>Friends, >The Bolivian government is hell-bent on passing the Water Export Law in >violation of the agreements reached with the people's movement in April >2000. And now they've arrested Oscar Olivera, one of the most prominent >leaders of the movement. >Many of us have met Oscar when he toured the US last fall. Many of us >also remember his fabulous speech at the rally on the Ellipse on A16 >last year. As soon as more information comes out on who to contact, we should >start jamming the Bolivian government and the embassy in Washington DC >with e-mails and phone calls. >I have no doubt that the Bolivian government was encouraged by recent >world developments and now think they can get away with defying the >people's will even more than they had earlier. Another example of the >difficult climate worldwide after September 11. >In the meantime, indigenous and people's movements in Honduras are >facing growing repression on the pretext of the "war on terrorism". And coffee >prices have dropped sharply, causing serious disruption in many Latin >American economies. This, after the IMF and WB told them to grow more >coffee as part of the "export-led growth" strategy, re-orienting the >agricultural economies from growing basics like rice and beans for local >consumption, to growing coffee and cocoa for export. And the IMF >continues to flush the economy of Argentina down the toilet. >Meanwhile in Africa, we have a World Trade Center disaster every day - >365 days a year - with 6,000 to 7,000 people dying of AIDS daily, many of >them due to lack of access to treatment. >In India, the government has passed the highly repressive Prevention of >Terrorism Ordinance (POTO). Guess who the "terrorists" will be? Farmers >in the Narmada valley resisting the dam. Fishworkers on the coasts, taking >a stand against overfishing by commercial fleets, and the systematic >destruction of India's coastline to make hotels, resorts, more seaports, power >plants, other polluting industries - all of which are an economic death sentence >for them, and an ecological death sentence to the rich coastal and marine >environment. >In short, any Indians who dare organize to stop the second colonization >of India, and who dare to organize to protect the rivers, lakes, forests >and coasts on which they depend for their basic needs, will be called >"terrorists" and prosecuted under this new ordinance. >Welcome to the brave new post-September 11 world of growing repression, >and growing impunity and arrogance on the part of the powers that shouldn't >be but are. While the serious issues on our plate on September 10 have only >intensified. >It shows how our work is more relevant than it has ever been. We must >let them know that we are still here, that they can't wish away the >interconnected resistance of billions worldwide. We can't let them win - the prospect >is too terrifying. >Keep the struggle going! >In solidarity, >Basav > >Neil Watkins wrote: >> >> The following message indicates that Oscar Olivera, one of the leaders of >> the Bolivian group "Coalition in Defense of Water and Life" has been >> arrested in Cochabamba. For those that aren't familiar, this Coalition >> successfully challenged Becthel Corporation and the World Bank and stopped >> the privatization of water in Bolivia back in April 2000. Since then the >> group has worked to construct alternatives to water privatization. We will >> post more information about how people can be of assistance to win Oscar's >> release as soon as it as available. >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: Oscar Olivera F. >> Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2001 11:18 AM >> Subject: Oscar Olivera in detention >> >> Dear Friends, >> >> This morning at 7:30 am the police in Cochabamba arrested Oscar Olivera, >> spokesperson for the Coordinadora, on his way to work. The charges are >> "sedition, conspiracy, instigating public disorder, criminal association, >> and other charges". Similar warrants are out for the arrest of Coordinadora >> spokespeople Omar Fernandez and Samuel Soria. >> >> The charges against Oscar and other spokespersons of the Coalition are >> related to their role in successfully reversing privatization of local >> water systems, opposing the water export laws, and supporting the blockades >> called for by the Irrigators Federation of Cochabamba in solidarity with >> the coca growers demands. >> >> The government filed charges against Olivera in July 2001. That same month >> Olivera was given direct assurances by the Minister of Government Leopoldo >> Fernandez that charges had in fact been dropped. The government, currently >> in negotiations with coca growers, is only now acting on the warrants in >> order to create distractions and strengthen it's position at the bargaining >> table. This is clear harassment and a blatant violation of basic civil >> rights to association and expression, and a violation of due process. >> >> Currently Oscar is being held by the Technical Judicial Police. Please stay >> in touch. We will provide more information as it is available. >> >> Coalition in Defense of Water and Life >> >> Forwarded from: >> >> Ravi Khanna, Director >> 1world communication >> P. O. Box 2476 >> Amherst, MA 01004 >> Phone: 413-253-1960 >> Fax: 413-253-1961 >> Cell: 413-530-9640 ###
bolivia | IMF Struggles | www.agp.org (archives) | www.all4all.org