Ecuador tries to control growing Indian protest

[Judi Lynn]

Ecuador tries to control growing Indian protest
15 Mar 2006 18:54:03 GMT

Source: Reuters

QUITO, Ecuador, March 15 (Reuters) - Ecuador struggled to contain growing protests by Indians demanding the government abandon U.S. free-trade talks and accused protest leaders of trying to oust President Alfredo Palacio on Wednesday.

Thousands of Indians have blocked roads with burning tires and rubble in nine central provinces since Monday to demand the government end free-trade talks with the United States. The protests have crimped the Andean nation's economy.

"Their demands are not possible to address, so it appears that what they want is to destabilize democracy," presidential spokesman Enrique Proano told reporters.

Palacio has said he will not resign and has vowed to continue with the next round of trade negotiations, which are scheduled to resume next week in Washington.
(snip/...)

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N15215833.htm



Alfredo Palacio on _Bush's left

[Vincardog]

1. Sound familiar? Their demands are not possible to address

Their government is as representative as ours.

[Kolesar]

2. A Canadian mining company is trying to displace villagers for a copper min

They sent in their prospectors and geologists to assess the mining claim. There has been some pushing and shoving at public affairs.

[K-W]

3. They want to destabilize democracy by demanding a voice in government.

Brilliant.

[Judi Lynn]

4. Ecuador struggles with protest

Ecuador struggles with protest
From: Reuters From correspondents in Quito
March 16, 2006

ECUADOR said Indian protesters that have blocked roads for three days calling for an end to free trade talks with the US are trying to topple President Alfredo Palacio.

Thousands of Indians have blocked roads with burning tires and rubble in nine central provinces since Tuesday to demand the government end free trade talks with the United States in protests that have crimped the Andean nation's economy.

The country's interior minister today stepped down amid the strengthening protests.

But the president has vowed to push ahead with free trade talks, saying the protesters are trying to destabilise democracy.
(snip/...)

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,18484957-38199,00.html

[phusion]

5. sweet...

Power to the people!

[Judi Lynn]

6. Indigenous groups protest free trade

Indigenous groups protest free trade
From: Reuters by Santiago Piedra in Quito
March 16, 2006

THE Ecuadoran government warned overnight that the nation's fragile institutions were threatened by protests led by indigenous groups opposing a free-trade deal with the United States.
(snip)

Indigenous leaders also want the US-based oil company Occidental Petroleum Corporation to leave the South American country.

Occidental, which is involved in a legal fight with the state and moves about 115,000 barrels of oil per day, has been accused of selling without state authorization 40 percent of its assets in Ecuador to Canada's EnCana.

Roughly a quarter of Ecuador's population are full-blooded indigenous people who for centuries have been geographically, politically and economically isolated.
But in the past decade they have taken on increasingly active political and economic roles, fighting to preserve traditional communities and the environment on which they depend for their livelihoods.
(snip/...)

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,18485848-38199,00.html



Eight-year old Vladimir Sambrano points out one among
hundreds of open pits of oil waste that make the
Ecuadorian Amazon unsafe for children and other
living things.

http://www.newtopiamagazine.net/archives/content/issue17/features/ecuador.php

[IndianaGreen]

7. Update (BBC): Ecuador demos prompt resignation

Ecuador demos prompt resignation

Ecuador's interior minister has resigned after continued nationwide protests over a possible free trade agreement with the US.

Alfredo Castillo said he was stepping down for personal reasons but also because of the government's handling of the crisis.

Protests by indigenous groups have entered a third day.

They say a pact with the US will affect their livelihood and are demanding a referendum on the issue.

Mr Castillo is the third interior minister to resign from the post in just 11 months.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4811342.stm

[struggle4progress]

8. !

[IndianaGreen]

9. Ecuador Demonstrators At Palace Gates

Ecuador Demonstrators At Palace Gates



Quito, Mar 15 (Prensa Latina) Thousands of Ecuadorian students, teachers and indigenous people went to the Government Palace Wednesday to demand rejection of the free trade treaty with the US, the government"s neoliberal policy -specifically an end to US Oxy oil´s contract- and convocation of a Constituent Assembly.

Ecuador Leader Condemns Police Violence

Demonstrators broke through a police cordon to access Carondelet Palace, where Ecuadorian President Alfredo Palacio was meeting with his Cabinet and guests from the national media.

Local radio reported the security forces used tear gas and there were other incidents in Independence Plaza.

Ecuadorian Presidential press secretary Enrique Proano confirmed the resignation of Government Minister Alfredo Castillo and said President Palacio was analyzing the situation with the Cabinet.

PRENSA LATINA

[bemildred]

10. I was wondering when Ecuador would blow up again.

I guess we are there now.
I wonder if the recent events in Bolivia have inspired Ecuadoreans.
Palacio already has lasted longer than I thought he would.
If he's "condemning the police violence" you can tell which way the wind is blowing.
I'll bet they are just analyzing the heck out of the situation in there.