Ecuador Dispatches, Jan/Feb 2001
Report #4 from Hotel Pais Libre, Canoa, Ecuador
By Peter Berg
February 4, 2001
Ecuadorian indigenas (native people) revived their active insurgence in
the capitol Quito last month near the first anniversary of last year's
rebellion that caused the collapse of the previous government. CONAIE, the
native-led political association, had from the beginning promised a
renewal of anti-government actions if their original demands weren't met
by last summer. Negotiations had been underway but the government's lack
of compliance caused a break-off followed by demonstrations, blocked
highways, and beginning a few days ago, interruption of food shipments
from farms to city markets. (Indigenas claim they have enough food stored
to last themselves for a year.)
Leaders have been arrested, thousands tear-gassed and many beaten. Two
nights ago the government declared an official State of Emergency. Next
week something has to give.
In addition to scalding human social and justice issues, what is
perhaps most notable about this uprising in small, almost unnoticed to the
outside world Ecuador, is that it involves a direct repudiation of the
International Monetary Fund's globalist economic policies requiring
reduced services and increased privatization in the public sector by
national governments in order to obtain loans. Indigenas want to throw out
dolarization and restore welfare, education and health services, among
other things. They are calling the bluff of borderless capital investment
and imposed neoliberal economics.
Aside from some nervousness, Bahia de Caraquez is as seemingly
unaffected by what is happening in Quito as it was last year when there
was scant tangible reaction. It took a month for a half-day highway
closing at Fanca following the calamitous events in the capitol, and not
much more can be expected now.
Bahia's contribution to social change is its home-grown ecological
transformation. In January last year, some non-profit and business groups
along with private citizens were sufficiently united to push through a
municipal by-law mandating an ecological city. The then-mayor was
unenthusiastic, approving the measure with his signature only a day before
it was scheduled to be announced. When he was replaced by the present
mayor and city council last August, a positive official attitude began to
evolve. Last week was a crucial period for determining how the new
administration will direct the ecological city effort over the remaining
three and one-half years of Mayor Leo's term.
It began at an informal meeting on Tuesday night at Leo's home. Jacob
Santos agreed to interpret so that there was clarity of understanding
about details in Spanish and English. I requested authorization of the
revegetation and recycling plans that were written up in both languages.
The mayor listened to summaries and read parts of them, agreeing that save
for lack of funds in the city budget they had his backing, which is
essential for approaching potential donors. Then I brought up the
necessity of guiding his term with the previously prepared ecological plan
that now benefits from Dario Proano's additions (thereby incorporating the
influences of Planet Drum and Bahia's Stuarium Foundation in the same
document). Mayor Leo had been forming a new Department of Tourism and
Environment, and he put the ecological plan in that perspective,
requesting that I draw up a mission statement for the new department that
included a reference to the plan. He would call an afternoon meeting the
next day to present this statement of purpose to the new department head
and others. A salsa band and dancers could have paraded through the gate
off the night street at that moment! It was such a completely satisfying
solution that I had to fight back the feelings of elated relief about the
last weeks, and in truth, the last two years work in Bahia. A few more
potential projects that need more fleshing out were discussed before we
said "Hasta manana."
Around noon the next day the statement practically wrote itself:
Purpose of the Department of Tourism and Environment:
 | Serve to represent ecological interests of the community in all
matters, |
| Understand and guide accomplishment of points in the ecological
plan. |
A. Establish and maintain a directory of all public and private ecology
and eco-tourism projects activities,
B. Develop and oversee public education programs regarding ecological
understanding and practices,
C. Regularly meet and respond to public agencies and private groups in
order to discuss, assist, and guide ecological activities,
D. Develop volunteerism, volunteer opportunities, and lists of
volunteers for assisting public and private activities,
E. Consult with the city council and legal department to streamline
approval of ecologically oriented ordinances and their enforcement.
I walked quickly to Jacob Santos' Bahia Bed and Breakfast Inn for a
translation at one o'clock and he carried it to the meeting in the mayor's
office an hour later. Leo glanced at the mission statement, called
everyone in, spoke about the need for immediate and meaningful action,
instructed the new department head and I to form a working alliance, read
the statement aloud, and invited me to present ideas. Copies of the
proposals for revegetation and recycling were passed around. An open,
public forum to read and discuss the entire environmental plan with
follow-up discussion, questions and suggestions will be held in the
Municipio (City Hall) February 15th. We will spread awareness of this
event to the general public through newspaper stories, radio, flyers, and
posters, and issue direct invitations to representatives of all groups
involved. (Amy Jewel has taken over producing the event.)
We left the mayor's office for the first of what has become daily
meetings with Patricio "Patrick" Rivandenerra, the new
department jefe (chief), his assistant Marco Acosta, and Gabriela. So far
we've been through all five points of the mission statement for
understanding and development of ideas to accomplish them. On Thursday,
Nicola Mears and I collaborated to make definitive English and Spanish
versions of the environmental plan with Dario's and my names no longer
cited because the process of participatively creating a community document
has begun. (See following). The next day Patrick and Gabriela received
copies for their input next Monday.
In different ways for las indigenas in Quito and we in Bahia, it was a
remarkable week for Pacha Mama (Mother Earth).
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