Ecuador paralysed by insurrection of the people

From the CONAIE
January 19, 2000

ECUADOR PARALYZED BY INSURRECTION OF THE PEOPLE
The Uprising of the People of Ecuador is acquiring great strength in the
country, despite the levels of repression, disinformation and slander the
the government has used in an attempt to check the struggle of the
Indigenous Nations and Peoples (Nacionalidades y Pueblos Indigenas) and
other sectors of the country's population.

45% of our population are indigenous peoples.  More than 80% of our
12,000,000 Ecuadorians live in impoverished conditions caused by the groups
that hold economic power in our nation.  We are marching now because we
are gravely affected by this dollarization while the bankers and others who
have access to large amounts of capital are taking advantage of the great
profits to be made by speculating in the dollar and in the dollarization of 
our economy.

These cries of dignity are reaching the ears and hearts of millions of
brothers and sisters  throughout the world who day by day are showing
solidarity with our struggle in different ways.

In Ecuador, the national and international press are hoping that things
will die down quickly.   But our resistance will be fruitful.  We will 
paralyze the nation from the countryside to the city, for days or weeks, 
until there are thousands of villagers, workers, students, and women 
swelling our marches, hoping and crying for a better day.

The solidarity between the poor in the country and the poor the city has
enabled us to support close to 15,000 of our indigenous brothers and
sisters who have managed to circumvent military controls,  following in the
footsteps of our elders in the path of resistance against all oppressive
regimes.   The solidarity of the schools, colleges and NGO's
(Non-Governmental Organizations)  helps revitalize the forces and the great
vision, so that we can continue, day by day, shaking the creaking old
structures of the State that so richly serve the corrupt millionaires,
impresarios, civil servants, and bankers.

According to poll, the government of Mahaud has only an 11% credibility
rate, which is supported only by the opinion of the politicians, small
national and trans-national power groups, and a few embassies who value
the interests of their businessmen over true democracy and popular
sovereignty.

The international community should add its pressure to the pressure on the
Ecuadorian government that is being brought by millions of Ecuadorians, to
stop recognizing this government and bring about its fall, a fall that has
been procured and brought upon its depositors and upon our fiscal reserves
by the bankers.

January 19, 2000
SIERRA REGION
LOJA

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