A-Infos (en) Urgent Action: Oscar Olivera and other Bolivian activists detained

["Dave Bleakney" <dbleakney@cupw-sttp.org>]

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** Coordinadora de Defensa del Agua y de la Vida  Coalition for the
Defense of Water and Life  Cochabamba, Bolivia=20

* * ACTION ALERT * * *=20

OSCAR OLIVERA, LEADER IN THE STURGGLE AGAINST WORLD BANK-BECHTEL WATER
PRIVATIZATION, ILLEGALY DETAINED BY POLICE; WHEREABOUTS UNKNOWN.=20

* * YOUR FAXES NEEDED; SEE BELOW * * *=20

Close to 1,000 heavily armed members of Bolivian security forces
dispersed peaceful marchers with tear gas, beating them, and confiscated
their personal possessions around three p.m. today April 12.=20

Over 60 were illegally detained, and Minister of Government Guillermo
Fort=FAn announced that there was one arrest: unionist Oscar Olivera, a
key leader of the movement to reverse water privatization by San
Francisco-based Bechtel Corporation in Cochabamba in April 2000.=20

The march to La Paz, called the "March for Life and the Sovereignty of
Our People", left Cochabamba 9 April, to demand attention to a series of
demands, some of them unfilled promises from April of 2000. Led by
Olivera and others, the march was made up of over 600 peasants, workers,
coca growers, and others, organized in a coalition called the Comunal.
Marchers not detained have vowed to continue towards La Paz.=20

Today, the fourth day of the March, the Bolivian government violently
interrupted the march in the highland village of Pongo. Facing tear
gassings and beatings, the marchers fled to the mountains, while some 60
to 70 others were detained.=20

At present (9:00pm) the whereabouts of the illegally detained marchers
is still unknown.=20

Father Luis Sanchez of the Cochabamba chapter of the Bolivian Permanent
Human Rights Assembly has denounced the government action as illegal,
insisting that it was an "illegal forced transport" and "illegal
detention" of marchers. He and other human rights observers are
beginning to speak of Olivera and other illegally detained marchers as
"disappeared." Minister of Government Guillermo Fort=FAn claimed at =
8:30pm
tonight that the only marcher arrested is Olivera, on charges of
subversion and attempted murder. The subversion charge is for comments
made by Olivera that he would like to see President Banzer leave office
before his term expires in 2002 - a widely shared sentiment in Bolivia.=20

The attempted murder charge stems from an incident yesterday, 11 April,
when marchers happened upon plainclothes police monitoring the march.
Lying, the police first identified themselves as journalists, then part
of a human rights delegation. Their vacillation caused suspicion among
the marchers, and a scuffle ensued.=20

According to eyewitnesses from various local media, Olivera intervened
to put a stop to the scuffle. Marchers seized weapons, cellular phones,
and a copy of Mein Kampf by Adolf Hitler, which were turned over to
human rights observers.=20

Today, Minister Fort=FAn characterized Olivera as responsible for the
scuffle, which is now being called a "massacre" of the police and
"attempted murder." At the time of this writing the whereabouts of
Olivera are unknown. Minister Fort=FAn admits he is in government =
custody,
but church leaders, human rights workers and press in Cochabmaba have
been stonewalled by police and government officials, and Olivera has not
been seen.=20

 * * * ACTION REQUEST * * *=20

We are asking for letters and faxes to President Banzer of Bolivia, and
Minister of Government Guillermo Fort=FAn. EVEN IF OSCAR AND OTHER
MARCHERS ARE RELEASED, IT IS IMPERATIVE THIS REPRESSION NOT GO
UNCHALLENGED. Please adapt and send the following letter to the faxes
noted below. =20

---------- =20

Dear President Banzer:=20

I am writing to express my concern and outrage regarding the treatment
of the civilian marchers in the "March for Life and the Sovereignty of
Our People", illegally detained 12 April, and among them Mr. Oscar
Olivera. The manner in which they were detained and dispersed is both
illegal and unconscionable. At present we understand that Mr. Olivera's
and the marcher's whereabouts are unknown. We demand an immediate
clarification, and guarantees for the safety and human rights of all the
marchers and Mr. Olivera, and that Bolivian and international law be
respected. We demand that all illegal detainees be immediately released.
We denounce the obviously absurd charges against Mr. Olivera,
contradicted by many press eyewitnesses. We expect such violations to
cease immediately. We will be monitoring the situation closely.=20

Sincerely
----------- =20

Please send faxes to: =20
Presidente Hugo Banzer Su=E1rez =20
Palacio de Gobierno =20
La Paz, Bolivia =20
Fax: +591 2-391216=20

Min. de Gobierno Guillermo Fort=FAn =20
Ministerio de Gobierno =20
Av. Arce No. 2409, esq. Belisario Salinas =20
La Paz, Bolivia =20
Fax: + 591 2-442589=20

In Canada:=20
Embassy of Bolivia in Canada=20
130 Albert St., Suite 416=20
Ottawa, Ontario K1P5G4 Canada =20
Tel.: (613)236-5730=20
Fax: (613)236-8237=20


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