Bolivia's racial onslaught

[Judi Lynn]

Bolivia's racial onslaught
By César Navarro, New Statesman
Jun 16, 2008, 11:59



In Bolivia racial violence is being encouraged and promoted by regional governments, civic committees and right-wing political organisations.

Evo Morales, who cut his teeth as an indigenous political leader through his campaigns for the coca-leaf growers union in the tropics of Cochabamba, has developed a revolutionary discourse born out of Bolivia’s social movements which is anti-imperialist, anti-colonial and anti-neoliberal.

This consists mainly of the principles of defence of national sovereignty, of natural resources, and of land, equality between men and women and respect for human rights.

This political praxis has formed the basis for public policy. However, these policies are being resisted internally and externally by those who are opposed politically, ideologically and culturally to the revolutionary process that the Bolivian people are living, breathing and building.

The opposition, which operates through civic organisations, regional governments, business groups and the media - meanwhile - has constructed a rhetoric or, if you like, a counter-discourse which turns President Evo Morales’ good qualities into bad ones, accuses him of being an indigenous-fundamentalist, undemocratic, an enemy of private investment; a foe of the middle classes and a defender of centralised government in opposition to regional autonomy.

This discourse, which is being used to paint both the President and the process of political change as a force for ill, has created an atmosphere which is intended to breed conditions for social and racial violence towards Bolivia's indigenous and working classes.

Dramatic manifestations of such social and racial violence, which are tolerated and encouraged by political nuclei of the opposition were seen in the city of Cochabamba in January 2007, in Sucre in September 2007 and May 2008; in Santa Cruz in August and December 2007 and May 2008 and in the regions of Beni and Pando in June 2008. Organised groups planned and carried out violence against indigenous people and peasants, and they publicly expressed their collective discourse through racist phrases such as: “fucking indian”.

More:
http://axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/article_27137.shtml

[subsuelo]

1. And the man that commanded the army that murdered 67 of those "fucking Indians" in '03

Is hiding in the U.S. with Obama's top foreign policy advisor as his lawyer.

Thousands of demonstrators marched on the U.S. Embassy Monday to demand that Washington extradite a former Bolivian defense minister who directed a military crackdown on riots that killed at least 60 people in 2003.

Former Defense Minister Carlos Sanchez Berzain, now a resident of Key Biscayne, Fla., told La Paz-based Radio Fides last week that the U.S. granted him political asylum more than a year ago.

Lawyers for the two exiled politicians say protesters instigated the violence and that their blockade of La Paz, which cut the capital off from food and fuel, justified a military response.

Their legal team includes Washington attorney Greg Craig, an adviser to Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

AP - read more

[Judi Lynn]

2. A new round of plotting and scheming is in order at the State Department:

U.S. asks envoy to Bolivia to come home to consult
Mon Jun 16, 2008 6:59pm EDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has asked its envoy to Bolivia to return home after violent protests a week ago at the U.S. Embassy in La Paz, and warned Bolivia to meet its obligations to protect diplomats, the State Department said on Monday.

Ambassador Philip S. Goldberg "will return to Washington for consultations on embassy security" after the protests June 9, State Department spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos said in a statement.

Thousands of rock-throwing supporters of leftist Bolivian President Evo Morales protested outside the embassy, demanding the United States send home two right-wing Bolivian politicians.

Hundreds of police in riot gear struggled to keep the demonstrators away from the fortress-like embassy and ended up firing tear gas to disperse them.

Gallegos said that the United States appreciated the efforts of the Bolivian police, but was concerned by statements of some Bolivian government officials that "cast doubt" on Bolivia's commitment to fulfill international conventions on protecting diplomats and their facilities.

More:
http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSN1627216320080616?rpc=401&

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U.S envoy in Bolivia to return home for security discussion
www.chinaview.cn 2008-06-17 06:47:20

WASHINGTON, June 16 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Ambassador to Bolivia Philip S. Goldberg will return home for security discussion, State Department spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos said Monday.

"U.S. Ambassador to Bolivia Philip S. Goldberg will return to Washington for consultations on embassy security in the wake of violent protests in La Paz on Monday June 9," Gallegos told reporters.

"The ambassador's consultations will provide an opportunity to explore measures to enhance security cooperation with the government of Bolivia," said a statement attributed to Gallegos.

Early last week, thousands of Bolivians reportedly surrounded the U.S. embassy in La Paz with many of them shooting fireworks at the U.S. flag flying in front of the embassy building.

The protest came after former Bolivian Defense Minister Sanchez Berzain, who was accused of genocide, told the press last week that a U.S. court had granted him political asylum.

More:
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-06/17/content_8382439.htm