There has been a huge uproar over a road being built between Beni (the jungle region) and Cochabamba because it cuts through an indigenous territory (TIPNIS - El Territorio Indígena y Parque Nacional Isiboro Sécure). This area has been a national park since the 1960s and a declared indigenous refuge since 1990. Evo Morales, the president of Bolivia, began the project without the approval, or knowledge, of the TIPNIS or any other citizens of Bolivia. They have already begun construction on the 2/3 of the road - leading from Beni towards the TIPNIS and from Cochabamba towards the TIPNIS - but haven't actually started the construction within the park. The people are furious, especially the indigenous whose simple lives (they live in the "wild" more or less - still rely heavily on hunting and fishing for food and live very simply) will be destroyed as a result of the heavy traffic that will run through their home.
The TIPNIS people have been marching from their territory to La Paz, the capital, since August 15th (43 days) on foot to protest the destruction of their homeland. While this in and of itself has been big news for the past few weeks, it intensified over the past few days when the Bolivian police brutally attacked the group, who were peacefully marching, and it was caught on film. Women and Men alike were rounded up, beaten, and forcefully removed from their children and families. Many children have gone missing as a result and their are reports that one may have died. This brutality has fueled a fire within the Bolivian people that had been burning for a while now. There are vigils and marches going on practically every major city in Bolivia in protest to what the government has done. The minister of defense resigned because she was not in agreement with the treatment of the TIPNIS by the police. And people are angry.
Having a discussion with Diego about this last night, I came to realize just how grave this situation is. Evo has "paused" construction, although practically everyone knows he will go through with it because he has already paid a large sum of money to the Brazilian company to do the construction. People are angry that a Bolivian company wasn't contracted to do the work, but instead it was outsourced to Brazil. The excuse is that there aren't any companies within Bolivia who have enough money to finance the operation or are worth over 1 million dollars. But people are angry. And even though people are angry at Evo, angrier than I've ever seen them, Diego tells me that he still wouldn't be surprised if Evo manages to survive his next 3 years of office and go on to serve another 5.
Why?
Corruption. In the smaller towns of Bolivia, if you don't vote for Evo in the elections, they kick you and your family out of your house, take your car, and basically all your possessions and leave you high and dry. Although no one likes Evo, they don't know any other candidates, so they vote to abstain, but Evo discards those votes and therefore comes out on top.
It makes me angry. So angry. And I don't know what to do. This is such a beautiful country with beautiful people and so many opportunities, but it's being held back by a corrupt government. I can only hope and pray that they will find a way to overcome this. And in the meantime, I ask you all to keep the TIPNIS people in your prayers.
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