Q. What do you see as the reason for the mobilization of coca growers in the Chapare region this year? A. This problem has become an issue once again because the central government has not complied with the agreement that it has with the six coca grower federations in the tropical zone of Cochabamba. This agreement was signed last year and was designed to resolve and provide a solution to the problem of the coca plantings. But there hasn't been the necessary commitment by the central government. They have not listened to the position of the coca leaders in the tropical area and that's why things have ended like this. The coca leaf growers in the tropical zone of Cochabamba have been greatly affected because the coca leaf has been almost completely eradicated without providing any alternative, despite what is provided for in the coca leaf eradication law. The coca leaf is supposed to be eradicated, but there is also supposed to be an alternative. Nevertheless this has not happened. As a result, the coca growers have taken action again. What they are demanding is that they be allowed to plant a cato of coca. We don't know if the government will accept this, but this is the central demand. The coca leaf growers are taking actions and conducting vigils around the military bases, and along the roads. They're demanding the military remove the bases that are in various communities. If the government does not understand this, then I think this could lead to a stronger conflict similar to what we had last year in October with the blocking of roads. The central government has to mediate this carefully so that this doesn't cause a greater conflict. Q. Why hasn't the Bolivian government complied with the agreement? A. I think the government thought that the only way out was to sign the agreement. Last year all the different economic sectors had risen up and they had to stop the conflict that was occurring. It's not just the agreements they have with the coca growers but with other sectors. To comply completely became too difficult. Q. Recently there was the death of a coca grower and there have been a number of wounded. Would you say there is a human rights problem here in the tropical area of Cochabamba? A. This is very unfortunate. The police, UMOPAR (Rural Police), all of the forces, their actions are very worrisome. They mistreat the people. We aren't humans as far as they are concerned. They treat us very badly. For example, when a policeman enters a house it is supposedly a private house. To enter it you are supposed to ask permission from someone. But the police don't do this. They enter directly under the guise of the drug war, and take things that are valuable. They take money, and they beat people. It's a human rights abuse. The people complain to the human rights office. But I think the central government and the military commanders here have to instruct the soldiers to treat people like humans, not like animals. The other day they killed a companero. I don't know if there will be a criminal process or not. Whenever we carry out a mobilization we are processed. The leaders are prosecuted. But the people who killed a human being, a person? We don't know if they will be prosecuted. If they are not it will be a violation of the law. Unfortunately people are violating human rights, they're beating, and they're taking things. Unfortunately the people are not treated as humans. Q. You're having an export fair in Chimoré right now. What's your opinion of the current programs for alternative development? A. Alternative development isn't working as people want. The whole program was created without the participation of the people. The people back in some office have made an investment without consulting anyone. The coca leaf growers are not in agreement with alternative development because they have not participated in the planning. For this reason alternative development has failed. It has a lot of problems. The tropical region of Cochabamba has a lot of potential. We can grow a lot of crops like pineapples, bananas, oranges, or other agricultural products. The problem is the markets. We don't have a departmental market. We don't have an international market. At any time, for example, the pineapple market could collapse in Cochabamba, Santa Cruz, La Paz. Why should the farmers grow the crops? The government hasn't concerned itself enough with the need to guarantee a return from the products that we have in the tropical area of Cochabamba. Many fellow farmers are planting citrus. But if we're not going to have an industry for these products [processing plants] then we're going to have very low prices. But if we have an industry that consumes all these products, maybe we would have an interest in growing these crops. Q. Then I take it the money that is arriving from the United States and Europe for development hasn't produced results? A. It's been a very big failure. There are a few things in a few areas. There's a banana businessman, for example. This is on the highway. But when you leave the highway, say 14 miles, you're lost. If you want to grow pineapples higher up, there are no roads. The campesino has ended up in the street because of the eradication of coca. And the government has to assume responsibility for the problem the campesino is facing in his community. The government simply orders that the coca be eradicated. But in the end, what? Q. Is unemployment increasing in Chimoré? What is the situation faced by the families here? A. The situation has worsened. There have been more crises. Given the situation, people are contemplating planting coca again. Three pineapples sell for one Boliviano. Imagine that. You have to declare bankruptcy because you don't make any profit. Q. How much would a campesino earn growing a cato of coca? A. I think it would produce more or less 600 Bolivianos (U.S.$89) a month, which is essentially a minimum wage. This is at least enough to survive. There aren't any other sources of income. These other crops take two years to develop and there has to be something in the meantime. Probably, people will return to planting coca. Ronald J. Morgan is a freelance writer who focuses on Latin America. |