Pact of Unity

Last updated

The Pact of Unity (Spanish : Pacto de Unidad) is an evolving national alliance of Bolivian grassroots organizations in support of indigenous and agrarian rights, land reform, the rewriting of the 1967 constitution through a Constituent Assembly, and a left-indigenous transformation of the Bolivian state. Since 2005, the Pact has been a close ally of Bolivian President Evo Morales, and it forms the nucleus of the National Coordination for Change, a pro-government alliance.

The composition of the Pact of Unity has varied over time, but since 2006 it has generally consisted of five nationwide organizations:

In 2011, CONAMAQ and CIDOB withdrew from the Pact. Both organizations underwent internal disputes in the years that followed. One faction of each split, aligned with the Morales government, re-joined the Pact in 2013.

History

Coordination among indigenous, campesino, and agrarian movements in Bolivia increased in the 1990s, particularly through collaboration in joint mobilizations and increased cooperation between department-wide organization in Santa Cruz. During the third national indigenous march, five Santa Cruz organizations fused to form the Bloque Oriente (literally, "Eastern Bloc"): Coordinadora de Pueblos Étnicos de Santa Cruz (CPESC), Federación Sindical de Única de Trabajadores Campesinos Santa Cruz Apiagüayki Tumpa (FSUTC-SC), the Movimiento Sin Tierra (MST), the Federación Departamental de Mujeres Campesinas Bartolina Sisa (FDMC-BS), and the Federación Departamental de Colonizadores de Santa Cruz (FDC-SC). [1]

In La Paz, a coalition of grassroots organizations signed the Pact of Unity and Commitment (Spanish : Pacto de Unidad y Compromiso) among campesino, indigenous, and originally peoples organizations of Bolivia (Spanish : Pacto de unidad y compromiso entre las organizaciones campesinas, indígenas y pueblos originarios de Bolivia) on March 15, 2002. This document was drafted and issued at the end of a movement summit on the question of constitutional reform. It put forward a demand for a new Constituent Assembly, organized independent of parliament and political parties. Its signers included the Bloque Oriente, CONAMAQ, MST-B, the Departmental Workers Central of Beni, CAOP, and the Bartolina Sisa federations of Santa Cruz, Pando, and Vaca Diez. [1]

In March 2005, an enlarged coalition joined together in advance of the 2005 phase of the Bolivian Gas War. As of that time, the Pact of Unity included earlier pact members—CONAMAQ, MST-B, CPESC, Bloque Oriente; national confederations of prior allies: the Unified Syndical Confederation of Rural Laborers of Bolivia (CSUTCB), Confederación Sindical de Colonizadores de Bolivia (CSCB), Federación Nacional de Mujeres Campesinas de Bolivia Bartolina Sisa (FNMCB-BS); and new social movement allies: Asamblea del Pueblo Guarani (APG), Central de Pueblos Étnicos Mojeños del Beni (CPEMB), Central Departamental de Trabajadores Asalariados del Campo (CDTAC), Bloque de Organizaciones Campesinas e Indígenas del Norte Amazónico de Bolivia (BOCINAB), Comité de Defensa del Río Pilcomayo (CODERIP), Coordinadora de Integración de Organizaciones Campesinas (CIOEC). The Pact of Unity joined in a broader alliance called the Pact for National Sovereignty and Dignity. Its demands included the expulsion of private water company Aguas de Illimani from El Alto, fifty percent royalties on gas exports, indigenous rights, the convening of a Constituent Assembly, rejecting the Free Trade Area of the Americas, and rejecting immunity agreements for United States officials. [2] Besides Unity Pact organizations, the Pact for National Dignity and Sovereignty included the Federation of Neighborhood Councils-El Alto (FEJUVE-El Alto), the Bolivian Workers Center (COB), the Coordinadora for Gas and Life, the Confederation of Rural Teachers of Bolivia, and two political parties: the Movement Towards Socialism and the Pachakuti Indigenous Movement. [2]

