This cartoon is from La Prensa, December 13, 2011. It portrays what happened with TiPNIS as of today: road was stopped and indigenous group was stripped out of their economic activities.

Coca growers and other groups interested in the use of TIPNIS’ resources became more visible: illegal settlers (coca growers) and illegal activities (narcotraffick) were found. Media showed those incursions and police interdiction seized some cocaine production facilities.

Tourism and logging was stopped, in detriment of the indigenous income, since the government enforced the “intangible” interpretation to also affect the way the indigenous group were using their resources; it didn’t matter that their rights were part of the new constitution.

As for the latter, the dog of the manger illustrates this, unfortunately,very well…

Bolivian society needs to continue to support TIPNIS rights and prevent those attempts to change the “short law”. No one is saying that a road between Beni and Cochabamba should not be built.

To internalize the externalities is to accept the road will be more expensive but the environment and the living rights of those indigenous people will be protected. It will be jurisprudence for other parks and reserves that suffer the same invasion by coca growers and drug lords.