Bolivia behind the headlines: precarious wonders of water

Here's a link to a piece I did that recently went up at The Walrus web site. Via encounters w irrigators, a senator, an NGO director, a political organizer, etc etc, it traces the amazing story of an irrigation law that could change the lives of millions of Bolivians, in part by banning privatization and finally recognizing indigenous peoples' uses and customs. It's also a key step in Bolivians redefining our idea of water as a human right. Not bad, hey? And a small Canadian development agency--the International Development Research Centre--played a big role in making it happen. A final point about this law--it's the first ever, in Bolivia, that was drafted more or less from below.

Of course, it has problems too. The fiercest, most effective critics come from Bolivia's academic left. I think it's also important to remember, as violence threatens to consume Evo Morales' government, that behind the headlines, a whole host of initiatives like this one--historic and revolutionary changes affecting people's everyday lives but don't always get a ton of attention--are at risk. There's more than symbols at stake. All right--enough rambling. The link: Bolivia's Water Fight.

Also, now that I'm at NYU pursuing graduate studies in various complicated matters requiring a lot of analysis, who knows what will become of this delinquint faux blog. But I may do something w my coca diaries from semi-tropical Bolivia when it colds out here.