</image> <image source="map"></image> <label>Type</label> <label>Level</label> <label>Location</label> <label>Inhabitants</label> </infobox>FEJUVE (Federación de Juntas Vecinales de El Alto) or Federation of Neighborhood Councils-El Alto is a federation of popular assemblies in the city of El Alto, Bolivia in a dual power situation with the state.
History
The first assembly was created in 1957 and was based off the traditional democratic practices of the Aymara people and the need to respond to widespread poverty, corruption and violence throughout Bolivia and El Alto. FEJUVE itself was created in 1979 after a mass meeting of neighborhood councils decided to create a federation. Since then, FEJUVE has grown to be on par with the city government.[1]
Decision-Making
Assemblies have around 200 members that meet once a month and make decisions through discussion and consensus. Political party leaders, merchants, real estate speculators, and those who collaborated with past dictatorships are not allowed to be delegates between councils. The councils have been successful in blocking the Bolivian government's plan to privatize natural gas and water reserves, introduce new taxes and have been successful in creating the cities first public university.[2]
Economy
The economy of Fejuve strongly resembles mutualism in that there is a high degree of workers' control and common ownership while operating in a market economy. Councils are also able to pull together resources to build parks, schools, clinics, housing, cooperatives and install water connections, sewerage outlets, electrical cables and garbage collection services to fill the hole that the state and private sector have left.[3]
Crime
In response to the violence and corruption of the police, Fejuve has created a system of restorative justice rooted in traditional Aymaran customs. Assemblies act as mediators between minor disputes with neighbours and communities form collective self-defense groups which are known to execute thieves, rapists and murders whilst hanging dolls outside of the houses of victims as a warning to any future attackers.[1]
See Also
- SEMAPA
- Coordinora
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Raúl Zibechi (2009) Dispersing Power: Social Movements as Anti-State Forces. AK Press
- ↑ Peter Gelderloos (2010) Anarchy Works
- ↑ Emily Achtenberg (2004) "Community Organizing and Rebellion: Neighborhood Councils in El Alto, Bolivia"