracyctr.org/onlinenews/water.html >> >> > >New link: >http://www.democracyctr.org/waterwar/ >Bolivia's War Over Water > >There are 13 articles in the list archives on Bolivia and Bechtel, >and quite a few more on Morales. This was the most recent on Bechtel: >http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/msg59686.html >[Biofuel] Bolivia: Bechtel surrenders >25 Jan 2006 > >Best > >Keith > > > > >>Ken >> >>--- Keith Addison <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> >> >> >>>"12 percent of the world's population uses 85 >>>percent of its water, >>>and these 12 percent do not live in the Third >>>World." >>> >>>Same as energy, same as food, same as money. >>> >>>Actually there is only one problem, IMHO, and this >>>is it. >>> >>>For a glimpse at water issues worldwide in 2002 see: >>>http://snipurl.com/qcpd >>>Re: [biofuel] Sewage & Waste Water - was: Somewhat >>>OT: Animal Waste >>> >>>Best >>> >>>Keith >>> >>> >>>--------------- >>> >>>New at Anup Shah's "Global Issues" web site. >>>http://www.globalissues.org >>> >>>* Trade-Related Issues >>>* Sustainable Development >>>* Water >>> >>>Much of the world lives without access to clean >>>water. A recognized >>>global water crisis appears to come not so much from >>>water scarcity >>>and "over-population" but from management of this >>>precious resource. >>>Privatization has long been encouraged as the means >>>to efficient >>>management and provision of service. However, the >>>result has been >>>that often prices have increased, out of reach from >>>poor people >>>around the world. This commoditization of water goes >>>to the heart of >>>safe water access issues. This article looks into >>>this issue in more >>>detail. >>> >>> >>> >>> >>http://www.globalissues.org/TradeRelated/Development/water/ >> >> >>>Introduction-A Water Management Crisis Leading to >>>Lack of Access to >>>Safe Water for Much of the World >>>* Coca Cola vs. Indian Farmers: Luxury vs. Necessity >>>* Privatization in both rich and poor countries can >>>mean many cannot >>>access safe water >>>* Water Access Policy: Following Neoliberal Ideology >>>* Privatization vs. Democratic Accountability of >>>Management of a >>>Fundamental Resource >>>* Water: A Human Right or a Commodity? >>>* Water and Environmental Issues >>>* International Agreements and Action >>>* More Information >>> >>> >>> >>>_______________________________________________ >>>Biofuel mailing list >>>Biofuel@sustainablelists.org >>> >>> >>> >>http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org >> >> >>>Biofuel at Journey to Forever: >>>http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html >>> >>>Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list >>>archives (50,000 messages): >>> >>> >>> >>http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ >> >> >>> >>> >>__________________________________________________ >>Do You Yahoo!? >>Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around >>http://mail.yahoo.com >> >>_______________________________________________ >>Biofuel mailing list >>Biofuel@sustainablelists.org >>http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org >> >>Biofuel at Journey to Forever: >>http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html >> >>Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): >>http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ >> >> > > >_______________________________________________ >Biofuel mailing list >Biofuel@sustainablelists.org >http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org > >Biofuel at Journey to Forever: >http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html > >Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): >http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ > > > _______________________________________________ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
