BOIVIA: Hundreds of thousands of Bolivians march for autonomy and clashes between protesters and President Evo Morales supporters injure 20

Hundreds of thousands of Bolivian protesters demonstrated on Friday (December 15) for autonomy from the federal government, even as supporters of leftist President Evo Morales clashed with protesters going to an anti-government rally in eastern Bolivia, leaving about 20 protesters injured. Santa Cruz has banded together with three of the country's other wealthy provinces - Beni, Pando and the natural-gas rich Tarija - to spearhead a movement for full self-governance over internal affairs. According to a June referendum, a majority of people in these regions want their local leaders to have more control over political and economic affairs. Bolivia, South America's poorest country, is roughly divided along ethnic and economic lines, with the eastern lowlands home to more European-descended people and rich in natural gas resources, while the indigenous-dominated western highlands are relatively poorer and strongly back Morales. But not all seekers of autonomy are European-descended. Rita Origay, who represents the Guarayo indigenous people, told the crowd that her people were one of several tribes being sidelined for the Aymara, President Evo Morales' group. One group of protesters travelling to Santa Cruz, clashed with Morales supporters, leaving about 20 protesters injured. Origay said it was unacceptable. "We will never quit this fight," she told the crowd. "In San Julian, they blocked many brothers from the provinces from arriving at town hall. They hit them. They threw rocks at them. To them I say-- as a Guarayo indigenous woman-- this will be the last time! (WOMAN SPEAKING OVER SHOTS OF CROWD:) If they block again, we will run over them." Morale's MAS party holds a simple majority in the assembly and says that should be enough to pass articles, but that goes against previous regulation that rules controversial articles must be passed by no less than a two-thirds majority. A series of meetings and protests being held on Friday aim to push forward the movement, which has jolted ahead in recent weeks on the back of wave of anti-government sentiment. Leaders in the eastern Santa Cruz region had said they expected 1 million people to take to the streets to press demands for greater autonomy from the central government and more control of local taxes but they denied wanting to create a breakaway state. Leftist Morales, the country's first indigenous president, has accused the pro-autonomy drive of being led by a "racist right" opposed to his reforms and intent on splitting Bolivia, the poorest country in South America. Santa Cruz is an opposition stronghold and many of its people feel they have little in common with the poor west of the country, where Morales has his support base. Opposition to some Morales policies, such as his plan to redistribute idle farmland to peasants, is stronger in the east, while the western provinces, largely populated by Aymara and Quechua Indians, strongly support his policies. Demonstrations also were planned in three other eastern provinces. Morales supporters vowed to stage counter-protests. Morales, who once led protests as a leader of a coca-farmers group, has threatened to send the army to defiant regions if they go ahead with what he describes as a secessionist movement. Demands for autonomy in four of Bolivia's nine regions have dogged Morales since he took office in January.

ITN Source | December 16, 2006

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