Via Campesina Denounces Repression In Bolivia
VIA CAMPESINA, REPRESENTING FARMERS AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DENOUNCES:
The situation of violence and repression against peasants, indigenous people and their organisations by the Bolivian government, the big landowners and their military and para-military forces. Peasants and indigenous people have made a living cultivating Coca during many years, being their main source of cultural and economic existence. However big capital and the government want to change production, desplacing thousands of peasant families, occupying their territories with the army and imposing a regime of terror.
During the month of November 2001, in the massacre of PANANTY, 7 peasants were killed, 29 wounded and 9 put in prison because of asking legal titles for the land they had in tenure during three years. The wave of violence has grown worse and at this very moment are in prison under inhuman conditions our friends Silvia Lazarte, national leader of the organzation Bartolina Sisas Margarita Terán Seider Emilio V.CH Eugenio Abendano H. Lidio Julián Gomez Ambrocio Amador Beside this, leader and national member of Parliament Evo Morales is persecuted. They suppressed his rights as national member of Parliament because of defending peasants and indigenous people in this wave of repression iniciated by the government, the big landowners and the their military forces.
Facing this situation we demand:
1. The inmediate liberation of those put in prison,
2. The restitution of the rights of Evo Morales,
3. That the authors of the massacre of Pananty will be punished for crime against humanity,
4. The international public opinion to condemn the Bolivian government and demand an inmediate stop of all repression.
5. We propose to the social movements and other organisations present at the World Social Forum to develop actions of support,
6. We will send a mission to Bolivia to investigate the facts and, if they are not already released, obtain the inmediate liberation of those in prison and the restitution of the rights of Evo Morales and others.
No to the repression by the Bolivian government. Stop to the repression! From the World Social Forum, Porto Alegre RS Brasil 4 de Febrero de 02 How to contact the Via Campesina delegation in Porto Alegre: Place where we stay: Convento de Capuchinos Rua Paulino Chaves, 291 al lado de la Parroquia Santo Antonio Bairro Santo Antonio (cerca a Partenon y la Avenida Bento Gonçalves) By Email: letraviva@mst.org.br – with copy to nicoverhagen@hotmail.com By phone: (005551) 99120916 (mobile delegation)
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Porto Alegre, 4-2-2002