Bolivian Rainforest Protest

After walking almost 400 miles, more than 2,000 indigenous protesters reached the city of La Paz, Bolivia's capital, to make a stand against a major road that the country's President - Evo Morales - is trying to build through the heart of their territory and a protected rainforest region.

The protesters began their walk over 9 weeks ago and have suffered heavy rain, police brutality and high altitudes to reach La Paz from the Bolivian Amazon. Hundreds of protesters have already been arrested and tear gas as well as batons were used against those marching towards the capital. Such atrocities have generated significant support for the protesters both within and beyond Bolivia.

The rainforest under threat from the road. which is being funded to a tune of US$420 million by a Brazilian company, is within the Isboro-Secure Indigenous Territory National Park which is the traditional home to over 15,000 tribal people who fear that the new road will bring in its wake a wave of deforestation, land thefts and contamination.

President Morales has supported the road development in order to link this relatively under-developed corner of Bolivia to both La Paz and the neighbouring country, Brazil. The proposed road would also link Brazil with the Pacific Ocean via the coasts of Peru and Chile. Last week Morales suffered his first electoral defeat during the election of judges and judiciary, when 45% of voters spoiled their ballot papers and a further 20% abstained from voting.

Sources: www.elcomercio.pe , www.rttnews.com  & www.guardian.co.uk

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