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1 february 2001
accion ecologica/foe ecuador
protesters occupy imf offices in
quito, equador
As part of a protest movement that has
brought Ecuador to a virtual standstill, a
growing number of activists from
environmental and human rights organizations
have occupied the offices of the
International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Quito to
protest the IMF's role in Ecuador's current
social crisis.
"We want to expose the real culprits,"
says Ivonne Yanez, one of the women occupying
the IMF offices. "The IMF-imposed policies,
carried out by the Ecuadorian government in
exchange for more loans, have resulted in
more than 50% of Ecuador's national budget
going to pay off the foreign debt, have
burdened the country with the highest rate of
inflation in Latin America, the highest
levels of corruption, the most advanced rates
of deforestation and environmental
degradation, and the worst example of
maldistribution of wealth on the
continent."
The IMF sit-in is occuring at the same
time that the country's indigenous
population, who make up more than 40% of the
Ecuadorian people, have blockaded the
nation's major highways. The blockades, which
are entering their fourth day, are in protest
against the government's economic policies,
which have impoverished millions of
Ecuadorians. The blockades have prevented the
delivery of food and supplies to large
portions of the country, resulting in
shortages and skyrocketing prices.
The government's response to the protests
have been harsh. In Quito alone, there have
been 24 wounded from confrontations between
the police and protesters. There are
currently between 5,000 and 8,000 indigenous
activists camped out at the catholic Salesian
Politecnic University, which is hosting them,
and more people are arriving from the
countryside daily. The police have prevented
the indigenous activists from marching
through the City of Quito, bombarding them
with tear gas every time they try to march
from the University.
On Tuesday, January 30, the government
arrested the leader of the indigenous
movement, Antonio Vargas, on charges of
subversion and attempting to overthrow the
government.
The protesters occupying the IMF offices
in Quito are in support of the indigenous
movement.
Neil Verlander Press Office
Contacts:
Ivonne Yanez, 011-593-2-568091 (in IMF
offices) Quito
Ecuador Esperanza Martinez,
011-593-2-529287
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