In 2011, the divisive controversy over the Villa Tunari – San Ignacio de Moxos Highway through Isiboro Sécure National Park and Indigenous Territory caused a severe dispute within the Pact. [3] CIDOB and CONAMAQ led a national march in defense of Isiboro Sécure, which was temporarily disrupted by national police. When the next meeting of the Pact of Unity was held November 17–19 in Sucre, CONAMAQ and CIDOB were notable by their absence. In December 2011, both CIDOB and CONAMAQ formally withdrew from the Pact of Unity. Senior members of CIDOB critiqued the Pact for deviating from its prior purpose of pressing indigenous rights in the constitution and uniting "only to say yes and submit to the decisions of the government" (in the words of CIDOB President Adolfo Chávez). [4] Representatives of the remaining organizations (sometimes called the "triplets") maintain that CIDOB and CONAMAQ's withdrawal is a temporary decision made by their leadership. [4]

Related Research Articles

Coordinadora Revolucionaria de Masas

Coordinadora Revolucionaria de Masas was a coordination of revolutionary mass organizations in El Salvador formed on January 11, 1980.

Movement for Socialism (Bolivia) Political party in Bolivia

The Movement for Socialism–Political Instrument for the Sovereignty of the Peoples, alternately referred to as the Movement Towards Socialism or the Movement to Socialism, is a Bolivian left-wing populist and indigenist political party led by Evo Morales, founded in 1998. Its followers are known as Masistas.

The Confederation of Indigenous Peoples of Bolivia,, is a national representative organization of the Bolivian indigenous movement. It was founded in October 1982 in Santa Cruz de la Sierra as the Confederation of Indigenous Peoples of the Bolivian East, with the participation of representatives of four indigenous peoples of the Bolivian East: Guarani-Izoceños, Chiquitanos, Ayoreos and Guarayos.

Bartolina Sisa

Bartolina Sisa Vargas was an Aymaran woman and indigenous heroine who led numerous revolts against the Spanish rule in Charcas, then part of the Viceroyalty of Peru and present-day Bolivia. Alongside her husband, the indigenous leader Túpac Katari, she participated in the organisation of indigenous military camps that took part in the siege of La Paz. She was betrayed and turned in to the Spanish authorities, who later executed her.

Coordinator of Indigenous Organizations of the Amazon River Basin

Coordinator of Indigenous Organizations of the Amazon River Basin (COICA) was founded in 1984 in Lima, Peru. This organization coordinates the following nine national Amazonian indigenous organizations:

The Assembly for the Sovereignty of the Peoples was a political organization in Bolivia. It was formed as a "political instrument" of the popular movements of the country. Alejo Véliz was the national president of ASP.

The National Coordination for Change is a Bolivian political coordination of social movements aligned with the governing Movement for Socialism-Political Instrument for the Sovereignty of the Peoples (MAS-IPSP). It was founded on 22 January 2007, during the Constituent Assembly of 2006-2007. CONALCAM mobilizes its member organizations in support of the "process of change" which includes the drafting and implementing of a new Constitution as well as a variety of social reforms.

The National Council of Ayllus and Markas of Qullasuyu is a confederation of traditional governing bodies of Quechua-, Aymara- and Uru-speaking highland indigenous communities in the departments of La Paz, Oruro, Potosí, Cochabamba, Chuquisaca and Tarija, Bolivia. Specifically, it represents the following 16 suyus: Jacha Carangas, Jatun Quillacas, Asamajaquis, Charcas Qara Qara, Council of Ayllus of Potosí, Qara Qara Suyu, Sora, Kallawaya, Leco, Larecaja, Colla, Chui, Paca Jake, Ayllus of Cochabamba, Kapaj Omasuyus and Yapacaní. CONAMAQ was founded on March 22, 1997, with the purpose of restoring the self-governance of "original nations" including "collective rights to land and natural resources, re-definition of administrative units and self-determination exercised through indigenous autonomies and direct representation in state institutions." CONAMAQ is a member of the National Coordination for Change, and of the Andean Coordination of Indigenous Organizations. It was a member of the Pact of Unity in Bolivia from its founding until December 2011.

