Originally posted by breakzhead
Yeah cocaine addiction causes violence.
It wasn’t cociane addiction that caused violence in Bolivia.
Peaceful protests, made up of indigineous people (who make up over 50% of the population) included roadblocks and demonstrations in the capital, were aimed at three things:
1) Regaining control of the nation’s natural gas resources (which American companies were robbing): this links into the second aim.
2) Alleviating poverty: Bolivia is rich in resources but the indigineous population are some of the poorest people in the world.
3) Stopping the government destroying coca crops, which are an integral part of the lives of many indigineous tribes in Latin America.
The violence was caused by the police and military who were acting on the orders of a corrupt government that sells off the nations resources and keeps the majority of the population in abject poverty.
I was there until just before the president was forced out of office and the country’s first indigineous president appointed.
It was pretty scary seeing large numbers of 18 year old guys in army uniforms far too big for them, holding machine guns and grenade launchers and looking terrified as hundreds of Quechuen pensioners marched through the streets. The tension was palpable, but this was due to fear from the armed police and military, not because of a lot of coked up peasants causing trouble.
Anyway, the comparison I was trying to draw was this:
Many people see partying as a right and an integral part of their life. Many Bolivians would say the same about a sacred plant that has been part of their culture and heritage for centuries.
Governments may be able to oppress these things for a certain amount of time, but eventually there will be a backlash. In the case of Bolivia it lead to a change of government.:)
people power! and viva la Revolucion!
