PRES. MORALES' Message to Social Forum in Guatemala City

[magbana]

BOLIVIA RISING: Message from Evo to Continental Bolivia Solidarity M
Posted by: "Walter Lippmann" [e-mail] walterlx
Fri Oct 17, 2008 10:19 am (PDT)

Message of President Evo Morales to the Continental Gathering of
Solidarity with Bolivia in Guatemala City

http://boliviarising.blogspot.com/2008/10/message-of-president-evo-morales-to.html

Sisters and brothers, on behalf of the Bolivian people, I greet the
social movements of this continent present in this Act of Continental
Solidarity with Bolivia.

We have just suffered the violence of the oligarchy, whose most brutal
expression was the massacre in Panda, a deed that teaches us that an
attempt at power based on money and weapons in order to oppress the
people is not sustainable. It is easily knocked down, if it is not
based on a program and the consciousness of the people.

We see that the re-founding of Bolivia affects the underhanded
interests of a few families of large landholders, who reject as an
aggression the measures enacted to favor the people such as a more
balanced distribution of the resources of natural gas for our
grandfathers and grandmothers, as well as the distribution of lands,
the campaigns for health and literacy, and others.

To protect their power and privileges and to evade the process of
change, the ruling elite of large landholders of the so-called Half
Moon (Media Luna) clothe themselves in the movements for departmental
autonomies and the rupture of national unity, lending themselves to
the yankee interests of ending the re-founding of Bolivia.

However, in the revocation referendum of August 10, we just received
the mandate of two thirds of the Bolivian people to consolidate this
process of change, in order to continue advancing in the recovery of
our natural resources, and to insure the well being of all Bolivians,
to unite the distinct sectors of society of the countryside and the
city, of the east and the west.

Sisters and brothers, what happened with this revocation referendum in
Bolivia is something that is not only important for Bolivians but for
all Latin Americans. We dedicate it to the Latin American
revolutionaries and those throughout the world, reaffirming the
struggle for all processes of change.

I was going to express the way to recover the life ways of our
peoples, called Live Well (el Buen Vivir), to recover our vision of
the Mother Earth, that for us is life, because it is not possible for
the capitalist model to convert Mother Earth into a commodity. Once
again we see the profound correlations between the indigenous movement
and the organizations of the social movements, which also throw in
their lot in order to Live Well. We greet them so that together we can
seek a certain balance in the world.

Along these lines, I want to share and propose for debate some 10
commandments to save the planet, for humanity and for life, not only
at this level but also to debate among our communities, and our
organizations.

First, if we want to save the planet earth to save life and humanity,
we are obliged to end the capitalist system. The grave effects of
climate change, of the energy, food and financial crises, are not a
product of human beings in general, but rather of the capitalist
system at it is, inhuman, with its idea of unlimited industrial
development.

Second, to renounce war, because the people do not win in war, but
only the imperial powers; the nations to not win, but rather the
transnational corporations. Wars benefit a small group of families and
not the people. The trillions of millions used for war should be
directed to repair and cure Mother Earth wounded by climate change.

Third proposal for debate: a world without imperialism nor
colonialism, our relationships should be oriented to the principle of
complementarity, and to take into account the profound asymmetries
that exist family to family, country to country, and continent to
continent.

And the fourth point is oriented to the issue of water, which ought to
be guaranteed as a human right to avoid its privatization into few
hands, given that water is life.

As the fifth point, I would like to say that we need to end the energy
debacle. In 100 years we are using up fossil energies created during
millions of years. As some presidents are setting aside lands for
luxury automobiles and not for human beings, we need to implement
policies to impede the use of agro-fuels and in this way to avoid the
hunger and misery for our peoples.

As a sixth point: in relationship to the Mother Earth. The capitalist
system treats the Mother Earth as a raw material, but the earth cannot
be understood as a commodity; who could privatize, rent or lease their
own mother? I propose that we organize an international movement in
defense of Mother Nature, in order to recover the health of Mother
Earth and re-establish a harmonious and responsible life with her.

A central theme as the seventh point for debate is that basic
services, whether they be water, electricity, education, or health,
need to be taken into account as human rights.

