Bolivian road project pits indigenous groups against President Morales

[The Northerner]

(CNN) -- Bolivian indigenous leaders vow to keep fighting a road project through a national park on their ancestral homeland even though President Evo Morales said he would suspend construction pending a national dialogue

On Sunday, 500 police tear-gassed and rousted about half of 1,500 indigenous protesters making a 300-mile march to the capital, La Paz. The marchers say four people were killed, scores of protesters were injured and several others were still missing on Tuesday. Bolivian officials emphatically denied on Monday any deaths or injuries but promised to launch a full-scale investigation into the raid, which they said was undertaken to save lives and avoid confrontations.

Indigenous leaders, who maintain the marchers were unarmed, expressed their skepticism on Tuesday over Morales' statement.

"We don't believe what he says any more," said Rosario Barradas, a leader of the Conference of Indigenous People.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/27/world/americas/bolivia-indigenous-protest/