The TIPNIS protest-walk group has met with some assembly (congress) representatives and rejected the law that current government tried to enforce. Over 1,000 indigenous people are marching and their resolve is stronger than ever. The so-called “short law” wanted to expedite a law that would authorize a referendum to take place, to decide whether or not a road should cut the TIPNIS in half. Such law was going to be discussed at the lower chamber and it was going to decide whether the referendum was going to be for the departments of Cochabamba and Beni; or municipal; or communal. The indigenous people succeeded that this law will not be discussed at the lower chamber. Now the indigenous representatives to the Assembly and the protest-walk group intend that this law should be stopped completely, and not just postponed as it appeared to be, for now.

http://www.eldeber.com.bo/2011/2011-10-09/vernotaahora.php?id=111008233913

The president for the sub-central TIPNIS, Fernando Vargas, considers that “there is no judicial power, no legislative power because all is centered in the executive and you do whatever the executive says,” when he talked to the visiting congress reps that wanted to push for such law.

“I look that you have chains, I see you depend upon a political party and not have social conviction, we have the right to conserve and that the State  respects our decision and not insert us to a life we don’t want,” said Cidob’s president, Adolfo Chavez.

This “frustrated” dialogue between the indigenous people and the assembly reps from current political party in government prevented the group to leave Caranavi; intention is to continue to walk this Sunday, October 9th, 2011. The group is heading now to a colder environment, marchers expect to receive warm clothes before they leave the Yungas region and enter colder highlands.

http://www.lostiempos.com/diario/actualidad/economia/20111008/tipnis-indigenas-rechazan-propuesta-de-la-delegacion_144883_299041.html