the struggle continues (a-infos)
Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000


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In a note forwarded by "el desaparecido", "Pablo" stated his opinion 
that the indigenous and popular uprising in Ecuador has failed to 
provoke major disruptions in roads and food provision, showing the 
limits of the movement and creating an atmosphere of defeat in the 
circles sympathetic to CONAIE (the main grassroot indigenous 
organization).

According to him "The popular classes have been defeated again; the 
dominant class has reaffirmed its hegemony.  The most basic political 
liberties, like the right to public protest and free information, are 
suspended; but the appearance of democracy remains untouched." He also 
stated that there is no violence expected (except possibly in Quito) 
and that the army has expressed its intention to not interfere with the 
march of the indians to Quito.

However, some news appearing in HOY (a newspaper, most likely a 
mainstream one but possibly left-winded; http://www.hoy.com.ec/) 
appear to be in contradiction with these statements: 

-the movement is taking shape in the provinces

-the indians keep marching into  Quito in small groups. A crowd already
 reached the Capital city .

-the army is interfering with the marches (with the stopping and
 represion of a march of 400 indians from Chimborazo)

-the closing of roads continues in many parts of the country (despite
 the strict control held by the military in the main roads): Azuay,
 Cañar, Loja (with 4000 indians staying in the Panamericanan Road,
 decided to resist until they have no more food), Carchi, Los Rios...

-there has been a sudden increase in the prices of food and a shortage
 of food is starting.

-other actions included the students entering a local Police
 Headquarters in Azuay, demanding the arrest of speculators; In Cañar,
 the province is paralized and taken by the peasants (according to J.
 Guzmán, a peasant leader) who digged trenches in the roads; there have
 been demonstrations in Guayaquil, Manabí (with fightings with the
 police in the center of Portoviejo), Cotopaxi (where the indians are
 marching into Quito); 4000 indians taking part in the uprising in the
 region of Pichibamaba already reached the city; in Esmeralda the oil
 workers are on strike (although the authority warrants there will be
 no shortage of fuel).

Other news: 
-the three indigenous and popular leaders kept under arrest have bee
 set free now. I don't know about the 27 students and workers of the
 Universidad Central. 

-In the opening paragraphs of these news in HOY, there is a statement
 that "the country continues semi-paralized".

-Due to the uprising and the state of emergency, delegates of several 
 Human Rights organizations and of congressmen from european countries 
 will travel to Ecuador to watch the situation of Human Rights (Pulsar
 agency, http://www.amarc.org/pulsar/)

So it is unclear to me that Pablo is right. The uprising seems to 
continue and, since Blanca Chancoso (CONAIE) revealed that the tatics 
of this movement includes a gradual increase in intensity, we need to 
keep the alert. Essentially no news about Ecuador have been released 
from mainstream media in Spain (no wonder since they never inform about 
Mumia, the real struggle in Seattle, etc.)