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Measure Seeking Greater Economic and Political Autonomy - A Brief on the Bolivian Situation
by B Ananthanarayan
According to news reports dated May 5, 2008, the wealthy region of Santa Cruz in Bolivia has approved ``a measure seeking greater economic and political autonomy according to exit polls.'' Three other provinces are expected to carry out referenda. These votes do not have constitutional sanction and the President of Bolivia Evo Morales has denounced the vote as illegal.
Ever since the election of the first indigenous President of Bolivia, there have been efforts by various sections of the traditional ruling classes to undermine this watershed development. There has also been a history of interference in the affairs of the country by US imperialism. The history of the country has been one of brutal European colonialism which has subjugated the indigenous peoples through the centuries. The indigenous and European populations to large measure remain segregated, and there has been little to suggest that the gulf can be narrowed. The traditional ruling classes coming from the European population have resented the rise of indigenous consciousness and in particular the election of a President from this population. The history of Bolivia has been one of struggles culminating in the liberation from Spain in the early 19th century, spearheaded by the hero Simon Bolivar after who the country takes its name. In the 20th century the country has witnessed countless military governments and more recently neo-liberal free market seeking Governments that have thrown open the doors to various multinational corporations to exploit the vast natural resources of the country. The rise of Evo Morales has been seen as a threat to these interests.
The present wave of autonomy votes reflects the unbridgeable gap between the populations in Bolivia. It appears to be an attempt to undermine the new Government of Bolivia. The problems of the peoples of Bolivia cannot be solved by further ghettoization. The solutions can emerge only from consideration of all the problems of the peoples. Furthermore, there can be no tolerance of the influence of US imperialism. Any attempt to destroy the fabric of Bolivia will lead only to a disaster for the peoples of the country and the region.
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4 comments:
The author has it precisely correct.
The solution has to be the elimination of neo-liberal economic imperialism, the leading advocate being the USA followed closely by the other sycophants who are part of the illegal 'coalition of the willing', who are part of the ongoing war crimes being committed by that same coalition in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The USA is intentionally trying to promote the 'Balkanization' of Bolivia through the actions of the CIA, and the State Dept. via NED and USAID.
It is a coordinated attempt to maintain control of the world's natural resources on behalf of the multi-national corporations controlled by the wealthy elite of the world. In that struggle, Bolivia is only one of many areas where that battle is taking place.
Bolivia needs the support of the rest of the world to prevent its being divided and conquered by the forces of imperialism.
Please do what you can to educate yourself and others in an effort to stop this world-wide destruction of the world and its natural resources.
Regards,,,John
Ah! How I love those words -- 'ruling classes', 'neo-liberal', American imperialism' . Gives away the writer's thought process immediately!!
It would be wrong to call them cliches -- they are the trademark symbols of phrases constructed by the comrades. So why is the present writer so enamoured of them? Surely more descriptive words can be found?
Yes, it is true that my verbiage has a certain commonality with those who shall remain unnamed. While you have suggested that there may be more descriptive words, why not I offer this platform to you to provide them?
Tough, Anant! For I know not what they mean! (And perhaps, neither does Comrade Carat, I mean Karat).
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