INDIGENOUS REBELLIONS

Last June 26th. it was developed a seminar called "Indigenous Rebellions" at the Hall of the Vicepresidency of the Plurinational State in La Paz, Bolivia. Leaded by the Decolonization Viceminister, Roberto Choque Canqui, this was the second activity within a program of six events whose objective is to recover the ideological identity of the indigenous movements and leaders in Bolivia.

During his speech, Choque Canqui, briefly described the situation of indigenous peoples. "Since ancient times, indigenous peoples were owners of theirs lands in community, but with the arrival of invaders they started to lose them. This situation, got worse and worse with the time. Later, in 1874 the Government promulgated a law which would allow indigenous families to own lands individually. This law produced a lot of conflicts within the communities because before that law, ownership was in common ant they were accustomed to live that way. Taking advantage of the application of that law of 1874, strange people, with the help of local authorities, started to take lands from indigenous families by force and then, to keep these families as slaves, making them work without any salary. This situation, would produce frequent rebellions in different towns in rural areas of La Paz, Cochabamba, Potosí. Other reason to rebel during decades was the demand for schools for their children". Here, I have to point out that for years there was a high degree of illiteracy in indigenous adult men but mostly in indigenous young and adult women. In March 2006, President Evo Morales, inaugurated a big campaign to teach all illiterate people in Bolivia how to read and write. The first part of this program ended last year and this year started the second part and according to President Morales, this will continue with other steps.