Bolivian Protesters
Win War Over Water
Cochabamba, Bolivia: As many as six thousand protesters continued
to pour into the city's central plaza Monday on the widespread
public unrest continues to bring normal life throughout the nation
to a near halt. The enormous uprising here was sparked initially
by a public battle in Cochabamba over the selling of the region's
public water system to an affiliate of the San Francisco-based
Bechtel Corporation, but the strength of the water protests here
sparked parallel protests across the nation including a police
strike in La Paz, the nation's capital, and marches by farmers
regarding water, roads and other local issues.
Those leaders of the Cochabamba water protest who were not
arrested and jailed over the weekend came out of hiding today
to begin a new round of negotiations with secondary level officials
of the national government.
Late this afternoon details of an accord were released to
the media and public which includes, among others, the following
components: a) an agreement that the Bechtel affiliate, Aguas
del Tunari, will leave the country; b) that the dozens of civic
leaders arrested over the weekend will be released; c) the government
will approve reform of the national water law that is the object
of rural protests over maintaining local water control; d) financial
compensation for the families of at least six people killed in
the past week and scores of others injured.
The Bolivian official who negotiated the accord claimed on
television here that it had the support of Bolivian President
Hugo Banzer. However, given the turn of events Friday, in which
a similar agreement over the water company's departure was promised
by officials and then rescinded, protest leaders appear to be
taking a wait and see attitude before calling off the general
strike and transportation blockages and asking protesters to go
home. There has been no written agreement or direct statement
by Banzer as of yet, nor from Bechtel's affiliate here. The thousands
gathered in Cochabamba's plaza appear to be growing more angry
as each day passes without a believable accord. Many have walked
to the city on foot from as far as 70 miles away.
Meanwhile, human rights groups tonight are expressing deep
concern about the possible escalation of government repression
Monday night, as government officials state publicly that they
are preparing to more aggressively enforce the "state of
emergency" restrictions on civil liberties declared here
on Saturday by President Banzer.. Sweeps late Friday night through
private homes in the city resulted in the arrest and jailing of
more than a dozen civic leaders, most of whom were then transported
by air to a remote prison in Bolivia's jungle.
President Banzer has appointed the second new Governor for
the state of Cochabamba in three days, Army General Walter Cispedes.
Cispedes is most known here for being at the head of the army's
violent repression of civil protest in the Chapare region in April
1998 which left many dead and injured. The Cochabamba Permanent
Assembly on Human Rights reported this afternoon that at unknown
number of people who have been arrested in the past three days
are now unaccounted for and not present in any of the jails or
prisons in Cochabamba.
In addition, there are army troops posted at various entrances
to the city, just outside highway blockades erected and protected
by hundreds of peasants farmers from the rural areas outside the
city. A confrontation at a similar blockade near La Paz over the
weekend resulted in the deaths of at least two farmers and one
soldier. Meanwhile, throughout most of they city blockades streets
remained calm as children idle from closed schools played stickball
and soccer in the street. Women from various neighborhoods went
door to door gathering food and cooking for the thousands of protesters
in the plaza. Sunday, April 9th Cochabamba, Bolivia
The situation here in Bolivia remains critical. Since the
declaration of martial law yesterday at least three people have
been killed, including a 17 year old boy shot by soldiers with
live ammunition here in Cochabamba. More than 30 people in Cochabamba
alone have been injured from conflicts with the military. Respected
leaders of the water protests have been jailed, some flown to
a remote location in Bolivia's jungle. Soldiers continue to occupy
the city's center. However, there is now something very real and
straightforward you can do to help.
The massive protests that prompted the declaration of martial
law here were prompted by the sale of Cochabamba's public water
system to a private corporation (Aguas del Tunari, owned by International
Water Limited) which then doubled water rates for poor families
that can barely afford to feed themselves. It turns out that the
main financial power behind that water corporation in the Bechtel
Corporation, based in San Francisco (Source: http://www.bechtel.com/whatnew/1999artsq4.html).
The people of Bolivia have made it very clear that they want
Bechtel out. The Bolivian government is so committed to protecting
Bechtel that it has declared martial law and killed its own people.
While some in the government here are saying this afternoon that
Bechtel will leave, given the government's reversal on the same
promise Friday the statement has no credibility here absent a
written agreement and end to martial law. It is critical that
pressure be brought to bear directly on Bechtel in the US. You
can help, here's how:
Transnational Corporations
& the Third World