Morales Accuses Indigenous Marchers

[Bacchus39]

Morales Accuses Indigenous Marchers
http://www.boliviaweekly.com/morales-accuses-indigenous-marchers/2336/


President Evo Morales said that Amazonian tribesmen marching against his planned highway through their traditional jungle homelands are motivated by self interest and being used by capitalism and non-profit organizations. Morales said, “It’s a political issue fed nationally and internationally.” He then claimed that indigenous leaders of the march have made phone calls the to US embassy in Bolivia. “It’s an imperialist strategy by the United States and its agencies to impede the national integration and provoke a confrontation between the west and east (of Bolivia). It’s lamentable, but we have seen capitalism and NGOs conspire against the government, using indigenous leaders to made these marches go forward under the pretext of defending nature. Morales said that the marchers are defending capitalism, not mother nature.

Morales’ proposed Amazonian highway is financed by a $400 million loan from Brazil, relies on Brazilian construction companies, and cuts through the Isiboro Secure national park. Morales now claims that the park was never intended to protect nature and was simply created to avoid border conflicts between two departments. Morales said, “The same thing has happene in Equador and Brazil when governments bring forward development programs in Amazonian regions,” said Morales. He speculated that this march means that USAID should be expelled from Bolivia just as he expelled the US Drug Enforcement Agency and US Embassy.

-----------

lets hear that again: "...cuts through the Isiboro Secure national park. Morales now claims that the park was never intended to protect nature and was simply created to avoid border conflicts between two departments."

and

"Morales said that the marchers are defending capitalism, not mother nature."

[naaman fletcher]

1. its unfortunate that the war on the indigenous continues. nt.

[Bacchus39]

2. no-one is in favor of a highway through their backyard

and this is a new alignment going where there is no road now. it will cause great disturbance to the population and the environment whether or not it is beneficial economically or simply convenient. thats a fact.