As the eighth point, to consume what is needed, prioritize what we
produce and consume locally, end consumerism, decadence and luxury. We
need to prioritize local production for local consumption, stimulating
self-reliance and the sovereignty of the communities within the limits
that the health and remaining resources the planet permits.

As the next to last point, to promote the diversity of cultures and
economies. To live in unity respecting our differences, no only
physical, but also economic, through economies managed by the
communities and their associations.

Sisters and brothers, as the tenth point, we propose to Live Well, not
live better at the expense of another, a Live Well based on the
lifestyle of our peoples, the riches of our communities, fertile
lands, water and clean air. Socialism is talked about a lot, but we
need to improve this socialism, improve the proposals for socialism in
the XXI century, building a communitarian socialism, or simply a Live
Well, in harmony with Mother Earth, respecting the shared life ways of
the community.

Finally, sisters and brothers, certainly you are following up on the
problems that exist. I have reached the conclusion that there will
always be problems, but I want to tell you that I am very content, not
disappointed or worried because these groups who permanently enslaved
our families during the colonial time, the time of the republic and
this period of neo-liberalism, they continue as family groups,
resisting us.

It is our struggle to confront these groups who live in luxury and who
do not wish to lose their luxury, or lose their lands. This is a
historic struggle and this struggle lives on.

Sisters and brothers, in the hope that the Continental Gathering of
the III Social Forum of the Americas culminates with strong bonds of
unity among you and a strong Action Plan in favor of the people of
Bolivia and of our peoples, I repeat my fraternal greeting.

Evo Morales Ayma
President of the Republic of Bolivia

.

=========================================
WALTER LIPPMANN
Los Angeles, California
Editor-in-Chief, CubaNews
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CubaNews/
"Cuba - Un Paraíso bajo el bloqueo"
=========================================

[Judi Lynn]

1. Beautiful! Certainly common sense, as well. If those few greedy families

don't make the necessary adjustments to post-colonial needs of the real world, Bolivia should simply buy them out, and send them packing. The very idea traces of a filthy time in world history should retain the power of the original greedy, ruthless, totally racist monsters, and control an entire country while the vast majority tries to collect rainwater to drink, only to find out some company is trying to CHARGE THEM for it, etc., etc., etc. will have to be replaced with a plan which allows EVERYONE to live, not just the primitive, me-first-at-all-costs murderous hogs who conspired to gain control over others.

The new world leaders do see shelter, food, education, and health care as RIGHTS, and they are moral, and they are just. Anyone who thinks otherwise needs to step away from any position of power now, and forever.

Thanks for posting this speech. Glad he attended that meeting in Guatemala City.

~~~~~~~~~~~
So glad to see this issue of Bolivia Rising, I looked around for other current material, found THIS, also well worth examining:

Hired by the Unión Juvenil Cruceñista (UJC) to destabilise the government - "I was paid to destabilise Evo Morales," says taxi driver
Jose Luis Castillejos, Notimex

Leopoldo Santibáñez puts his taxi in full throttle after explaining how he was hired by Santa Cruz’s Unión Juvenil Cruceñista (UJC) to destabilise the government of Evo Morales.

"I was paid 200 bolivian pesos (28.57 dollars) a day to sieze public institutions across the city over a period of three days. They gave me a stick and told me to destroy everything I found", he claimed in an interview with Notimex. The journey along the Second Ring between René Moreno and Monseñor Santisteban (in the El Trompillo zone) towards central Santa Cruz is too short for him to tell the whole story, but he says there is a strong financial backing for sowing chaos.

Knowing that his story won’t make the pages of the Bolivian press, the 22-year old taxi driver freely speaks his mind: "With my sticks and some sound bombs, I went with a group of youths and we started to sack everything".

"Glass, windows, offices, we destroyed everything we found in our path. Many institutions fell into the hands of the Unión Juvenil Cruceñista between the 7th and 11th September", said the youngster. He denied that these units were paramilitary in nature, because many of their members are hired on the go by leaders of the UJC who arrive with money, make a list of places, and indicate where to attack.

More:
http://boliviarising.blogspot.com/

(Scroll down past the speech by Evo Morales in Guatemala City at the Continental Bolivia Solidarity meeting.)