The water war in Cochabamba, Bolivia: Privatization triggers an uprising

摘要

Powerful forces are compelling Latin American countries to privatize state enterprises and public services, including water services. These forces the World Bank (WB), transnational enterprises, national and regional governments and local elites--came together in Gochabamba, Bolivia, in a case that illustrates how international agencies and transnational enterprises operate, and reveals how the government and local elites work against the interests of their own people. What happened in Bolivia also illustrates the limitations of privatization. The population challenged a water privatization contract that was extremely disadvantageous to them. An extraordinary uprising forced the government to break a contract with Aguas del Tunari, a consortium led by the Bechtel Corporation. This transnational enterprise would have made large profits fi'om its monopoly on water service and the chance to impose profitable rates. Grassroots power shown by the population, particularly peasants, has since forced the government to modify a law that converted water into a commodity. The struggle also forced the government to pass a subsequent law classifying water as a public good and respecting traditional water management practices.