In the annals of history, the hunger strike has been employed as a tool for political change. From Bobby Sands to Gandhi, activists have used hunger strikes to bring attention to a particular cause or to fix an injustice.The latest figure to go on a hunger strike is Bolivian President Evo Morales. Morales is upset over a proposal that he backs but is deadlocked in the country’s legislature:
Bolivian President Evo Morales went on a hunger strike on Thursday to demand Congress pass an electoral law that could make it easier for him to win control of the legislature in December's general election…My concern is not whether Morales’ proposal is correct or if opposition senators are right. Rather, it seems disturbing that someone in such a position of power like Morales would do something as extreme and unnecessary. Admittedly sociopolitical divisions in Bolivia run very deep but it would be far easier to engage the public in meaningful debate or seek a compromise in the legislature. Morales’ hunger strike appears like an empty gesture to me.
"Faced with the negligence of a bunch of neoliberal lawmakers, we have no choice but to take this step (hunger strike) ... they don't want to pass a law that guarantees the implementation of the constitution," Morales told reporters at the presidential palace in La Paz.
What do you think? Let us know in your comments.
Image- AP
Online Sources- BBC News, Javno.hr, Wikipedia
He seems like a spoiled child refusing to eat dinner because he's not getting what he wants.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant, anonymous. To characterize an act of protest that is situated in the complex, conflictual sociopolitical rift that has divided Bolivian society for centuries with a simple analogy about a spoiled child that dismisses any attempt to understand the motivation behind the protest is just genius.
ReplyDeleteOne has to understand that Bolivia has a long tradition of public protest. It is not at all uncommon to see long marches winding through major cities, usually with accompanying rockets making booming noises. These protest marches are almost always peaceful and are one of the few ways the people have to make their causes known and show an indication of their strength.
ReplyDeleteAnother traditional way of protest is the hunger strike. This should not be confused with the same action in other countries and other cultures. In Bolivia, it shows a stronger determination but rarely proceeds for more than a week or so. The most recent I can recall was a group of students in Cochabamaba demanding the resignation of the rector of Universidad San Simon.
A group of opposition legistators started a hunger strike against the new constitution, until they were caught on camera sneaking food in the evening. They then had to give it up in disgrace.
Unlike, say, at Guantánamo or those who intend to do it to the death, in Bolivia a hunger strike is more like religious fasting -- that is, a desire to show a deep commitment to the issue at hand and an opportunity to clear out side issues and focus on this one with one's whole being. In this particular case, the people will understand Evo's statement that, to him, this is a most serious issue and deserves the importance he is giving to it. Since it is the implementation of the new constitution, this seriousness is critical in his mind.
Thanks to everyone for their comments.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks, Jim, for shedding light on the cultural significance of the hunger strike as a form of protest in Bolivia. I still feel that there are more productive ways for Evo to get his point across. Nevertheless, I hope he ends his strike soon and that Bolivia can move forward.
i wish obama would give up his dinner for something he believed in.
ReplyDeleteEnter discussions in English about the articles of the New Bolivian Constitution. Visit http://www.BolivianConstitution.com
ReplyDelete