Bolivia

I considered translating the following, but was recently forwarded an
English language story that is similar.  So, I will send this....

Dear Friends:

    Just a few hours ago Bolivia was declared under martial law.  People are
being arrested, the army is occupying the streets, human rights offices are
being invaded by government agents, radio stations are being closed by the
military and huge sections of the city have had their electrical power cut 
(I had to leave home to find a computer that was still charged to write
this).

    The situation is grave and we need help to get the story out.  Please
share the brief article below as far and wide as you can with anyone who
will publish or broadcast it.  My own media list is in a computer which I
can=B4t access. For the time being I can still be reached at 591-4-290-72=
5.
I will try to send updates as the situation allows.  Please do not worry
for our safety, my family and I are fine and keeping well away from the
violence.  IF YOU RESPOND, PLEASE RESPOND TO THE EMAIL BELOW, NOT THE
RETURN ON THIS ONE.

    Jim Shultz
    The Democracy Center
    Jshultz@democracyctr.org

BOLIVIA UNDER MARTIAL LAW

    As of 10 am Saturday morning Bolivia was declared under martial law by
President Hugo Banzer.  The drastic move comes at the end of a week of
protests, general strikes, and transportation blockages that have left
major areas of the country at a virtual standstill.  It also follows, by
just hours, the surprise announcement by state officials yesterday
afternoon that the government would concede to the protests' main demands=
,
to break a widely-despised contract under which the city of Cochabamba's
public water system was sold off to foreign investors last year.  The
concession was quickly reversed by the national government, and the local
governor resigned, explaining that he didn't want to take responsibility
for bloodshed that might result.

Banzer, who ruled Bolivia as a dictator from 1971-78, has taken an action
that suspends almost all civil rights, disallows gatherings of more than
four people and puts severe limits on freedom of the press.  One after
another, local radio stations have been taken over by military forces or
forced off the air.  Reporters have  been arrested The neighborhood where
most of the city's broadcast antennas are located had its power shut off =
at
approximately noon local time.  Through the night police searched homes f=
or
members of the widely-backed water protests, arresting as many as twenty.
 The local police chief has been instated by the President as governor of
the state. Blockades erected by farmers in rural areas continue across th=
e
country, cutting off some cities from food and transportation.  Large
crowds of angry residents, many armed with sticks and rocks are massing o=
n
the city's center where confrontations with military and police are
escalating.




Tom Kruse
Casilla 5812 / Cochabamba, Bolivia
TelFax: (591-4) 248242, 500849
TelCel: 017-22253
Email: tkruse@albatros.cnb.net

Tanya Golash
Graduate Student
Sociology Department
UNC - Chapel Hill

***************************
When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor
have no food, they call
 me a communist.
Dom Helder Camara
***************************

-- Begin original message --

> From: ecced01 <ecced01@emducms1.sis.ucm.es>
> Date: Mon, 10 Apr 2000 10:39:45 +0200
> Subject: Exist Bolivian people?
> To: WORLD SYSTEMS NETWORK <wsn@csf.colorado.edu>
> Reply-To: ecced01@emducms1.sis.ucm.es
> 
> Excuse me. I don't speek english.
> 
> CONTRA EL TERRORISMO DE ESTADO EN BOLIVIA
> 
>   La decisisn del gobierno boliviano de elevar en un 300% la tarifa del
> agua ha desatado
> la ira popular en Bolivia, un pams muy castigado ya por el hambre y el
> desempleo.
> 
>   Los violentos enfrentamientos, con epicentro en la ciudad de
> Cochabamba y alrededores,
> uan arrojando un saldo provisional de al menos 5 muertos, y son decenas
> los dirigentes
> sindicales apresados por el estado que ha decretado estado de sitio con
> una duracisn de
> tres meses.
> 
>   Las comunicaciones estan cortadas en todo el pams y tambiin muchas
> rutas en las que se
> siguen sucediendo, durante hoy domingo, choques entre manifestantes y
> fuerzas represivas.
> 
>   Al mismo tiempo el gobierno realiaba negociaciones con la policma que
> se habma
> acuartelado en la ciudad de La Paz, mientras las mujeres de los policmas
> hacman huelga de
> hambre para reivindicar el aumento de sueldo de sus maridos. El gobierno
> les ha ofrecido
> un aumento salarial del 50% para que depusieran su actitud.
> 
>   Os invitamos a demostrar vuestra solidaridad activa con l@s compaqer@s
> muert@s,
> reprimid@s, encarcelad@s y buscad@s en Bolivia.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>                               '''
>                              (0 0)
>                   +----oOO----(_)---------------+
>                   |         Luis Zorrilla       |
>                   |ecced01@emducms1.sis.ucm.es  |
>                   +------------------oOO--------+
>                             |__|__|
>                              || ||
>                             ooO Ooo
> 
> 

-- End original message --