Of FIFA and Coca Leaf, Evo Morales at the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
www.innercitypress.com/un1morales042108.html

UNITED NATIONS, April 21 -- FIFA is more powerful than the United Nations, Bolivian President Evo Morales told the Press on Monday. The International Federation of Football, called soccer in New York where Morales was speaking, has ruled that Bolivia cannot play its World Cup qualifying games in La Paz, due to the altitude. Inner City Press asked Morales about this, and about his response to the UN's International Narcotics Control Board's stance again use of the coca leaf in Bolivia. While criticizing both "dictatorships," Morales said that he will file a complaint a human rights complaint with the UN in Geneva, against "discrimination against altitude," and that the FIFA thinks it's bigger than the UN.

And, as one wag mused afterwards, FIFA is more decisive. While for example the UN on Monday issued two positions on the longstanding paralysis in Western Sahara, FIFA says no games in La Paz, and it's no games in La Paz.

Morales' press conference took place in the run-up to an autonomy referendum in the more affluent, and less indigenous, parts of Bolivia on May 4. Morales called the referendum illegal, but was vague on how his government will respond on the day of voting. At a demonstration across First Avenue from the UN, activist in support of Morales denounced what they called USAID's involvement on the side of those seeking autonomy. While not mentioned at the demonstration, it's worth comparing this position with the U.S. Administration's opposition to moves for autonomy and independence by residents of the Abkhazia and South Ossetia "breakaway" regions of Georgia.

Morales was the big draw at the first day of this year's meeting of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. While climate change is this year's theme, last year the big issue was the passage of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, over the opposition of four countries. Since then one of the four, Australia, has changed its position on the Declaration as it did on the Kyoto Protocol, following the election of Kevin Rudd. One down, three to go, one of the proponents said on Monday.

But that's what the governor of Santa Cruz in Bolivia is saying.. Watch this site.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/un1morales042108.html