General Incidents of Unrest in Bolivia

Information indicating whether Bolivia has been in a general state of turmoil since the October 2003 "gas war," or that any riots, assassinations, or kidnappings have occurred as a result of this "gas war," could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. However, two recent reports mentioned "widespread labor unrest" in Bolivia that affected commerce (Miami Herald 26 Jan. 2005), in addition to increasing "social unrest" due to higher fuel prices followed by the deployment of the Bolivian military (FBIS 21 Jan. 2005), although neither report mentioned any incidents of lethal violence in connection with this unrest (ibid.; Miami Herald 26 Jan. 2005).

Further reports of generalised unrest appeared in 2004 and early 2005 (Americas.org n.d.; Reuters 3 Feb. 2005; Econoticias Bolivia 19 Apr. 2004; Green Left Weekly 19 Jan. 2005; Latinamerica Press 8 Feb. 2005; UPI 7 June 2004). For instance, on 19 April 2004, Econoticias Bolivia reported that the government of Bolivia President Carlos Mesa appeared to be "los[ing] what little control it had over the political and social situation in Bolivia." More than 5,000 university students protested in La Paz because of "lost confidence" in the president and low university budgets (Econoticias Bolivia 19 Apr. 2004). Days later, on 22 April 2004, the Resource Center of the Americas claimed that 20,000 transport workers, street vendors, union members, and university students went on strike in central La Paz to protest Mesa's economic and fuel policies, although this incident could not be corroborated within time constraints (n.d.). The Resource Center of the Americas also mentioned that "at least 48 protesters were arrested and several were injured" (n.d.).

On 7 June 2004, United Press International (UPI) said that "Bolivia appear[ed] inexorably headed towards chaos as radical unions and peasant organizations carr[ied] out their threat to blockade the capital." In several gun clashes throughout the country involving security personnel and anti-government protesters, several people were injured, testimony to what UPI claimed were "divisions within governing circles" (7 June 2004). However, UPI also claimed that the President Mesa had not used force against protesters who blockaded the country's roads (7 June 2004).

Latin America Weekly Report indicated that on 15 June 2004, the body of Benjamín Altamirano, mayor of the town of Ayo Ayo, was found after he had purportedly kidnapped by unknown men the day before in La Paz (22 June 2004). Police arrested the main suspect, de facto mayor Saturnino Apaza, but the local peasants' confederation threatened to bomb a power line, an oil and gas pipeline, and block the highway linking the town to La Paz, if Apaza were not released (Latin America Weekly Report 22 June 2004). Information on the outcome of this incident could not be found within time constraints.

Latinamerica Press reported, in an uncorroborated article, that municipal elections in Bolivia had been marred by dynamite attacks aimed at forcing Mesa's resignation as president (30 Dec. 2004). According to another uncorroborated article appearing in the Green Left Weekly, Bolivia was home to about 2,000 protests in 2004 (19 Jan. 2005). The newspaper claimed that protests and strikes could topple Mesa's government, and a general strike began in El Alto on 11 January 2005 in protest over gas prices (Green Left Weekly 19 Jan. 2005). Sources reiterated Mesa's continued refusal to use any force to quell protests (ibid.; Los Angeles Times 7 Feb. 2005). Lowering fuel prices brought some measure of calm to El Alto, according to AOL News, although a poll indicated that Mesa's approval ratings had fallen from 80 percent to 47 percent (3 Feb. 2005).

Recent Events Related to the "Gas War"

A report published by the Weekly News Update on the Americas (WNU) indicated that on 16 August 2004, approximately 300 campesinos had taken over an oil facility in Santa Cruz, but two days later they had ended their takover after successful negotiations with the government (22 Aug. 2004). A similar incident on 18 August in which 300 civilians stormed a gas compression plant in Tarija, and to which the government responded by sending soldiers to protect other plants around the country, ended peacefully two days later following negotiations (WNU 22 Aug. 2004). Despite its statement that these events indicated a resumption in Bolivia's "gas wars," WNU did not report any incidents of violence (ibid.). In a 22 January 2004 article, The Economist said "[t]he heat ha[d] gone out of the gas issue."

The Taiwan News reported that the government's July 2004 decision to go ahead with gas exports had led to what police reported as "minor violence in two highland spots between La Paz and Lake Titicaca" (20 July 2004).

