Territoriality in the development policy of Evo Morales' government and its impacts on the rights of indigenous people: the case of TIPNIS. Issue 2 (3rd May 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Springerová, Pavlína; Vališková, Barbora
• Is Part Of: Canadian journal of Latin American and Caribbean studies. Volume 41:Issue 2(2016)
• Page Start: 147
• Page End: 172
• Publication Date: 2016-05-03
• Subjects: Social movements -- Bolivia -- TIPNIS -- territory -- indigenous -- Morales -- mobilization; Latin America -- Periodicals; Caribbean Area -- Periodicals; 980.005
• DOI: 10.1080/08263663.2016.1182297
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0826-3663

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The main goal of this article is to explore how the conception of territoriality in terms of Bolivian government development policy influences how indigenous autonomies function (for example Communal Lands of Origin, TCO) and its position on indigenous rights. Specifically, the article deals with the conflict of two contradictory visions of development that, from the territorial perspective, have different implications. On the one hand, the indigenous conception of a subsistence economy is based on communitarian property of land and self-governance in terms of resources in their territory. On the other hand, the government uses arguments of nation-state development, which can be transformed – under specific circumstances – into an instrument to suppress the opposition and minority rights such as the autonomist interests of indigenous people. The interconnections among the political, territorial and economic dimensions are researched in the context of conflict over the highway construction through the TIPNIS National Park in Bolivia.