Four suyus (traditional Aymara territories) in Bolivia's Oruro department appealed Feb. 15 to the region's Superoir Court of Justice, demanding that authorities recognize the Aymara system of justice. "The mechanism of conflict resolution in the ayllus, markas and suyus of the Department of Oruro has a position of equal rank with ordinary justice," the complaint reads. The suyus of Suras, Jach'a Carangas, Jatun Quillacas and Uru Chipayas brought the case through the National Council of Ayllus and Markas of Qullasuyu (CONAMAQ [3]), demanding modification of Bolivia's Autonomy and Decentralization Law. (El Potosà [4], Feb. 15)
On Feb. 18 a group of women in the CONAMAQ leadership publicly accused Domingo Alcibia, Chuquisaca departmental assemblyman with the ruling Movement to Socialism (MAS [5]), of having raped a pollera (traditional Aymara woman). The women said his identity was ascertained from security camera footage. (AINI [6], Feb. 18)