The National Confederation of Peruvian Communities Affected by Mining is a Peruvian indigenous rights organization with a focus on defending the rights of indigenous peoples living in communities that are close to (future) large scale mining projects. The organization tries to protect them against the potential negative impacts of mining. Of the 6000 communities in Peru, 3200 experience negative effects of the extractive industries. CONACAMI is a national organization and gives support to the 19 regional organizations. These handle the specific conflicts between indigenous communities and mining companies.

Law of the Rights of Mother Earth is a Bolivian law, that was passed by Bolivia's Plurinational Legislative Assembly in December 2010. This 10 article law is derived from the first part of a longer draft bill, drafted and released by the Pact of Unity by November 2010.

NemesiaAchacollo Tola is a Bolivian political and union leader. She served as the Minister of Rural Development and Lands for nearly five years, and is past president of the Bartolina Sisa National Federation of Campesino Women of Bolivia. She was appointed to the Ministry by President Evo Morales in January 2010, following a long career of union leadership in her native Santa Cruz.

The Bartolina Sisa National Confederation of Campesino, Indigenous, and Native Women of Bolivia is the primary union organization of peasant women in Bolivia, and the women's organization with the largest membership in the country. The organization was founded as the Bartolina Sisa National Federation of Peasant Women of Bolivia in January 1980, shortly after the founding of the Unified Syndical Confederation of Rural Workers of Bolivia (CSUTCB). The founding members were Lucila Mejía de Morales, Irma García, Isabel Juaniquina and Isabel Ortega. The name Bartolina Sisa refers to the Aymara peasant leader of the 18th century, the wife of Túpac Katari, and reflects the strong influence of the Katarista movement in peasant politics. The current name was adopted in the organization's Organic Congress of 29-30 November 2008, redefining the organization as a confederation and adopting the phrase Campesino, Indigenous, and Native from the text of the new Bolivian constitution. Their main aims are to organize and facilitate women's participation in national terrain. The Bartolina Sisa Confederation is a member of the Pact of Unity in Bolivia, and of the National Coordination for Change, and a constituent organization in the Movement toward Socialism party. The president of the Constituent Assembly in Bolivia, Silvia Lazarte, was elected Executive Secretary at the National level at the 8th national congress in April 1999.

The Federation of Private Entrepreneurs of La Paz (Federación de Empresarios Privados de la Paz , is an independent and autonomous civil association that represents private businesses in La Paz, Bolivia.

2014 Bolivian general election General election in Bolivia

General elections were held in Bolivia on 12 October 2014, the second to take place under the country's 2009 constitution, and the first supervised by the Plurinational Electoral Organ, a newly created fourth branch of government. Incumbent President Evo Morales was re-elected for a third term.

Tomasa Yarhui Jacomé is a Bolivian lawyer and politician. She became the country's first indigenous government minister when she occupied the portfolio of Peasant Affairs and Indigenous Peoples during the government of President Jorge Quiroga on 5 March 2002.

Sabina Orellana Cruz is a Bolivian unionist and politician of Quechua origin serving as Minister of Cultures, Decolonization and Depatriarchalization since 20 November 2020. She is a member of the Bartolina Sisa Confederation of indigenous women.

2021 Bolivian regional elections Departmental and municipal elections in Bolivia

The 2021 Bolivian regional elections were held on 7 March 2021. Departmental and municipal authorities were elected by an electorate of approximately 7 million people. This was the third regional election under the 2009 constitution. It was postponed from the expected date of 2020 due to the 2019 Bolivian political crisis and delays in holding the 2020 Bolivian general election. All elected authorities assumed office on 3 May.

References

  1. 1 2 López Rivas, Gisela (2011-09-18). "El enemigo es otro". La Razón. Archived from the original on 2013-01-28. Retrieved 2011-11-21.
  2. 1 2 "Pacto por la Soberanía y Dignidad Nacional". Equipo Nizkor. 9 March 2005.
  3. ↑ "Aliados del MAS exigen mayor poder de decisión". Los Tiempos. 2011-11-21. Archived from the original on 2012-01-18. Retrieved 2011-11-22.
  4. 1 2 Rojas M., July (2011-12-22). "El Pacto de Unidad se debilita y se fortalece la alianza Cidob y Conamaq". Los Tiempos. Archived from the original on 2013-12-26. Retrieved 2011-12-25.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.