Indigenous Bolivians see better days with the Statute of Autonomy of Santa Cruz

The Indians ayoreos, Guarayos, guraníes, Chiquitano and yuracaré Moxenos opt for autonomy in Bolivia. They show their satisfaction with the adoption of the Statute of the Autonomous in the Department of Santa Cruz.

"We have always been free and autonomous. Our ancestors never lived in slavery and always fought for this and for us is a great achievement", reflected his satisfaction Fernando Chiqueno, delegate to the directory of Comite Pro Santa Cruz by the Ayorea Community to undertake the adoption of the Statute of the Department Autonomous Santa Cruz (EDASC), which was adopted on December 13, 2007 in the Provisional Autonomic Assembly of the Department of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia.

With a unique language, a mixture between ayoreo and Spanish, Chiqueno expressed that he feels pleased and said that the Autonomic Statute adopted takes into account all the indigenous communities in the department.

"Ayoreos, Guarayos, guraníes, Chiquitano and yuracaré Moxenos are betting on autonomy and here we are confident we will have a better life for us Indians. We believe that autonomy will bring more roads, more education and health that benefits the people of our territories. That is what we need the most, for us who come from the provinces", assured this indigenous leader.

Like some thirty indigenous representatives from within the department of Santa Cruz, Fernando Chiqueno follows a hunger strike with more than 300 strikers representatives of the various organizations civilians, businessmen, social and civics, who established the strike down in the main plaza as a rejection of government policies to cut funding (IDH) to the regions and the illegal adoption of the new State Constitution by the government of Evo Morales.