« Governor Accuses Vice President of Drug Trafficking, Then Retracts | Home | Evo Offers U.S. $1.5 million in Response to Aid Cuts »

Indigenous Group Resumes March on La Paz

Posted: Nate on Jul 09 | Indigenous & Culture, Law & Justice

After almost a week of waiting, the march organized by the Confederation of Indigenous Peoples of Bolivia (CIDOB) from Trinidad will resume its movement toward La Paz today.  Leaders of the march halted the protesters in Asunción de Guarayos while they waited for the outcome of meetings between indigenous leaders and government representatives on Tuesday.  CIDOB organized the march in an effort to gain recognition for lowland indigenous groups in the proposed Legal Framework for Autonomy, a law up for federal consideration that would give indigenous peoples increased control over their lands and economies.

María Saravia, CIDOB´s secretary for gender issues, announced today that the march would continue today in light of the executive branch´s unwillingness to engage in dialogue with CIDOB.  CIDOB´s political commission met with government officials on Tuesday and of the 13 points contained in CIDOB´s proposal, only one was addressed in the meeting.  Secretary Saravia also lamented that government officials have refused to meet CIDOB representatives in the lowlands saying, “We´ve waited for them but up to now they haven´t arrived.  But when they try to attend to the demands of our Aymara brothers they resolve it quickly and they forget us.”  The march continued its progress toward La Paz this morning.

For more in Spanish see:

http://www.indigena.erbol.com.bo/noticia.php?identificador=2147483931242

Tags: