Library Project Funding Opportunities

I have been living in Bolivia now for almost 4 years and recently decided to leave my full time employment and work voluntarily on some library projects here in Cochabamba and La Paz. I first came to Bolivia in July 2003 to work as the librarian at the American School in Cochabamba. During my time at the school (3 years in total) I spent most of my spare time volunteering at the Temporal Public Library. At first it was just helping the librarian, Teo, with some cataloguing and reference work, and then developed into running activities for the children in the neighborhood. From this experience I found it more challenging and worthwhile to work within a community with very few resources, as opposed to a well financed and resourced community.

Word soon spread through various networks, and I have been asked by various organizations and other public libraries to help them develop their libraries and train their staff. As there is only one Library School in Bolivia (in La Paz and focusing on Small Special Libraries), there is virtually no one in Bolivia with the public library skills that I have been able to provide. At present I work with around 15 librarians from some of the poorest neighborhoods of Bolivia. Here they work under tremendously hard conditions, many of them are volunteers or receive very little remuneration for their work. They are incredibly dedicated and determined to deliver library services to their own communities. The work I am doing with them, both training and literacy programs, enables them to continue their work with greater success and confidence.

With the new governments focus on literacy development, I am in a perfect position to offer help to a country which has few professional public librarians working in the field. For those of you who have known me for a long time, I have always wanted to work towards developing libraries in communities most in need. I have been extremely lucky, in Bolivia, to find a place which not only could benefit from the skills I have to offer, but also enables me to work in a place which is challenging, meaningful and fulfilling, both on a personal and professional level.

I am writing to ask you to support me in my efforts to work with libraries here in Bolivia, this support is meant to just help me until I find long term funding.

There are two aspects to the work I am doing:

1: Training

Currently I am implementing a training program in the city of El Alto, situated high above the city of La Paz. Here I am currently implementing a year long training program and am acting as an advisor to the librarians on different issues such as literacy promotion and the profession of librarianship. This training program includes library promotion, conducting literacy programs, classification of material and creating community spaces.

The program stated in August 2006 with the theme of “What is a Library”. Its hard to breathe at 4000 meters above sea level, but over the course of the day the librarians and I fleshed out the idea of what the perfect library would be (in an ideal world) and how we could meet these needs based on the limited resources we have here in Bolivia. It was a great day, and we worked hard and enthusiastically. Recently I returned to Senkata to help the network plan its year and was happy to see that the issues we discussed in the first workshop were being discussed in real terms in the planning meeting.

I have also been asked by the University of San Andres (the main public university in La Paz) to present a workshop to the library students there and participate in developing library training programs for the Public Library in La Paz.

I hope to be able to offer this training program to other librarians and networks in the future as there is an obvious need.

2: Developing Libraries

I have been working both with Public Library Networks as well as Non Government Organisations (NGOs) in an advisory capacity. As well as the Senkata Network I have been working with a small association here in Cochabamba.

“Atillka” Bibliotecas Populares (Association of Libraries in Marginal Neighborhoods), is an organization situated in Cochabamba Bolivia, whose objective is to provide social and educational support for the children and young adults in poor neighborhoods in Cochabamba. I have been acting as an advisor to this association for almost 2 years now and have been implementing a reading program in these communities. For 6 months, one afternoon a week, I visited the libraries and worked with a group of children on their reading skills. This program was supported by a small grant we received from the International Reading Association and a very good friends mother in Belgium. We were able to buy resources for the program such as books, DVDs, and games. The program ran over 6 months and was very successful. At the end of the year we showed a video (as a reward) to each of the groups, one group didn’t want to watch the movie, they wanted to read instead. We took this as a huge sign of success!!

I am hoping this year, to be able to train volunteers in the community to take on the responsibility of the project and this will take the pressure off the librarians and make the project more sustainable.

Other projects include developing a national public library network, starting with bringing the Senkata librarians to Cochabamba for a meeting with the Altikka librarians. The value of networking is huge here as there are no resources, we need to put our heads together and help each other.

Currently I am helping two Non Government Organisations to set up their library systems. Both who work in the areas of advocacy and human rights. In 2006 I wrote an analysis for a prison NGO which has enabled them to look at potential areas for growth in libraries with in the prisons. I am hoping that I will be able to continue to act as advisor for organizations who need to create libraries and organize their information within the confines of a very limited budget.

WHAT THE MONEY WILL BE USED FOR

Bolivia is not an expensive country and a little bit of money can go a long way and make a real difference – whether $50 or $500 or whatever amount is possible within your budget. (You can donate monthly if you want as well.) The money would be used to help cover some of the operating costs that go along with providing my consulting services, such as internet service, membership fees for professional librarian organizations, travel, telephone, printing, photocopying and supplies. It would also help cover some of my personal living expenses so that I can continue here until I am able to obtain a grant or access other ongoing funding.

There are also a couple of specific projects that need funding, if you are more comfortable donating for a specific project. One is that we are trying to develop a national library network here and want to bring the El Alto and La Paz librarians to Cochabamba for a planning meeting, however we need funding to help cover travel and meeting costs. If you would prefer to donate to buy resources for the reading program, that would be great as well.

WHY DONATE

Bolivia is a country with few resources and expertise to deliver library services at this level. The communities in Cochabamba and El Alto are some of the poorest in Bolivia and their libraries survive on the dedication of a group of volunteers and lowly paid librarians. In Bolivia there is little or no opportunity for library staff development, and therefore programming suffers. As such, I find myself in a place where my skills and expertise are really needed. The training and library development I am doing here are interventions that will be sustainable, helping to maintain the libraries and their programming even after I am gone.

This is an exciting opportunity for me personally and professionally. I am in the process of identifying longer term funding to cover my work here. However, I have a gap and need help in order to stay and continue my work until I access a grant, fellowship or other funding stream. That is why I am turning to friends and family. I believe very much in what I am doing here and if you feel the same way, please help. Anything that you can afford to send would be very much appreciated and would make a big difference here.

In return for your support, I promise to send updates about my work and be completely accountable for the money sent. (Just in case you think Im going to use it to travel South America!!!)

PLEASE DO NOT DONATE MONEY IF IT IS OUTSIDE YOUR FINANICAL RESOURCES.

HOW TO DONATE - please contact me directly paula (dot) pfoeffer(at)gmail.com

You can donate directly to my personal account or send a cheque to Paula Pfoeffer at this following snail mail address:

Cochabamba- Another Popular Revolution?

My friend and long term political compañera Lee Cridland and I have written an article about the current situation in Cochabamba, the city where we live. Here it is.

Cochabamba is a city with a history of struggle. In April 2000 the people stood up against the privatisation of their water supply, threw out the multinational Bechtel and retook control of the local water company. In October 2003 they joined the thousands of people on the street in El Alto, La Paz and other cities to defend the right of the people to nationalize the country’s gas reserves, effectively forcing, then president and champion of the neo-liberal economic model, Gonzales Sanchez de Lozada to flee the country.

Over the last few months, the citizens of the Department of Cochabamba have once again taken to the streets to defend democracy, this time calling for the resignation of the Perfect of the Cochabamba (a position similar to governor). In a so called pro-democracy, pro-autonomy rally in December of last year the Governor of the Department of Cochabamba, Manfred Reyes Villa, aligned himself with the Media Luna (the block of Eastern Departments demanding autonomy) and called for yet another referendum on the issue of autonomy despite the fact that in July 2006, the same referendum was defeated by 63% of the voters. This plus his long history as a nefarious civic leader, has forced the social movements (campesinos, teachers, factory workers, small merchants, coca growers and others) out into the streets demanding his resignation.

Who is Manfred?
Manfred Reyes Villa is a former student of the School of the Americas in Panama. He was a student of the brutal dictator Garcia Mesa who has been implicated in a number of political assassinations. During his time as Mayor of Cochabamba he signed the contract with Bechtel, privatising the city’s water supply hence precipitating the Water Wars. He was a member of the last Gonzales Sanchez de Lozada government under which up to 80 people were killed during February and October 2003. In 2005 he was elected Prefectura of Cochabamba and during his 11 months in office he has used state funds to finance a political advertising campaign which has been used to cover up his past political doings and further his own political ambitions. He owns several houses in Cochabamba and the US.

Recent Events
Reyes Villa’s previous history, combined with his call December 14, 2006 in a public rally of his supporters, for another vote on the issue of autonomy set in motion a series of massive open meetings called “cabildos”, and marches. As the social movements took to the streets through out December and early January, resentment continued to grow and eventually lead the social movements to call for his resignation.

On January 8, a march on the main plaza turned into a fight between local police and protesters and part of the Municipal Council building was burnt. With a people dozen injured, the social movements began to march each day demanding the resignation of Manfred Reyes Villa.

On January 11, violence erupted when Manfred supporters, many of whom wore white shirts to identify themselves, and a group called Youth for Democracy broke through the police lines and began indiscriminately beating any indigenous person they could find. The “white shirts” then attempted to take the main plaza but those in the plaza fought back. A long and violent battle that lasted well into the night resulted in 2 dead (one campesino and one member of Youth for Democracy) and over 200 injured. The city was in shock as images in the media of the white elite fighting the brown skinned working class graphically illustrated the clear class and race divisions within Bolivia.

The Aftermath
Before the violence broke out on January 11, Reyes Villa went to La Paz for a meeting with the Governors of the Media Luna block, (some of his supporters were angry that he had deserted them). From there he flew to Santa Cruz, refusing to return to Cochabamba for fear of inciting violence, and demanding the government come to Santa Cruz to negotiate with him. In doing this he has clearly aligned himself with the eastern states, and this may serve to anger some of his base here in Cochabamba where divisions, even amongst the elites, are regional.

Evo Morales returned from early from his Central American tour to meet with the social movements and has said that this is clearly an issue that needs to be negotiated between Cochabamba´s social movements and Manfred Reyes Villa and not an issue for the National Government. Morales also introduced a new law which would allow official recall votes of any public official, similar to the law passed in Venezuela. The MAS government have repeatedly said that they will not go to Santa Cruz to negotiate with Reyes Villa, that Cochabamba’s problem must be negotiated in Cochabamba..

Racism, Class and Autonomy
The push towards autonomy in the Media Luna states is steeped in racism. These states hold the vast natural resources, which the Morales government has just nationalised, and most of the economic wealth. The divisions between class and race were no clearer than in Cochabamba on the afternoon of January 11. The white shirted Manfred supporters were mostly white, middle and upper class people, whereas the social movements represent the working class, peasants and poor.

The history of Bolivia is a history of exploitation. From the Spanish Invasion and the use of slave labour in the mines in Potosi 400 years ago, to the neo-liberal policies of previous governments, indigenous people have been exploited and excluded from wealth and power for over 500 years. The election of Evo Morales in December 2005 was a turning point in the history of Bolivia, yet many of the elites (a lot of who gained their wealth through government corruption) cannot except that their “right to rule” is over.

The Media Luna block are fermenting divisions between departments, with their political speeches, their open racism towards President Morales and their unwillingness to share the wealth with the rest of the country.

MAS and the Social Movements
For some time now an interesting dynamic between MAS and the social movements has been developing. There are those social movements aligned with the government, such as the cocaleros and some which are clearly not (Coordinadora of Water and Life in Cochabamba). Some of the social movements critique the government and accuse them of coopting the movements so that criticism of the government is kept to a minimum.

During the cabildo on Tuesday 15 January the social movements of Cochabamba elected a Popular Prefectura and its council The MAS government has come out and said that they do not support this decision as it is not supported by the constitution and is un-democratic. A party which was once at the front line of the struggle has now become a voice for the system. Whilst Evo and has government are pushing along with some reforms which benefit the people (free universal health care, financial support for education, literacy programs) they are also allowing the right to still dictate the way they govern.

January 18 will be the first anniversary of Evo Morales’s inauguration as Bolivia’s first indigenous President. The hope and excitement of that day is not forgotten, but a lot of reflection needs to take place on which road the government will choose to take this year and who they are willing to placate instead of listening to the people and their own base.

In Cochabamba, like Oaxaca, Mexico, the people are standing up against corruption and oppression. It is the people of these cities who serve as an inspiration to those of us who are living in the world of Howard and Bush.

Power of Women

Unarmed Women stand up to Agression in Palestine and Mexico

Oxaca, Mexico
A 5 month teachers strike turns into a popular uprising demanding the resignation of the Governer. Plain clothed policemen shot and killed at least 20 unarmed people, including an Indy Media journalist Brad Will. Vincent Fox sent in the federal troops to quell the protest and they were met by a blockade of people welding flowers. The people of Oxaca have not backed down and they are not alone in their fight.

Oaxaca


Forgotten by the world, the women of Gaza, this week, unarmed, stood up against the genocidal agression of the Israelli government.

We Overcame our Fear

The same week that Saddam Hussien is sentenced to death, where is the justice for the thousands of people killed by governments complicit in the destruction of the Middle East. USA, Israel, Britain, Australia, the leaders of these countries are all war criminals and should be made to pay for their devasting actions.

Women are once again showing the way to resistance.
There can be no peace without justice.

La lucha continua.

El Coraje del Pueblo

The Courage of the People

Today is the third anniversary of the end of the Gas War which cost 67 lives and hundreds of injuries. The ex-President Gonzalos Sanchez de Lozada and 2 of his ministers are still living the comfortable life in the US. After repeated requests by the Bolivian Government to serve these 3 men with legal papers to return to Bolivia to answer charges of murder, the US government are still neglecting to do so. Whilst at the same time refusing a visa to Juan Patricio Mamani, whose brother was killed in October 2003 and who wanted to share his story with people in the US.

On this day, remember those that were killed and their families who are fighting for justice. There are many events happening world wide to support the campaign to bring these men to trial. See www.boliviasolidarity.org for more information.

¡Juicio por Goni YA!


Names of the Fallen in Bolivia's Gas War of 2003


Name Age
José Luis Atahuichi Ramos 44
Ramiro Vargas Astilla 22
Demetrio Coraca Castro 62
Simael Marcos Quispe 20
Juan Cosme Apaza 44
Marlene Nancy Rojas 8
Sergio Vargas Castro 19
Arturo Mamani Mamani 42
Marcelo H. Cussi Vargas 21
Domingo Mamani Mamani 32
Jacinto Bernabé Roque 61
Edgar Lecoña Amaru 20
Jaime V. Quispe Zacarías 30
Braulio Callizaya Dorado 38
Benita Ticona 45
Florentino Poma Flores 34
Rosendo Riolobos Alba 43
Raul Huanca Marquez 70
Juan Carlos Barrientos 32
German Carvajal Valencia 36
Víctor Arcani Ticona 36
Filomena León Mendoza 36
Serapio Arnada Calle 40
Walter Huanca Choque 25
Alex Llusco Mollericona 5
David Salinas Mallea 29
Juan Carlos Gutiérrez Tinta 23
Marcelino Cuty Mamani N/S
Nicolás Morales Choque 24
Luis Reynaldo Cusi Quispe 22
Francisco Ajllahuanca Alanoca 43
Luis Fernando Quelca 16
Manuel Yanarico Janco 35
Damián Luna Palacios 30
Efraín Mita Quispe 22
Edmundo Charcas Choque 41
Marcelino Carvajal Lucero 59
Roxana Apaza Cutipa 19
Constancio Quispe Mamani 43
Máximo Vallejos Caiza 21
Augusto Hilari Pari 50
Juan Ticona Mamani 68
Damina Larico Maquera 22
Richard Charca Chana 23
Félix Bautista Paco 26
Wilson Hugo Chuquimia Durán 32
José Masias Quispe 30
José Miguel Pérez Cortez 40
Félix Javier Quispe Tacco 23
Enrrique Héctor Marín Limachi 40
Marcelo Chambi Mollinedo N/S
Teodocia Morales Mamani 38
Jhonny Sunavi Quispe 28
Narciso Colque Mamani 26
Lucio Santos Gandarillas Ayala 33
Carmelo Mamani Patzi 47
Eduardo Hino Baltazar 35
Roberto Huanca Porce 34
Vidal Pinto Blanco 21
Wiler Ortiz Córdoba 35

Surviving Bolivia

A lot of things have happened since I last updated this blog. I finished work at the Calvert School in Cochabamba and started my new job working with some public libraries here in Cochabamba and El Alto in La Paz. I did my first training session of librarians in Spanish, which went pretty well and I spent some time in the far reaches of Bolivia. I survived bad roads and scary bus rides but had a number of experiences which have reconfirmed my thoughts that Bolivia is one of the most fascinating and interesting countries I’ve ever had the luck to travel in. Here are a few highlights.

Training librarians in Spanish

Late last year I met some people working in a small community on the outskirts of El Alto, a city on the edge of La Paz. There were building a community library and needed some help developing it. This was the right timing for me as I was contemplating my future at the school and was looking at doing something very different but with communities that needed help, rather than rich kids.

Through Maggie and Tim I met some other people who had helped to set up a network of public libraries in Senkata, also in El Alto and they asked me to come and help train the librarians who worked there. So on August 5, I embarked on my very first (and very scary) workshop on What is a Library? In Spanish. The librarians were fantastic and very enthusiastic. It is very different training people who have no access to information or opportunities to participate in these kinds of sessions. Needless to say, I stumbled through and in the evaluations the overwhelming feeling was that the day was valuable and completely aimed at their own experiences rather than some high level theory.

I’ve been invited back to do some more training sessions so my new job has began!

Surviving Bad Roads in Bolivia
I’ve been on many bad roads in Bolivia and in my many years of travel but going by road to Rurrenabaque and through the province of the Beni was possibly the worst experience I’ve ever had. First I had to go by the so called Worlds Most Dangerous Road (so called because of the amount of deaths per year, the highest in the world) by bus (most tourists do it by bike and this is considered safer). The road is absolutely stunning, you drive through the barren altiplano and then descend into tropical rainforest. But the road is one way with 2 way traffic and the traffic going down the road has to give way to the traffic going up, and the traffic going down is on the edge of the road. This means that constantly to give way to the traffic going up you have to reverse back, and most of the time the bus reverses back to the very edge of the road where all you can see is the abyss.

Not so bad, things were actually going well on this trip until we came across the wreckage of the first truck that had gone over. Looked like the driver got out okay so I was feeling okay. Then we came across the salvage crew of a bus that had gone over the night before, killing all of the 50 passengers. The Bolivian woman behind me started crying hysterically and all of my confidence waned a little.

We made it however but the next day the road was closed so all traffic was to take the “new road”. Of course no one told us this in Corioco so whilst waiting for my bus to Rurrenabarque I was a little concerned that I would have to go back to La Paz which is something I didn’t want to do. After 3 hours of waiting, we (some others waiting for the same bus) decided to risk the road and get to a little town called Carinarvi and pick up our bus from there. However to get there we had to get a camion, that is a open topped truck. I know the statistics, its these trucks that go over the side, usually they have too much weight and the drivers are a little on the manic side. I also know that most of the deaths occurred on the death road are from camions, but it was the only way so in we hopped. I could describe the fear that I had as we went up the hill and I did get mildly hysterical at one point, especially when the sun went down and the camion didn’t have any lights so was using its indicator to see the road, but I survived and that’s the point. The road however was incredible, a clear sky so you could see all the stars and a full moon. WOW!

We then took the bus along possibly the worst road in Bolivia to Rurre, a long dirt and dusty road, in a very uncomfortable bus. I went by bus after Rurre to San Borja, San Ignacio de Moxos, Trinidad, Santa Cruz, Vallegrande and back to Cochabamba. And I had a lot of time to thing about the way roads are used to oppress people and the rich bastards who have stolen all the money allocated to improve the roads in Bolivia and the people are stuck with terrible roads, bad transport and no means of travel. In the 4 months of rainy season in the Beni, the roads are impassable and no one can travel. I felt outrage at the state of the roads, and not just because I definitely did some damage to my back, but because I know money is there is improve the roads but the communities never see the money. Infrastructure is one way to improve the living conditions of the people.

La Pampa

Whilst I was in Rurre I did a 3 day tour of the Pampa, which pretty much meant 3 days on a slow boat watching the wildlife in the park. We saw loads of animals, alligators, monkeys, snakes, birds and (my personal favourite) pink river dolphins. We saw the most spectacular sunset and sunrise I’ve seen in Bolivia and every night the entire milky way. There are times I feel very lucky to be living in this wonderful country.



Chasing Che
My last week was spent with my friend Lee in the town of Vallegrande and La Higuera, the villages where Che Guevara spent his last days. It completed my Che tour of world, from his home town in Argentina to his part in the Cuban Revolution, this was something I had wanted to do for a very long time, go to the place where he met his death.

In his ridiculous attempt to ferment revolution in Bolivia, Che and his motley band of guerrillas attempted to set up a training camp in the region to encourage revolutionaries to spread the good word across Latin America. He failed miserably for many reasons, but inspired a cult following which to this day intrigues me. I’m not a huge fan of Che but I do find him a fascinating world figure so I have been chasing him all over the world to attempt to understand the phenomenon he has inspired.

La Higuera is a very small village (population of 18) and is where Che was executed by the Bolivian army. It is a beautiful little place, with a stunning view of the mountains and valley below, the village has no electricity or running water. The people who live there have mostly lived there for their whole lives and were there at the time of his death. The view Che with amusement, and are now making a meagre living of his memory and the hundreds of worshipers who come every year.

We stayed in the school and medical centre built by the Cuban Government in one of their initiatives to help Evo´s government. It was a very beautiful place to die and a very peaceful place to spend a couple of days.

Vallegrande is a well off town where Che´s body was taken and displayed to the world, then buried in an unmarked grave for 30 years, before in 1997 it was exhumed and returned to Cuba. So we visited the place where he lay, and the other grave of guerrillas that fought with him, and the hospital where he was shown to the world. The hospital was also renovated by Cuban money and was very nice.



If anyone comes to Bolivia or is in Bolivia I would highly recommend this trip. Not only is Vallegrande and the valley stunning and a peaceful place to pass a week, the history and mythology around Che makes for a different experience of Bolivia.

So now I’m back, having survived the 12 hour journey yesterday to get back to Cochabamba. Its work from now on. I have 3 projects I am working on and I must get going on them. So stay tunned for very exciting news about my library projects and other reflections on life in Bolivia.

Over stones to you

I feel like I have to write something about GW McClennan, singer of the Go-Betweens who died on May 7. Everything about my life in Australia has a Go-Betweens songs entertwinned with it. The last two visits I have made to Sydney, I have been at their gigs at the Metro in Sydney with old friends who I knew I wouldnt see again for a long time. It was my farewell of sorts to my life in Oz and to the friends I love.

Robert was always my favourite performer, although it was GWs songs I liked best. GWs solo album means more to me than any other album I own. I listened to it alot when I lived in Adelaide, it got me through some pretty tough times. Whenever I played it I remembered the lost friends I had in Adelaide and the laughs we had. I have carried it around the world with me, when choosing music to come to Bolivia with, his album was my first choice. I cant listen to it now because I cant believe he is gone.

Its funny when heroes die, its like you have lost a close family member, even though you never knew them. I had two musicians who influenced my life, David McComb from the Triffids and GW. They are both dead now, both died of natural causes before they reached 50. Their music lives on of course and I guess thats what we have left.

I wrote about death in a previous blog and how in Bolivia there is no time to grieve, you just pick up your life and move on. Walk through the streets of your town and be glad that you have moments in your life which bring you happiness. Like listening to 16 Lovers Lane on a sunny afternoon, drinking paley in the beer garden of the Austral.

¡Ya nacionalisacion!

On May 1, in Plaza Murillo in La Paz, Evo Morales announced the nationalisation of gas, making good on an election promise and one of the demands of the Bolivian people. I was there for this incredible announcement with my good friend Mark Goudkamp from Australia. He has written an account of our day and I though it would be good to have a different voice for a change. So here is Marks account.....stay tuned for photos.

Primera de Mayo en La Paz

First, Paula and I watched and participated in the COB
(Centro de Obrera Boliviana) march which had around
20000 people, including mine workers, factory workers
(including textile and large soft drink factory
contingents), postal workers, and even a contingent of
kids who work on the streets. This march was
consciously separate from the rally organised by
Movimiento Al Solcialismo (movement towards socialism,
the party of Evo Morales which is now in government).

We headed up to the Plaza de Murillo, where the MAS
rally took place. The stage was set up in front of the
Presidential Palace, which Morales has chosen not to
live in). After numerous groups played traditional
andean songs (including "song of the condor" which was
put to different lyrics by simon and garfunkel!), Evo
morales spoke. I say spoke rather than appeared
because, he spoke from ground level, I presume so that
symbolically he was on the level of the people. The
largest cheer came when he said that if the foreign
energy companies don´t respect us, they can get out of
the country. Unknown to the crowd, after he spoke he
headed to the La Paz to fly to a gas field in Yaquiba
on the Argentinean border to announce the
nationalisation of Bolivia´s gas fields and
refinieries.

It was then Vice President Alvarro Garcia (an
ex-Marxist guerilla and one of the few non-indigenous
cabinet members) who announced the nationalisation
decree (from the balcony, not ground level). The
largely indigenous crowd cheered, while some said
"bien dicho" (well said).

The government has given the companies six months to
sign new contracts.

Mark wrote this before Evo returned from Yacuiba. As we left the internet cafe, I thought I heard Evos voice from the Plaza so we ran down the hill to hear the last part of his speech. There he was, he had just returned from the gas fields in the South to address the crowd that had been there since early in the morning. Afterwards there was singing and dancing in the streets and a universtiy choir singing the Internationale. It was quite a day and, for me, yet another emotionally charged day in Bolivia.

This country leaves me nothing but optomistic about the state of the world.