Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Santa Cruz (Agenzia Fides) - Cardinal Julio Terrazas, Archbishop of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, met a group of Indigenous over the weekend who are camped in front of the Cathedral of Santa Cruz and are on a hunger strike in solidarity with the marchers in defense of the Indigenous Territory National Park Isiboro Secure (ITNPIS). "I came in person to listen to your concerns": With these words the Cardinal began to dialogue with this group of protesters, whom he asked to reflect well on the action taken, because "it is always a risk to your health and concern for your loved ones", he added. Before leaving them, the Archbishop blessed the people gathered and underlined that a solution must be found, "following the paths of justice and peace that the country wants, in order to build a country for everyone and a country where the common good and dignity of the human person is respected".
On Monday, October 4 Itnpis communities started their march again towards La Paz to protest against the construction of the second section of the road that crosses the native settlement to connect the departments of Beni (north) and Cochabamba (center) (see Fides 26/ 08/2011, 30/08/2011, 20/09/2011, 23/09/2011). The Indigenous started the march again from Quiquibey, a city situated on the border between the departments of Beni and La Paz (west), about 300 km from the Bolivian capital, after five days at a stand for violent police repression suffered a week ago in Joint Yucumo (see Fides 27/9/2011).
"We remain firm in our decision and we will go forward in defense of our territory and integrity of the 34 indigenous groups. We will arrive in La Paz", said the president of the indigenous people Moseten, Marcelino Chairini to the reporters, and ensured that the march is a peaceful protest. About half of the demonstrators are women, 20 of them are pregnant, while there are also about 90 children. The "Defensor del Pueblo" (an organization that deals with the protection of human rights) is present to avoid disorders, as reported to the local press by Gonzalo Fuentes, one of their representatives. Once in La Paz, explained the President of the central group of Itnpis, Fernando Vargas, the natives will present the government a list of 16 requests, the most important is the one related to the construction of the road in question.
The protest march began on August 15 from Trinidad, with about 1,500 participants. So far, seven ministerial committees have tried to negotiate with the natives to stop the protest. However, the action of the police in Yucumo interrupted this dialogue. In this context, the Bolivian President, Evo Morales, apologized to the Indians for the "excesses" of the police and ordered to create a high-level committee, composed of national and international experts to study what happened. He has also decided to suspend the construction of the road, submitting the issue to a referendum to be held in Beni and Cochabamba. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 05/10/2011)
