Question

The year in which the struggle against the privatisation of water in Bolivia had started was _________.
A) 2000
B) 2001
C) 2005
D) 2006

Answer 1

Hint: Bolivia is a poor nation situated in Latin, or South America. The government of Bolivia sold the water rights for the city of Cochabamba to an MNC, which immediately raised the price of water. Therefore, a successful four-day general strike was organised in the city.

Complete answer:
Bolivia is a poor nation situated in Latin or South America. The World Bank had pressured the Government of Bolivia to give up its control of the municipal water supply. Consequently, the Bolivian government sold the rights for the municipal supply of water of the city of Cochabamba to a multinational company (MNC). This resulted in an immediate rise in the price of water by four times. As a result of which a monthly water bill of rupees 1000 was received by the majority of the people in a country where the average income is around rupees 5000 a month.

This resulted in a spontaneous popular protest and in January 2000, a successful four-day general strike was organised in the city by a new alliance of labour, human rights and community leaders. The government agreed to negotiate and the strike was called off, but no steps were taken by the government. In February, the agitation started again and the police resorted to brutal repression.

In April, another strike occurred and the government imposed martial law. But the power of the people pressured the officials of the MNC to flee the city and made the government consider all the demands of the protestors. The contract with the company was terminated and water supply was restored to the municipality at old rates. This came to be known as the water war of Bolivia.

Thus, the correct answer is option ‘A’. The year in which the struggle against water privatisation in Bolivia had started was 2000.

Note: The protest that took place in Bolivia against the privatisation of water was not led by any political party. It was led by an organisation referred to as FEDECOR, which comprised local professionals, including engineers and environmentalists. This party came to power in Bolivia in 2006.