Church in the World

Police attack hunger strikers in church

Bolivia

A hunger strike by anti-government activists in a hall of one of La Paz's most prominent churches - the Church of San Francisco - has been attacked and broken up by security forces, writes Jonathan Stibbs.

The demonstrators said government officials and police arrived on 7 March, seven days after the strike began. Fleeing strikers said the police had threatened their lives. The hall was stripped of its indigenous flag and posters calling for democracy. Signs on the church's side door encouraged passers-by to come inside to sign a book of support for the strike and against the Government of Evo Morales. Nearly 40,000 people have added their names and ID numbers to such books across Bolivia.

Mr Morales' Movement Towards Socialism Party was elected on a platform of representing the previously neglected indigenous population, but the demonstrators claimed it was only supporting fellow socialists. The demonstration was not officially endorsed by the Church.

Last week the Pope told Bolivia's new ambassador to the Holy See, Carlos Federico de la Riva Guerra, that "social tension" was increasing in the country and a climate "unfavourable to understanding" was spreading." There has been unrest since Mr Morales came to power two years ago. His attempts to rewrite the constitution have been seen as an attempt to gain a stranglehold on power, while four eastern states are pressing for autonomy.