Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Gaia takes over Bolivia
Bolivia has just passed the "Law of Mother Earth". This set of absurdities has been floating around for a while, with ecotyrant groups in many countries and cities trying to establish it. They tried it in Spokane a couple years ago, and it went down in carbon-neutral flames.
The new official Bolivian version includes:
I suspect the real result of all this holistic holiness will be larger bribes from the mining companies. The bribes will be called something like "sacrifices to Pachamama", but they'll still be bribes.
= = = = =
Update: The ecoterrorists will try it again in Spokane on the November 2011 ballot. They've revised their referendum to make it more salable, which is rather scary. ¶ 12:50 PM
The new official Bolivian version includes:
The right to life and to exist; the right to continue vital cycles and processes free from human alteration; the right to pure water and clean air; the right to balance; the right not to be polluted; and the right to not have cellular structure modified or genetically altered.
In indigenous philosophy, the Pachamama is a living being.
The draft of the new law states: "She is sacred, fertile and the source of life that feeds and cares for all living beings in her womb. She is in permanent balance, harmony and communication with the cosmos. She is comprised of all ecosystems and living beings, and their self-organisation."
Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca said Bolivia's traditional indigenous respect for the Pachamama was vital to prevent climate change. "Our grandparents taught us that we belong to a big family of plants and animals. We believe that everything in the planet forms part of a big family. We indigenous people can contribute to solving the energy, climate, food and financial crises with our values," he said.
However, the government must tread a fine line between increased regulation of companies and giving way to the powerful social movements who have pressed for the law. Bolivia earns $500m (£305m) a year from mining companies which provides nearly one third of the country's foreign currency.
I suspect the real result of all this holistic holiness will be larger bribes from the mining companies. The bribes will be called something like "sacrifices to Pachamama", but they'll still be bribes.
= = = = =
Update: The ecoterrorists will try it again in Spokane on the November 2011 ballot. They've revised their referendum to make it more salable, which is rather scary. ¶ 12:50 PM
