From El Diario:
MAS aims to control ‘environmental” NGOs
The Senator of the movement toward socialism (MAS), Eugenio Rojas, reported yesterday that the Government does not rule out the control of the “environmental” non governmental organizations (NGOs)”, since they want to “grab” of the national reserves, the territories of indigenous peoples of the lowlands and land in order to protect their own interests and not so of the state.
“We are doing an in-depth study to which organizations and international private companies correspond. In United States, they taught that forests, mountains, rivers, which are in Bolivia, were from that country and many environmentalists have worked in that line,”he said.
He said that all international NGOs must comply with national rules, i.e. that the works they develop should be coordinated with the governorates, municipalities and central Government, but to date only dedicated themselves to “conspire” against these institutions of the State. In addition, he said that their task should be limited to comply with the development of the country, with basic sanitation for health and education.
“Since they entered Bolivia, only a few of them rendered reports;” in addition the Government has neither controlled, and disclaimers were made in a very general way,” said Rojas.
He pointed out that if the Government had been “radical”, long ago that over 90% of the NGOs would have been deported from the country, but to date has been tolerant and flexible in its demand.
During my professional life I have seen more competent and real environmental concerned NGOs that filled the gap of the government. I remember once receiving a letter from Chaco organizations stating that some peanut varieties have been lost, there were no place to be found. The peanut international organization based in Georgia, USA, had collected samples earlier last century and sent them back.
The example I give goes to those “nationalists” that always complain about everything and do nothing. NGOs in the world and in special those environmental ones, do protect the world rather than a country or a political transient ideologies. Had there be none of them, the world, not only Bolivia would have lost those peanut varieties!
What this government tries to do is simple demagogue and a living proof of the ochlocracy!
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