[NYTr] Bolivia set on "collision course" over autonomous Regions?

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

The Financial Times - December 17 2007
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/df18a852-ac41-11dc-82f0-0000779fd2ac.html

Bolivia set on collision course over autonomy

By Richard Lapper

Santa Cruz, Bolivia - Four Bolivian departments are on collision course
with the leftwing government of President Evo Morales after declaring
radical autonomy statutes at the weekend.

The legislation, declared illegal by Mr Morales, would insulate the
wealthier and mainly mixed-race eastern part of the country from parts
of a controversial new constitution that grants greater powers to the
country's majority indigenous groups.

On Saturday, tens of thousands of people took part in rallies in Santa
Cruz and departmental capitals to celebrate the autonomy measures, while
similarly large numbers of pro-government supporters demonstrated in
favour of the new constitution in La Paz.

All the legislation - as well as a separate and especially contentious
constitutional provision limiting the size of landholdings - has to be
submitted to referendums that are expected to take place early next
year.

"I am convinced that we will not retreat a millimetre nor move one step
to the side," Ruben Costas, the governor of Santa Cruz, told tens of
thousands of jubilant supporters waving the department's green and
white flags. Mr Costas warned the central government not to send in
troops or police. "This is a warning. Do not dare to invade us or
militarise us."

Santa Cruz, Tarija, Beni and Pando departments, which all announced
autonomy on Saturday, form a half-moon shape around the solidly
pro-government capital and heavily indigenous departments of La Paz,
Potosi and Oruro. Two other departments - Cochabamba and Chuquisaca -
are unhappy with the new constitution, railroaded through by an
emergency session of a constituent assembly eight days ago by
pro-government supporters. "The country has taken two different
directions," said an editorial in El Deber, a daily newspaper published
in Santa Cruz.

Mr Morales, who came to office in a landslide election victory two years
ago, has promised to "re-found" the Bolivian state in order to give a
bigger say to Quechua, Aymara and other indigenous groups. Close to
Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, he is also committed to radical land
reform, bringing him into conflict with the powerful soya and cattle
interests of the eastern departments.

At a big rally in La Paz, he told supporters that "the people will never
again be marginalised" and vowed to defend the country's unity. "We're
not going to let anyone divide Bolivia," he added.

However, the government has also frequently insisted that it wants to
negotiate with its opponents. "For us, the only road, today, tomorrow
and next year is dialogue," said a presidential spokesman on Friday.