Teachers and transport workers strike in government protest

(30 Aug 2006) 1. Wide of La Paz street 2. Various of residents walking on the streets and riding bicycles 3. Image of the Virgin Mary 4. Students entering school 5. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) Jose Luis Alvarez, teacher's union: "We are accusing the government, the MAS (the Movement Toward Socialism Party) government, of repression. They did it in the past with bullets and tear gas. Now, the government is doing the same but confronting workers against workers, parents against teachers, unions against miners, landless people against farmers, in order to neutralise social protests." 6. Wide shot of bus station 7. Mid shot of empty bus terminal 8. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Voxpop, bus driver "The blame lies with the gas prices. We have lots of problems here in La Paz and Cochabamba." 9. Wide of empty bus terminal 10. Mid shot of two passengers sleeping on a bench 11. Mid shot of woman waiting 12. Wide of buses parked in terminal STORYLINE: Transportation workers and teachers in Bolivia called a two day strike on Tuesday as part of a series of anti government protests critical of president Evo Morales. Protestors in the capital La Paz blamed Morales - the first Indian president in Bolivian history - for a series of fuel shortages and increased traffic fines that have been enforced since he took office at the end of last year. Teachers' unions are calling for a policy review in education as well as for the resignation of education minister Felix Patzi. Bolivia is one of South America's poorest countries and has an overall illiteracy rate of 13 per cent. In some rural areas illiteracy rates reach as high as 25 per cent. "We are accusing the government, the MAS (the Movement Toward Socialism Party) government, of repression," said Jose Luis Alvarez, head of the La Paz teacher's union. He accused Morales of deploying new forms of repression, creating a divided workforce in order to neutralise social protests. "They did it in the past with bullets and tear gas. Now, the government is doing the same but confronting workers against workers, parents against teachers, unions against miners, landless people against farmers, in order to neutralise social protests." According to union leaders for both groups the strike will last for 48 hours. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...