Ecuador Indians Protesting Leader

AP Photo

By MONTE HAYES Associated Press Writer

QUITO, Ecuador (AP) - Maria Ilbay walked 90 miles over narrow trails from her Indian community on the frigid flanks of snowcapped Mount Chimborazo to demand President Jamil Mahuad's resignation.

Ilbay, a 42-year-old mother of six, is one of 5,000 Quichua-speaking Indians gathered in Quito to demand that the government back off its plan to make the U.S. dollar Ecuador's official currency. Mahuad announced the measure last week in a bid to end soaring inflation and stabilize the economy.

Like many Indians who trekked day and night to reach the capital, some arriving with swollen feet, Ilbay did not even know what a dollar was until a few days ago. She says that until Monday she thought it was the name of ``a brand of noodles.''

Indian leaders insisted Wednesday on Mahuad's resignation, the closure of Congress and the Supreme Court and their replacement with a ``popular government'' appointed by Indians and leftist-led unions and student groups.

``Our struggle is peaceful because the only arms that our people have are their voices and their bodies,'' said Blanca Chancoso, vice president of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador, which represents Ecuador's 4 million Indians.

She accused the government of ``a racist attitude'' in trying to prevent Indians from reaching Quito by throwing up military blockades on the major highways. She said when officials realized the Indians had slipped by the military barriers by walking over mountain trails, they magnanimously gave them permission ``to circulate freely'' in Quito.

``Now that they see it is impossible to stop the river of people who are arriving in Quito, they say come ahead,'' Chancoso said.

Thousands of Indians marched Wednesday afternoon through the streets of the city, chanting anti-Mahuad slogans. Their leaders said they will not return to their communities until the government resigns.

Maria Edlina Alba, a 48-year-old mother of eight, said she traveled 30 miles to protest the high prices of rice, sugar and other essential foods.

The prices of many food items have doubled since Mahuad revealed his plan. The government announced Wednesday that it was imposing price controls to halt speculation.

``We are from Cayambe. We are country people,'' said Alba, who wore a richly embroidered white blouse, a multilayered skirt and a dark green fedora. ``We want President Jamil to lower prices. We do not want the dollar. We do not know how to manage the dollar.''

Ecuador's Indian movement has grown in influence during the past decade, winning greater government services for isolated Indian communities and land grants for jungle tribes.

But Diego Bonifaz, a former head of the government's office of Indian affairs, said the movement's leaders have ``no sense of reality'' and are using their followers like ``cannon fodder.''

``They have promised that they are going to throw the government from power and that is not going to happen,'' Bonifaz said. ``When that doesn't happen, the Indians are going to realize that their leaders also lie.''

Earlier Stories

• Indian Protesters Reach Quito (January 18)