Bolivia Amazon protesters resume Tipnis road march Skip to main content

Bolivia Amazon protesters resume Tipnis road march

Bolivian protesters with flags flanked by riot police, 24 September The protesters - pictured here on 24 September - say they are determined to reach La Paz

Related Stories

Indigenous protesters in the Bolivian Amazon have resumed a long-distance march against a controversial road project, a week after their demonstration was broken up by police.
Around 1.000 protesters set off to complete the remaining 250km (155 miles) to La Paz.
Plans to build a highway through an indigenous rainforest reserve have sharply divided opinion in Bolivia.
Two ministers resigned last week amid outrage at the repression of the march.
"We have resumed the march and our intention is not to clash with anybody," indigenous leader Adolfo Chavez told Reuters.
"Instead of accusing the indigenous people, what the government should do is resolve the problem of the road once and for all."
Outcry The protesters began their long march in August as part of a campaign against government plans to build a highway through the Isiboro Secure Indigenous Territory and National Park - known by its Spanish acronym Tipnis.
But halfway along their route they were first blocked and then dispersed by riot police using batons and tear gas.
Television footage of the police action provoked a national outcry, with large demonstrations of support for the marchers in La Paz and other cities.
Indigenous supporters of President Morales protest in La Paz, 30 September There have also been protests in support of the road project
Defence Minister Cecilia Chacon resigned in protest, and Interior Minister Sacha Llorenti - who was in charge of the police - also stepped down.
Division President Evo Morales suspended construction of the highway and promised a local referendum on whether it should continue, while denying responsibility for the police action.
The dispute over the Tipnis road project has divided the social movements that helped Evo Morales become Bolivia's first indigenous president in 2006.
President Morales says the road - which is being funded by Brazil and built by a Brazilian company - will boost economic development and regional integration.
But the protesters say it will encourage illegal settlement and deforestation in their rainforest homeland.
They and their supporters argue that Mr Morales is breaking his own commitments to protect indigenous rights and the environment.
But there have also been demonstrations in support of the road project from indigenous groups that remain loyal to the president.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-15138784
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sri Bhaddanta Chandramani Mahathera

The Life Story of A Distinguished And Outstanding Bhikkhu The Most Venerable Saradawpharagree Sri Bhaddanta Chandramani Mahathera The Buddhist missionary Saradaw Ashin U Chandramani was endowed with great gifts and led a famous and long life. He was a very well known, distinguished and outstanding Bhikkhu Mahathera. While living in the Kushinagar Monastery, a place close to where the Lord Buddha had passed away to Nirvana, the Government of India had offered, and he had accepted, the highest, most honourable and respected title "Guru Guru MahaGuru". He became the first ever President of all Buddhists in India.A World Buddhist Conference took place in Kathmandu during the reign of King Mahindra of Nepal. The Conference was very well attended by over one hundred thousand Buddhists from various parts of the world and it was opened by King Mahindra himself. As requested by the King, Saradawpharagree blessed all the participants with the power of Triple Gems...
Post a Comment
Read more

Thai penis whitening trend raises eyebrows

Image copyright LELUXHOSPITAL Image caption Authorities warn the procedure could be quite painful A supposed trend of penis whitening has captivated Thailand in recent days and left it asking if the country's beauty industry is taking things too far. Skin whitening is nothing new in many Asian countries, where darker skin is often associated with outdoor labour, therefore, being poorer. But even so, when a clip of a clinic's latest intriguing procedure was posted online, it quickly went viral. Thailand's health ministry has since issued a warning over the procedure. The BBC Thai service spoke to one patient who had undergone the treatment, who told them: "I wanted to feel more confident in my swimming briefs". The 30-year-old said his first session of several was two months ago, and he had since seen a definite change in the shade. 'What for?' The original Facebook post from the clinic offering the treatment, which uses lasers to break do...
1 comment
Read more

Three Dead, Seven Injured by Artillery Shells in Two Incidents in Myanmar’s Mrauk-U

By MIN AUNG KHINE 2 December 2019 Sittwe, Rakhine State –Three Mrauk-U township residents died and four others were injured when an artillery shell struck their community in the Ale Zay quarter of Mrauk-U town on Monday afternoon after 4 p.m. A month-old girl, a 4-year-old boy and a 30-year-old woman died, according to Dr. Khin Maung Yin, the head of Mrauk-U hospital. He said, “A man and three other women were injured. One of the women sustained severe injures to her left leg and her right knee was dislocated. The injured will be operated on.” Details of what occurred were not yet known. A few hours earlier, three civilians were injured when an artillery shell fell on the village of Na Leik in Mrauk-U Township, Rakhine State, western Myanmar, on Monday at around 1 p.m., according to Yan Aung Pyin village-tract administrator U Sein Hla Aung. Two females, aged 13 and 27, and an 18-year-old male were injured in the incident, he said. Three people were hit by shrapnel and we have...
Post a Comment
Read more