Heavy rain and cold weather prevented the TIPNIS marching group to continue yesterday. Today, they intend to walk 25 kilometers and reach La Embocada.
Government officials went back to La Paz, they say they will come back whenever the indigenous people reconvenes them.
In Yucumo, there are still some settlers (colonos) who sympathize with the ruling political party, who are insisting in not letting pass by the TIPNIS group. Despite the “gentlemen’s accord” this group reached with special envoys sent by the TIPNIS group, these settlers still keep their belligerent mode.
http://www.paginasiete.bo/2011-09-10/Nacional/Destacados/2Esp00110.aspx
Since tension continues to be built, between those settlers who want to impede the TIPNIS’s rightful decision to march and protest, the government has decided to send 450 policemen “without guns” to the Yucumo site. To prevent violence from happening between those two groups.
While ministers Romero denies the group is blockading and merely “watching,” the General Commander of the Police, Jorge Saniesteban, acknowledged (see Los Tiempos link below) that group from Yucumo, was in fact blockading,
La Razon reports that the government is accusing CEJIS, FOBOMADE and LIDEMA as the NGOs who are supporting financially the protest group, thus not fulfilling their expected role; accusation that the NGOs are also affecting the prestige of current Bolivian president. CEJIS head, Leonardo Tamburini rejected that accusation and said they are only fulfilling a humanitarian role, providing support to logistics (food) and also giving technical assistance. LIDEMA’s Executive Director, Jenny Gruenberger said they do not understand why the government thinks the indigenous people cannot think on their own; she also said that they are only helping intermediate in the defense of the national patrimony; she demanded proofs of the alleged accusations.
http://www.la-razon.com/version.php?ArticleId=137287&EditionId=2648
Bolivian Thoughts | Pensamientos Bolivianos (Bilingual/Bilingüe) 