Water War broke out between February and April 2000 and led to a clash between residents of the area (farmers) and the city government.
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By then, the president was Hugo Banzer Suárez , who was the driving force behind the privatization of Semapa and rising rates. The fighting left hundreds injured and one dead: Victor Hugo Daza , a student 17.
While the demonstrations were happening city, everything stopped, shops, transport, etc. the whole town "was dead." For the first time in many years, a whole population agreeing with something and was determined to go all the way to achieve your goal, there was only one way to achieve a giant face ( Bechtel), row all to a same side without rest and without fear of what might happen; cost much, but "Nobody said it would easy. " Get to stop the privatization was the common goal but only managed to stop it, but it created a precedent in which the people managed to stop the Giant.
movements against privatization was inevitable and that a primary as well as water would become a commodity hard to reach for their cost, this was frustrating for people because they had to forgo sending their children to study or even eat by paying the water bill, was unthinkable, could not fit in head of anyone who had a heart and a little human charity.
Another thing that bothered a lot to the citizens was that the government had put them in power, was betraying them, putting aside of that great corporation.
In my opinion, the most important of all what happened and more positive lesson can be drawn is that despite all the power you have a corporation, if people come together and are clear that is best for their lives and those of their children, they still confront and halt the reaches of these large corporations.
While all this happened when he was fourteen, it was inevitable to realize what was happening in the city, I remember that several days the city was paralyzed, without transport, businesses closed and no classes on schools.
The only thing that was talked about those days was what would happen if we finally get to privatize water, many people end up deprived of many things to pay water bills.
For the first time, we all agreed, peasants, city dwellers, everybody is mobilized and were aware of what was happening in the news only mentioned the fighting, because if I remember it perfectly, I saw a lot of violence , part of the police force against citizens, the demonstrations cost many casualties among the population and even a dead man that shocked much of the population, because they killed a 17-year-old thought it was inevitable that the next could be your brother, your father or friend.
government instructions were clear, wanted to resort to any means to stop people. At first they thought that the movements that arose in the city would have no such force could hardly imagine what it would cost, leaving the Government for supporting the corporation that wanted to privatize water.
After many days and negotiations, finally, when they managed to stop the privatization, the feeling of joy and peace was widespread, it was a triumph in common.
remember that many people, including my parents, were uncertain about what lay ahead, because experience told them would be difficult to retain what they had achieved, but at that moment the fact of having arrested a corporation so powerful, they showed that you could still take over the power wielded by corporations in poor countries.
Dayana Moya Aramayo
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