Ecuador's Indigenous are seeking a greater say in economic policy. Salvador Quishpe, president of the People's Parliament of Pichincha, outlined some of the major indigenous positions as an indigenous uprising got underway in January. Q. Is the indigenous movement weaker than it was last year? A. I don't think we're weak, just the opposite. The economic measures of the government have caused a very strong reaction in the Ecuadoran people. The country is paralyzed at this moment. It is not true that the mobilization has been weak. We hope that on the part of the government that there is a desire to listen And that they revise these economic measures. The international community should know that as was the case with President Jamil Mahuad (1998-2000) the government has adopted economic measures through which they are trying to obtain money to continue with a banking bail out -- something that occurred in 1999 and is being repeated again now. About eight days ago they gave Filanbanco around $70 million dollars in a new bank bail out process. We are not going to permit that they increase taxes just so they can pay the same inefficient bankers. For that reason we are mobilized right now to demand the suspension of the economic measures and the freezing of fuel prices for two years. Q. It has been said that the indigenous organizations plan to take legal action against the International Monetary Fund. What would this consists of? A.  What they IMF has done is impose policies which have resulted in errors. The only thing the IMF wants is to take advantage of the wealth of Ecuador, destroy what little is left of our rain forests. They have done this is Africa, they have done this in other parts of the world. They have become truly destructive not only of the natural resources but also destructive of the lives of our people. We want the IMF to let Ecuador live in sovereignty. The Ecuadorans are capable of advancing the country with our own efforts, our own energy and our own resources. If they want to help us, then help us. But don't come here to destroy. Q. Do you think the indigenous movement will accomplish its objectives this year? A. I believe that the nation is stirring at this moment. The dollarization has been just one more lie and the IMF has been one of the accomplices in trying to deceive the Ecuadoran people and the Latin American people in saying that dollarization is the solution. In Ecuador we have just finished the year with 91% inflation. This proves that what the IMF said was one of greatest lies ever of the IMF. We are going to call on the Ecuadoran people and we are going to call on the Latin American people not to fall for the trap of dollarization.     We are inviting El Salvador and the other nations of Central America to pressure against this imposition because the dollarization has done nothing more than generate more hunger, more poverty. It has raised enormously the price of products. For this reason dollarization is not the solution. In our nations we have other tools, other solutions for our crisis not just changing the monetary system. The monetary system -- whatever you call it -- is not going to resolve the problems. The problem in Ecuador is not a monetary problem. It's a problem of ethics. The governments that have held power, they are the people who have sacked the country. They are the ones who have maintained the country in crisis -- together with the multilateral organizations. Q. How has the role of the military changed over the past year in your country? A. We know that the armed forces are carrying out orders. But its not the armed forces in its entirety. The high command of the armed forces has been the bodyguard and the protector while the governing politicians have sacked the country together with members of the high command. The lower ranks of the armed forces we know are with the people. More