BOLIVIAN INDIGENOUS DEMANDS--RIGHTING PAST WRONGS

UNCLAS LA PAZ 001165 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON BL SUBJECT: BOLIVIAN INDIGENOUS DEMANDS--RIGHTING PAST WRONGS REF: A. LA PAZ 1104 ¶B. LA PAZ 1085 -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (U) As the GOB hosts the Organization of American States' (OAS) Working Group charged with negotiating the American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples from April 23-27, Bolivian indigenous groups are pressing for greater rights and autonomy via the Constituent Assembly (CA). Over 60 percent of Bolivians identified themselves as indigenous in the 2001 census (which did not include a "mestizo category"),the largest indigenous population (percentage-wise) in the hemisphere. While there are many indigenous interest groups in Bolivia, they lack a unified vision except for two basic principles: that the indigenous deserve "complete citizenship" and that the new constitution must reflect the country's "plurinational" nature. The CA has received over twenty different proposals on indigenous autonomy; some have been characterized as radical and "ethnocentric," others are seen as "integrationist" espousing less drastic changes to the current constitution. Bolivian indigenous demands in the CA and at this week's OAS working group are firmly rooted in righting historical wrongs that have left them disproportionately poor. The country's demographic divide explains the competing visions for autonomy--the indigenous west largely supports some form of indigenous autonomy while the non-indigenous east promotes "departmental autonomy." End Summary. -------------- - Indigenous Demands for "Complete Citizenship" -------------- -- ¶2. (U) As the GOB hosts the Organization of American States' (OAS) Working Group charged with negotiating the American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples from April 23-27, Bolivian indigenous groups are pressing for greater rights and autonomy via the Constituent Assembly (CA). Over 60 percent of Bolivians identified themselves with one of the country's approximately 36 indigenous groups in the 2001 census (which did not include a "mestizo category"),the largest indigenous population (percentage-wise) in all of Latin America. (Note: Guatemala and Peru are second and third, with 48 and 47 percent respectively. End note). Bolivia's western five departments of La Paz, Chuquisaca, Cochabamba, Oruro and Potosi have the highest concentration of indigenous peoples, between 65 to 83 percent of the 
population. In contrast, the eastern departments of Tarija, Santa Cruz, Beni and Pando have indigenous populations of 10 to 40 percent. ¶3. (U) While there are many indigenous interest groups in Bolivia, they lack a unified vision except for two basic principles: that the indigenous deserve "complete citizenship" and that the new constitution must reflect the country's "plurinational" nature. These demands basically reflect Bolivia's pre-1990s political history, and particularly the political, social and economic exclusion of its indigenous population. That indigenous peoples have suffered from social and political exclusion is incontrovertible. That the percentage of Bolivians in poverty or extreme poverty is approximately equal to the percentage of indigenous Bolivians is not a coincidence. Discrimination and lack of investment in public education are the primary contributing factors to indigenous poverty. Yet Bolivia's current constitution characterizes the country as "multi-ethnic and multi-cultural" and recognizes indigenous economic and cultural rights to their traditional lands. Furthermore, the increased political clout that indigenous groups enjoy today is a direct result of President Sanchez de Lozada's 1994 "Law on Popular Participation." The problem is not Bolivia's legal framework, but a lack of enforcement of existing laws. -------------- Indigenous Demands for Autonomy -------------- ¶4. (U) The CA has received over twenty different proposals on indigenous autonomy. Some proposals have been characterized as radical and "ethnocentric" while others are seen as "integrationist," espousing less drastic changes to the current constitution. Each plan includes some form of indigenous self-determination, but they differ on the extent and the mechanisms for self-determination. The "ethnocentric" proposals focus on reconfiguring the state (internal borders) to reflect indigenous territories. These indigenous states would govern themselves based on the "peoples'" traditions. The "integrationist" model largely adheres to existing departmental, provincial and municipal divisions, but allows for many municipalities to become "indigenous municipalities." These indigenous municipalities would differ by community, their governance determined by local customs. Meanwhile, proposals from the less indigenous departments of Santa Cruz, Beni, Pando and Tarija call for departmental autonomy (reftel B). -------------- Comment -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Bolivian indigenous demands for greater rights and more autonomy in both the CA and this week's OAS working group are firmly rooted in righting historical wrongs that have left them disproportionately poor. The country's demographic divide explains the competing visions for autonomy--the indigenous west largely supports some form of indigenous autonomy while the non-indigenous east promotes "departmental autonomy" (reftel A). End Comment. GOLDBERG