Emergency in Bolivia

[Michael Perelman <michael@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

This comes from Tom Kruse, who was a very valuable member of pen-l in
the past.

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Date: Sat, 08 Apr 2000 13:58:57 -0400
From: Thomas Kruse <tkruse@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: JShultz@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: URGENT MESSAGE FROM JIM SHULTZ

Dear Friends:

    Just a few hours ago Bolivia was declared under martial law.
People are being arrested, the army is occupying the streets, human
rights offices are being invaded by government agents, radio stations
are being closed by the military and huge sections of the city have
had their electrical power cut (I had to leave home to find a computer
that was still charged to write this).

    The situation is grave and we need help to get the story out.
Please share the brief article below as far and wide as you can with
anyone who will publish or broadcast it.  My own media list is in
a computer which I can't access. For the time being I can still be
reached at 591-4-290-725.  I will try to send updates as the situation
allows.  Please do not worry for our safety, my family and I are
fine and keeping well away from the violence.  IF YOU RESPOND, PLEASE
RESPOND TO THE EMAIL BELOW, NOT THE RETURN ON THIS ONE.

    Jim Shultz
    The Democracy Center
    Jshultz@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

BOLIVIA UNDER MARTIAL LAW

    As of 10 am Saturday morning Bolivia was declared under martial
law by President Hugo Banzer.  The drastic move comes at the end of a
week of protests, general strikes, and transportation blockages that
have left major areas of the country at a virtual standstill.  It also
follows, by just hours, the surprise announcement by state officials
yesterday afternoon that the government would concede to the protests'
main demands, to break a widely-despised contract under which the city
of Cochabamba's public water system was sold off to foreign investors
last year.  The concession was quickly reversed by the national
government, and the local governor resigned, explaining that he didn't
want to take responsibility for bloodshed that might result.

Banzer, who ruled Bolivia as a dictator from 1971-78, has taken an
action that suspends almost all civil rights, disallows gatherings
of more than four people and puts severe limits on freedom of the
press.  One after another, local radio stations have been taken
over by military forces or forced off the air.  Reporters have been
arrested The neighborhood where most of the city's broadcast antennas
are located had its power shut off at approximately noon local time.
Through the night police searched homes for members of the widely-
backed water protests, arresting as many as twenty.  The local
police chief has been instated by the President as governor of the
state.  Blockades erected by farmers in rural areas continue across
the country, cutting off some cities from food and transportation.
Large crowds of angry residents, many armed with sticks and rocks are
massing on the city's center where confrontations with military and
police are escalating.

Tom Kruse
Casilla 5812 / Cochabamba, Bolivia
TelFax: (591-4) 248242, 500849
TelCel: 017-22253
Email: tkruse@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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--
Michael Perelman
Economics Department
California State University
Chico, CA 95929

Tel. 530-898-5321
E-Mail michael@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx