livian government imposed a "State of siege" upon the population whereby all constttutional rights were gas. suspended, in a desperate attempt to stop a three week old strike movement being lead by teachers, but which to was quickly growing austerity drive. Into a general strike.
The strikę was against cuts in education, part of the government's neo-lib- •resent eral policies being forced zovemmens weakiicos earlier the government and President Gonzalo used violence and intimi- Sanchez de Lozada's indation, beating demon- capacity to solve the strators and using tear country's social problems in a peaceful manner".
The state of siege was The president first declared when the COB claimed that the siege (the Bolivian equivalent of was declared because the TUC) met and decided the COB was refusing to step up the fight allow the catolic church against the governments to mediate in talks The mill tween the COB and the tary surrounded the meet- government, though even ing and arrested all those the Catholic church has claiming that since condemned the govtheir decision forced the premenis scions. government to impose Over a thousand people Andes or the sweltering heat of the forests, and are being refused visitors.
As well as banning all forms of demonstrations or meetings, the government has also banned the use of cars claiming that if people want to go some where they can walk". If be they do walk. however they are liable to be arrested by the military if they are in a group of three or more, and a curfew has been imposed from midnight till 6am. Palacio de Gobierno, Plaza Murillo, La Plaz, Bolivia. A Bolivian trade union solidarity committee is going to be of people. established, contact us for further details.
ment and peoples lives.