The "Gas War" of October 2003

During the October 2003 protest over the Bolivian government's plan to sell natural gas, clashes between demonstrators and security forces led to the deaths of at least 58 civilians (AI 2003; Latinamerica Press 20 Oct. 2004; ACAN-EFE 17 Oct. 2004; HRW 7 May 2004; ibid. 1 Jan. 2004; Country Reports for 2003 25 Feb. 2004, Sec. 2.b; The Economist 6 May 2004; ibid. 22 Jan. 2004; Pacificar.com 14 Oct. 2004). The president of Bolivia, Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozado, left Bolivia shortly after these events (Latinamerica Press 22 Oct. 2003; El Comercio 6 Feb. 2005; Taiwan News 20 July 2004).

A year after the October 2003 "gas war," the Bolivian Congress approved the Supreme Court trial of the former president, Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozado, as well as 15 of his ex-ministers, on charges of genocide and violation of constitutional and human rights (Latinamerica Press 20 Oct. 2004; ACAN-EFE 17 Oct. 2004). If found guilty of the charges of genocide, Sánchez de Lozado could face up to 20 years in prison (ibid.). Sánchez de Lozado was still awaiting trial as at 6 February 2005 (El Comercio 6 Feb. 2005). Commemorations for those killed and wounded in the October 2003 "gas war" involved thousands of people taking to the streets in a weeklong march (ACAN-EFE 17 Oct. 2004).

"Gas War" Investigations

Amnesty International (AI) indicated that the investigations by national authorities into the civilian casualties of October 2003 have been advancing at a "slow pace" (30 Nov. 2004b). A report by AI pointed to "weakness of and lack of public confidence in Bolivian institutions, including the judiciary" and argued that, with regard to the investigations into the events of October 2003, the Bolivian judiciary was in breach of both the Bolivian Criminal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code (30 Nov. 2004a). However, in a final ruling in May 2004, Bolivia's Constitutional Court ruled that four military personnel had to be tried in ordinary courts for the deaths of two civilians in February 2003, rather than in military courts; several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) saw the ruling as "an historic precedent" (AI 30 Nov. 2004a).

Human Rights Watch (HRW) called attention to what it considered as investigations "stalled" due to the lack of cooperation from the military (7 May 2004). For instance, HRW claimed that although prosecutors were able to question police officers and politicians about the October 2003 killings, they did not have access to soldiers because the military was conducting its own separate investigation (7 May 2004). Moreover, HRW indicated that, as at 7 May 2004, "no police or army personnel have been charged with the deaths either in the civilian or military courts." Country Reports 2003 added that investigators from NGOs or the Ombudsman's office could not always count on cooperation from security forces or government ministries (25 Feb. 2005, Sec. 4).

In an uncorroborated statement about the judiciary in general, Freedom in the World 2003 stated that despite being "corrupt, inefficient, and the object of intimidation by drug traffickers," Bolivia's justice system was undergoing improvements and was becoming more accessible to the general public (14 Sept. 2004).

For recent information on crimes committed by law enforcement officials in Bolivia, please consult BOL42347.E of 5 May 2004. For information on state protection in cases of robbery and/or assault, please consult BOL42349.E of 7 May 2004. For further information on the October 2003 "gas war," you may wish to consult BOL43064.E of 25 October 2004.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

ACAN-EFE [Panama City]. 17 October 2004. "Bolivia Stil Focused on Natural Gas One Year After Upheaval." (Dialog/WNC)

Amnesty International (AI). 30 November 2004a. Bolivia: Crisis and Justice Days of Violence in February and October 2003. AI Index: AMR 18/006/2004. http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGAMR180062004?open&of=ENG-BOL [Accessed 4 Feb. 2005]

_____. 30 November 2004b. "Bolivia: Justice is the Only Way Out of the Crisis." AI Index: AMR18/007/2004. http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGAMR180072004?open&of=ENG-BOL [Accessed 4 Feb. 2005]

_____. 2003. "Bolivia." Amnesty International Report 2003. http://web.amnesty.org/web/web.nsf/print/FA6BC6D4631B55A180256E7E005DC333 [Accessed 4 Feb. 2005]

El Comercio [Lima]. 6 February 2005. "Gabinete de Mesa sufre primera baja 24 horas después de asumir." http://www.elcomercioperu.com.pe/EdicionImpresa/Html/2005-02-05/impMundo0255648.html [Accessed 7 Feb. 2005]

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2003. 25 February 2004. "Bolivia." United States Department of State. Washington, DC. http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2003/27887.htm [Accessed 4 Feb. 2005]

The Economist [London]. 6 May 2004. "Hot Air." http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=2656008 [Accessed 4 Feb. 2005]

_____. 22 January 2004. "From Here to 2007, Without Falling?" http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=2373273 [Accessed 4 Feb. 2005]

Econoticias Bolivia [La Paz]. 19 April 2004. San Francisco Bay Independent Media Center. "The Government is Losing Control." http://www.indybay.org/news/2004/04/1677939.php [Accessed 8 Feb. 2005]

FBIS Report. 21 January 2005. "FBIS Current Developments 1600 EST/2100 GMT 21 Jan. 2005." (Dialog)

Freedom House. 23 December 2004. Freedom in the World 2003-2004. "Bolivia." http://www.freedomhouse.org/research/freeworld/2004/countryratings/bolivia.htm [Accessed 4 Feb. 2005]

Green Left Weekly [Broadway, Australia]. Federico Fuentes. "Bolvia: Political Crisis Looms." http://www.greenleft.org.au/back/2005/611/611p18b.htm [Accessed 8 Feb. 2005]

Human Rights Watch (HRW). 7 May 2004. "Bolivia: Ruling Holds Military Accountable for Rights Abuses" http://hrw.org/english/docs/2004/05/07/bolivi8559.htm [Accessed 4 Feb. 2005]

_____. 1 January 2004. "Human Rights Overview: Bolivia." http://hrw.org/english/docs/2003/12/31/bolivi6997.htm [Accessed 4 Feb. 2005]

Latin American Weekly Report [London]. 22 June 2004. WR-04-24. "Rough Aymara Justice."

Latinamerica Press [Lima]. 30 December 2004. Vol. 37, No. 3. José Antonio Aruquipa. "Mesa Seeks Alliances." http://www.lapress.org/article.asp?lanCode=1&artCode=4071 [Accessed 8 Feb. 2005]

_____. 20 October 2004. Vol. 36, No. 21. José Antonio Aruquipa. "A Blow to Impunity: Congress Gives Green Light to Try Sánchez de Lozado for 'Gas War' Killings."

_____. 22 October 2003. Vol. 35, No. 21. José Antonio Aruquipa. "Independent Government - Vice President Carlos Mesa Assumes the Presidency While Sánchez de Lozada Flees."

Los Angeles Times. 7 February 2005. Héctor Tobar. "Bolivia Gallops Away Under the Soft Grip of Its President." http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-bolivia7feb07,1,1401858.story?coll=la-headlines-world&ctrack=1&cset=true [Accessed 10 Feb. 2005]

Miami Herald. 26 January 2005. Jim Shultz. "Respect, Not Trade Pacts." (Dialog)

Pacificar.com. [San José, Cost Rica]. 14 October 2004. "La presión popular logró el juicio a Sánchez de Lozada." http://www.pacificar.com/imprimir.hlvs?id=3860 [Accessed 7 Feb. 2005]

Resource Center of the Americas.org. n.d. "Protests Explode Over Gas Deal." http://www.americas.org/item_14597 [Accessed 9 Feb. 2005]

Reuters. 3 February 2005. "Bolivia's President Shakes Up Cabinet." (AOL News). http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/news/article.adp?id=20050203231009990003&cid=842 [Accessed 8 Feb. 2005]

Taiwan News [Taipei]. 20 July 2004. "Bolivia Decides to Export Gas." (Dialog)

United Press International (UPI). 7 June 2004. Martin Arostegui. "Bolivia Threatened by Mob Rule." http://washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20040607-055344-5832r.htm [Accessed 9 Feb. 2005]

Weekly News Update on the Americas [New York]. 22 August 2004. Issue #760. "Bolivia: Gas War Resumes."

Several unsuccessful attempts to contact the Permanent Assembly of Human Rights in Bolivia (Asamblea permanente de derechos humanos de Bolivia - APDHB).

Internet Sites, including: Asamblea permanente de derechos humanos de Bolivia (APDHB), BBC, BBC Mundo, Comisión andina de juristas (CAJ), El Diario [La Paz], El Mundo [Santa Cruz], European Country of Origin Information Network (ECOI), International Crisis Group (ICG), Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC), World News Connection (WNC).