Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07LAPAZ1165
2007-04-26 17:01:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy La Paz
Cable title:  

BOLIVIAN INDIGENOUS DEMANDS--RIGHTING PAST WRONGS

Tags:  PGOV PREL ECON BL 
pdf how-to read a cable
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PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLP #1165/01 1161701
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 261701Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY LA PAZ
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3359
INFO RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION 6730
RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 4060
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 7948
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 5196
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RUEHMN/AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO 4565
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO 5066
RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO 9649
RUMIAAA/USCINCSO MIAMI FL
RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA 0281
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
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
-------

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