AI Index: AMR 18/006/2004
"I can't go on any more; for me, there is no justice".
Vicenta de Colque, mother of Ana Colque, a nurse who died of gunshot wounds in La Paz on 13 February.
I. Introduction
During 2003 Bolivia underwent a period of social upheaval which erupted on 12 and 13 February and again in October, leaving more than 100 dead, including members of the security forces, and hundreds injured or taken into custody. Although each incident had an apparently specific cause, the serious economic recession that has affected a high percentage of the Bolivian population in both urban and rural areas, the failure to implement agreements between different civilian governments and sectors of the population, and the social and economic marginalisation of significant sectors of the population all contributed to mass demonstrations and the subsequent events in the capital La Paz1 and various other cities throughout the country. In February 2003, news of a rise in income tax announced by the then President of the Republic, Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada, whose administration had been inaugurated in August 2002, sparked off a series of protests which culminated in violent clashes between members of the national police force and the army in La Paz. Government buildings, including the presidential palace, were attacked and there were reports of snipers. The situation was defused by the active intervention of members of the non-governmental organisation Asamblea Permanente de los Derechos Humanos (Permanent Human Rights Assembly) (APDH). Thirty three people died, including members of the security forces, and dozens were injured. The subsequent announcement by President Sánchez de Lozada that the plans for tax reform were being abandoned did nothing to reduce tension throughout the country, which was further increased by new demonstrations and strikes that continued for several months. The lack of clarity concerning judicial investigations into the events of February further fuelled rejection of the administration of President Sánchez de Lozada. By the end of February, national and international media were reporting multiple demonstrations, with thousands clamouring for him to stand down. The economic crisis continued and the government was severely criticised for its handling of the economic situation.
The protests escalated during September and October. After the announcement in September of the government's plans to export national resources such as gas, further protests broke out, mobilising thousands of demonstrators including trade unionists, miners, peasants and members of the indigenous population, particularly in La Paz and El Alto.2 The demonstrators were calling for the resignation of the President, whose position had been weakened with the resignation of four members of the cabinet, and the public withdrawal of support of the Vice-President. It is reported that dozens of demonstrators died as a result of the use of excessive force by the security forces during these days of violence in September and October. Information provided by the Defensoría del Pueblo Ombudsman recorded that at least 59 people had died, while according to the Fiscalía General Attorney General's Office the figure was 56. The protests brought about the resignation of President Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada, who was replaced by the Vice-President, Carlos Mesa Gisbert.
The international community expressed its concern at the continuing violence and loss of life in February and October. The Secretary General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, made an appeal on 13 February to the people of Bolivia and its government to try to find a solution to the conflict "through dialogue and the full respect of democratic institutions", extending his message to the international community, whom he asked to demonstrate "flexibility and understanding" in collaborating to help Bolivia "find solutions to its difficult problems and confrontations". Similarly, through its Commissioner for External Relations, Chris Patten, the European Union expressed its concern at the wave of violence, urging the government and civil society to go back to the negotiating table and "work constructively" and consensually together on the economic, political and social challenges facing the country. The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), César Gaviria, demonstrated his concern at the deplorable events of 12 February and expressed his "solidarity with the families of those who died", appealing for "respect for the rule of law and constitutional order, in accordance with the principles enshrined in article 4 of the Inter-American Democratic Charter, which clearly and emphatically points to the constitutional subordination of all state institutions to the legally constituted civilian authority". Again, in October the Secretary General of the United Nations called for the maintenance of constitutional order, stressing that "differences are resolved through dialogue and by political means" and reiterating that human rights and "above all, the right to life" should be respected in full. Also in October, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) "vigorously" condemned the violence and "reminded" the Government of its duty to respect human rights while re-establishing public order.
On both occasions Amnesty International appealed to the authorities to ensure that the Bolivian authorities restored order within the rule of law and guaranteed that human rights were respected.3 Representatives of Amnesty International visited Bolivia in March and November 2003 for interviews with the authorities, gathering first hand information about the events, interviewing the families of victims, non-governmental human rights organisations, lawyers, members of parliament, the Ombudsman and members of the church.4 This document contains a translation of the verbatim transcript of some of the testimonies that victims or their families presented to the Amnesty International delegation.
Notes:
1 La Paz is the seat of government, Sucre is the seat of the judiciary.
2 The city of El Alto is at an altitude of over 4000 metres, 12 kilometres from La Paz. It has around 700,000 inhabitants, the majority of whom are Aymara peasant immigrants. El Alto is a reception centre for rural migrants to the city, with a high rate of population growth. According to official statistics, it has a poverty index of 66.9 %.
3 Press releases (AI Index AMR 18/002/2003) of 14 February 2003, (AI Index AMR 18/009/2003) of 13 October 2003 and (AI Index AMR 18/012/2003) of 17 October 2003. Urgent Action (AI Index AMR 18/10/2003) of 14 October 2003 in favour of the participants at mass demonstrations.
4 Amnesty International missions of 12 to 27 March and 17 to 24 November 2003. The representatives were: in March, the Colombian lawyer Rafael Barrios and in November the Uruguayan lawyer, Amnesty International representative at the United Nations in New York, Renzo Pomi and the researcher on Bolivia at the International Secretariat in London, Virginia Shoppee, on both occasions.
(pdf* format - 375.4 KB)