PROTESTERS OCCUPY IMF OFFICES IN QUITO, ECUADOR (fwd)

>My friends are staying in Quito and one of them got tear-gassed in the
>streets the other day with the indigenous protesters. Apparently things are
>quite escalated, and the more international attention on the situation, the
>better.
>Robin
>
> >>February 1, 2001
> >>
> >>Accion Ecologica    Contacts:   Ivonne Yanez, 011-593-2-568091 (in IMF
> offices)
> >>Quito, Ecuador          Esperanza Martinez, 011-593-2-529287
> >>
> >>
> >>PROTESTERS OCCUPY IMF OFFICES IN QUITO, ECUADOR
> >>
> >>As part of a protest movement that has brought Ecuador to a virtual
> >standstill, a growing number of activists from environmental and human
> >rights organizations have occupied the offices of the International
> >Monetary Fund (IMF) in Quito to protest the IMF's role in
> >Ecuador's current social crisis.
> >>
> >>"We want to expose the real culprits," says Ivonne Yanez, one
> >of the women occupying the IMF offices. "The IMF-imposed policies,
> >carried out by the Ecuadorian government in exchange for more loans, have
> >resulted in more than 50% of Ecuador's national budget going to pay
> >off the foreign debt, have burdened the country with the highest rate of
> >inflation in Latin America, the highest levels of corruption, the most
> >advanced rates of deforestation and environmental degradation, and the
> >worst example of maldistribution of wealth on the continent."
> >>
> >>The IMF sit-in is occuring at the same time that the country's
> >indigenous population, who make up more than 40% of the Ecuadorian people,
> >have blockaded the nation's major highways. The blockades, which are
> >entering their fourth day, are in protest against the government's
> >economic policies, which have impoverished millions of Ecuadorians. The
> >blockades have prevented the delivery of food and supplies to large
> >portions of the country, resulting in shortages and skyrocketing prices.
> >>
> >>The government's response to the protests have been harsh. In Quito
> >alone, there have been 24 wounded from confrontations between the police
> >and protesters. There are currently between 5,000 and 8,000 indigenous
> >activists camped out at the catholic Salesian Politecnic University, which
> >is hosting them, and more people are arriving from the countryside daily.
> >The police have prevented the indigenous activists from marching through
> >the City of Quito, bombarding them with tear gas every time they try to
> >march from the University.
> >>
> >>On Tuesday, January 30, the government arrested the leader of the
> >indigenous movement, Antonio Vargas, on charges of subversion and
> >attempting to overthrow the government.
> >>
> >>The protesters occupying the IMF offices in Quito are in support of the
> >indigenous movement.