Indigenous Peoples in Action Beyond the State: the Lowlands of Bolivia, 1982-2002
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Indigenous peoples in action beyond the state: the Lowlands of Bolivia, 1982-2002 By Anne Catherine Bajard B.A., University of British Columbia, 1985 A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS in the Department of Geography © Anne Catherine Bajard, 2009 University of Victoria All rights reserved. This thesis may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy or other means, without the permission of the author. ISBN: 978-0-494-52916-4 ii Indigenous Peoples in Action Beyond the State: the Lowlands of Bolivia, 1982-1002 By Anne Catherine Bajard B.A., University of British Columbia, 1985 Supervisory Committee Supervisor: Dr Jutta Gutberlet, (Department of Geography) Departmental Member: Dr Stephen Lonergan, (Department of Geography) Outside Member: Dr Jeff Corntassel, (Department of Indigenous Governance) iii Abstract Supervisor : Dr Jutta Gutberlet (Department of Geography) Departmental Member: Dr Stephen Lonergan, (Department of Geography) Outside Member: Dr Jeff Corntassel (Department of Indigenous Governance) As an indigenous leader and member of parliament questions: “What good would having a hundred indigenous members of parliament be, if the system itself is not going to be changed, precisely if we do not propose a structural change? We have to break down the structural system if we really want democracy, if we want to move forward” (Jose Bailaba, Bolivia, August 2003). The thesis looks at the strategies for governance of the indigenous peoples of the Lowlands of Bolivia. It is a journey with key informants from the indigenous movement of the Amazon basin that raises the manner in which strategies may vary among the peoples over time and in different contexts, while the vision itself remains constant: a vision of governance as nations. It situates their strategies in a context of transnational alliances and negotiations, with varying perceptions of the role of the state and its institutions. The research is based on six years of accompaniment of the indigenous peoples of the Lowlands of Bolivia, as well as on in-depth interviews with leaders who have held roles as community leaders, national leaders, municipal Councillors and Members of Parliament. iv Table of Contents Supervisory Committee.................................................................................................... ii Abstract.............................................................................................................................iii Table of Contents ............................................................................................................. iv List of Tables .................................................................................................................... vi List of Figures and Maps................................................................................................ vii Reference list / Acronyms..............................................................................................viii 1. Introduction.............................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Purpose of the thesis ...................................................................................... 3 1.2 Recent Bolivian context – summarized update ........................................... 6 1.3 Organization of the thesis.............................................................................. 9 2. Methodological approach...................................................................................... 10 2.1 Ethics of the research................................................................................... 10 2.2 Action research............................................................................................. 12 2.3 Interview method ......................................................................................... 14 2.4 Positioning the researcher........................................................................... 17 2.4.1 Positioning over the period 1987-1996......................................................18 2.4.2 Change in paradigm...................................................................................25 2.4.3 Challenging dichotomies............................................................................28 3. A theoretical framework: Fourth World theory, shifting boundaries and the role of the state ................................................................................................................ 33 3.1 Fourth World theory ................................................................................... 34 3.2 The role of the state, boundaries and transnational movements............. 40 3.2.1 Indigenous peoples and transnationalization ...........................................45 3.2.2 Bolivian indigenous leaders and allies, on boundaries ............................50 4. A historical context: indigenous peoples of the Highlands and Lowlands of Bolivia............................................................................................................................... 57 4.1 Indigenous peoples by ecoregion and population ..................................... 58 4.2 The Highlands: pre-Inca, Inca, colonization, unionization...................... 63 4.3 The Lowlands: from savages to be evangelized to a movement for territorial rights .................................................................................................. 64 4.4 Rebellions and massacres: an overview of key dates between 1538 and 1974....................................................................................................................... 66 4.5 Unionization and party politics in the Highlands ..................................... 69 4.6 Organization in the Lowlands..................................................................... 72 v 4.7 The international context ............................................................................ 76 5. The indigenous peoples of the Lowlands of Bolivia, in a continued quest for self-governance / development with identity ................................................................ 81 5.1 Perception of the indigenous leaders interviewed..................................... 83 5.1.1 Of Identity in relation to the state..............................................................86 5.1.2 Of unity among indigenous peoples of the Lowlands...............................93 5.1.3 Of alliances with the Highlands indigenous organizations and with the CSUTCB ...................................................................................................................95 5.1.4 Alliances with “other” sectors, towards the Constituent Assembly..........98 5.1.5 The delicate role of NGOs and advisors....................................................99 5.1.6 Coordinating in the region: COICA, the United Nations.......................102 5.1.7 Of autonomy and self-determination.......................................................105 5.1.8 Of democracy and the constitution..........................................................106 5.1.9 Of participation and political parties.......................................................110 5.2 From the perspective of the NGOs ........................................................... 113 5.3 Examples of the use of municipal and national elections as a strategy, not an end ................................................................................................................. 115 5.4 Multi-scalar approach: National and international lobbying in practice 123 5.5 Endurance and focus on the vision........................................................... 133 6. Indigenous peoples in action beyond the state .................................................. 135 6.1 Nations beyond colonization, the Republic and democracy................... 136 6.2 Opening channels for access to governance within the state and beyond the state .............................................................................................................. 139 6.3 Different strategies, common vision ......................................................... 140 6.4 Accompaniment by NGOs and other actors............................................ 143 6.5 Alliances and a transnational multi-scalar approach............................. 147 7. Conclusion: Indigenous peoples of the Lowlands of Bolivia in action beyond the state .......................................................................................................................... 151 8. Epilogue ................................................................................................................ 153 8.1 After 2003.................................................................................................... 153 8.2 January 2009, the new constitution is approved ..................................... 156 Bibliography .................................................................................................................. 158 Appendix 1: Interview sampling criteria.................................................................... 169 Appendix 2: Organizational process of the indigenous peoples of the Lowlands, national legislative context and international agreements 1982 - 2002................... 170 Appendix 3: An overview of Ibis-Denmark support to indigenous organizational development in the Lowlands and Highlands of Bolivia..........................................