BOLIVIA: ROAD BLOCKS

ROAD BLOCKS are frequent in Bolivia. These are not your usual roadblock as they often

result in violence and death. They may last for two or three weeks. There are few roads

so travel often comes to a stand still.

AP NEWS REPORT.

LA PAZ, Bolivia—Peasants and school teachers agreed to end protests Saturday, but coca growers refused to lift a blockade of Bolivia's main highway after three weeks of protests that have left 10 dead and caused millions of dollars in losses to South America's poorest nation. The government agreed to most of the demands by the school teachers and peasants, allowing a deal to end the protests, in talks mediated by the Catholic Church. Even as that agreement was reached, however, talks broke off between the government and farmers growing coca leaf—used to make cocaine—in the tropical region of Chapare, 360 miles southeast of La Paz.

Report to Tynda

Tynda, just a short report of the road blockages you requested. We were in Cochabamba and were to leave the next day to go on an adventure with a German rider now living in Bolivia. The morning of departure he called and said he could not leave because there was an announcement that in two days there would be a road blockage by farmers and he would not be able to come back for work. So we decided that if we would be blockaged in a city we would rather be in La Paz since we had not been there. We left and arrived in La Paz later that same day. Two days later we wanted to go to a tourist site and crossed the first road block without trouble. But two miles further there was another and they would not let us pass. Since there could be 10 more road blocks down the road we returned. A week later we were still in La Paz and were to return to Cochabama to store our moto and fly home. But we could not reach that city and had to change all our plans and fly out of La Paz instead. We are still alive and our bike is well being stored at Nosiglia Honda, owned by a nice guy called Walter. But we doubt if we can get our flight refund back. Good luck,

Gail & Eric Haws

REPORT FROM ERWIN

Hi, I hope you are ok. Yesterday I met Walter, he is nice!!! I arrived here in La Paz 3 days ago. The campesinos are still blocking the roads so I have a lot of offroad fun and travel very slow 160 km in 3 days from Copacobana. Erwin

Frank, from Germany has lived in Bolivia for a few years and sends us this email.

We had a real rebellion here the last week and lots of

public institutions and shops were looted. No fun!

Now we are calm again, but the destruction is

incredible. Also the military shot some people (their

was a fight armed police contra armed military). 9

police dead and 4 militaries -> in total 24 dead and a

hundred injured. Not to understand was the killing of

a nurse thru the hospital window and the shot at a

female doctor, who tried to help on the street under

red cross - it did not work.

My website is http://motofrank.tripod.com/bolivienReturn to BOLIVIA HOMEPAGE