archivos de los protestos globales
archives of global protests

Date: Thu, 29 Nov 2001
URGENT FWD Oscar Olivera in detention

>Friends,
>The Bolivian government is hell-bent on passing the Water Export Law in
>violation of the agreements reached with the people's movement in April
>2000. And now they've arrested Oscar Olivera, one of the most prominent
>leaders of the movement.
>Many of us have met Oscar when he toured the US last fall. Many of us
>also remember his fabulous speech at the rally on the Ellipse on A16
>last year. As soon as more information comes out on who to contact, we should
>start jamming the Bolivian government and the embassy in Washington DC
>with e-mails and phone calls.
>I have no doubt that the Bolivian government was encouraged by recent
>world developments and now think they can get away with defying the
>people's will even more than they had earlier. Another example of the
>difficult climate worldwide after September 11.
>In the meantime, indigenous and people's movements in Honduras are
>facing growing repression on the pretext of the "war on terrorism". And coffee
>prices have dropped sharply, causing serious disruption in many Latin
>American economies. This, after the IMF and WB told them to grow more
>coffee as part of the "export-led growth" strategy, re-orienting the
>agricultural economies from growing basics like rice and beans for local
>consumption, to growing coffee and cocoa for export. And the IMF
>continues to flush the economy of Argentina down the toilet.
>Meanwhile in Africa, we have a World Trade Center disaster every day -
>365 days a year - with 6,000 to 7,000 people dying of AIDS daily, many of
>them due to lack of access to treatment.
>In India, the government has passed the highly repressive Prevention of
>Terrorism Ordinance (POTO). Guess who the "terrorists" will be? Farmers
>in the Narmada valley resisting the dam. Fishworkers on the coasts, taking
>a stand against overfishing by commercial fleets, and the systematic
>destruction of India's coastline to make hotels, resorts, more seaports, power
>plants, other polluting industries - all of which are an economic death sentence
>for them, and an ecological death sentence to the rich coastal and marine
>environment.
>In short, any Indians who dare organize to stop the second colonization
>of India, and who dare to organize to protect the rivers, lakes, forests
>and coasts on which they depend for their basic needs, will be called
>"terrorists" and prosecuted under this new ordinance.
>Welcome to the brave new post-September 11 world of growing repression,
>and growing impunity and arrogance on the part of the powers that shouldn't
>be but are. While the serious issues on our plate on September 10 have only
>intensified.
>It shows how our work is more relevant than it has ever been. We must
>let them know that we are still here, that they can't wish away the
>interconnected resistance of billions worldwide. We can't let them win -
the prospect
>is too terrifying.
>Keep the struggle going!
>In solidarity,
>Basav
>
>Neil Watkins wrote:
>>
>> The following message indicates that Oscar Olivera, one of the leaders of
>> the Bolivian group "Coalition in Defense of Water and Life" has been
>> arrested in Cochabamba.  For those that aren't familiar, this Coalition
>> successfully challenged Becthel Corporation and the World Bank and stopped
>> the privatization of water in Bolivia back in April 2000. Since then the
>> group has worked to construct alternatives to water privatization.  We will
>> post more information about how people can be of assistance to win Oscar's
>> release as soon as it as available.
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: Oscar Olivera F.
>> Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2001 11:18 AM
>> Subject: Oscar Olivera in detention
>>
>> Dear Friends,
>>
>> This morning at 7:30 am the police in Cochabamba arrested Oscar Olivera,
>> spokesperson for the Coordinadora, on his way to work. The charges are
>> "sedition, conspiracy, instigating public disorder, criminal association,
>> and other charges". Similar warrants are out for the arrest of Coordinadora
>> spokespeople Omar Fernandez and Samuel Soria.
>>
>> The charges against Oscar and other spokespersons of the Coalition are
>> related to their role in successfully reversing privatization of local
>> water systems, opposing the water export laws, and supporting the blockades
>> called for by the Irrigators Federation of Cochabamba in solidarity with
>> the coca growers demands.
>>
>> The government filed charges against Olivera in July 2001. That same month
>> Olivera was given direct assurances by the Minister of Government Leopoldo
>> Fernandez that charges had in fact been dropped. The government, currently
>> in negotiations with coca growers, is only now acting on the warrants in
>> order to create distractions and strengthen it's position at the bargaining
>> table. This is clear harassment and a blatant violation of basic civil
>> rights to association and expression, and a violation of due process.
>>
>> Currently Oscar is being held by the Technical Judicial Police. Please stay
>> in touch. We will provide more information as it is available.
>>
>> Coalition in Defense of Water and Life
>>
>> Forwarded from:
>>
>> Ravi Khanna, Director
>> 1world communication
>> P. O. Box 2476
>> Amherst, MA 01004
>> Phone: 413-253-1960
>> Fax: 413-253-1961
>> Cell: 413-530-9640
###

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