Bolivian Indians in historic step

Source: BBC

Bolivia has become the first country in the history of South America to declare the right of indigenous people to govern themselves.

The country's first indigenous president, Evo Morales, launched his so-called "indigenous autonomy" policy in the eastern lowlands.

Peasant and indigenous communities will be entitled to vote for more autonomy in referendums next December.

"Your president, your companion, your brother Evo Morales might make mistakes but will never betray the fight started by our ancestors and the fight of the Bolivian people," he said.

Mr Morales has championed Bolivia's indigenous people, who for centuries were banished to the margins of society.

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8180790.stm

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Viva Morales!

Solitude over ruins
blood on the wheat
red and yellow
fountain of poison
shields and wounds
five centuries, and no change

Liberty with no gallop
torn flags
pride and lies
gold and silver medals
five centuries, and no change

In this part of the earth, history has fallen
… as stones fall
even those that touched the sky
and were near the sun
and were near the sun


Unloved and unmet
forgiven and forgot
bodies of mineral
working lands
childhood in poverty
five centuries, and no change


Loyalty to tombstones
sacred stones
God had no time to cry
long dream of evil
children of no one
five centuries, and no change


Death next to life
glory of a vanished people
it’s a beginning, and an end
a lost legend
five centuries, and no change

In this part of the earth, history has fallen
… as stones fall
even those that touched the sky
and were near the sun
and were near the sun


This is fog and flowers
revolutions
and though many are gone now
no one agreed to kiss your feet
five centuries, and no change


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtayGoJ9jhs

:woohoo:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=405&topic_id=20531&mesg_id=20531">posted here in the LatAm forum

concept, not a populist idea. People did not create states, slave owners and kings did via the concept that people can be owned and land can be conquered or claimed by royal and god given right. This concept was imposed upon the world and indigenous people everywhere by force of arms.

Imagine if the United States natives did that. Who knows what karma has in store for the European invader.