Ecuador wants citizen committees to defend gov't
By JEANNETH VALDIVIESO
Associated Press Writer
QUITO, Ecuador -- Ecuador wants to create local citizen committees that
would defend the government and its "revolution" - sparking criticism
that the president aims to control opponents in a system reminiscent of
Cuba or Venezuela.
Citizen Participation Minister Doris Soliz told Ecuador TV on Thursday
that local citizen groups are needed to defend against coups like the
one that recently deposed Honduran President Manuel Zelaya, or against
outside agitators, noting U.S. military plans to use Colombian bases.
"The great challenge in this new phase of the revolution is to create in
each home a revolutionary committee, in each neighborhood a committee to
defend the national government ... and to prepare for those who wish to
destabilize us," President Rafael Correa said during his inauguration
Monday to a second, four-year term.
Neither Correa nor Soliz provided details on how the committees would be
governed or exactly what they would do, though Soliz said they would not
be armed.
Critics say the neighborhood groups could evolve into Cuban-style
community groups used to monitor and repress "counterrevolutionary"
activities.
Venezuela has "communal councils" that decide how to spend government
funds for community projects. President Hugo Chavez tried to give the
groups intelligence-gathering duties last year, though he later withdrew
his decree under protest from critics.
"What they want to do is control us in our neighborhoods, in our
families, to know what we are doing and thinking to throw us in prison,"
said Lucio Gutierrez, former Ecuadorean president and an opposition
candidate who lost to Correa in April.
Gutierrez said he will promote "democracy" and "liberty" committees to
oppose Correa's neighborhood groups.
Ecuador wants citizen committees to defend gov't - World AP -
MiamiHerald.com (14 August 2009)
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/world/AP/story/1185311.html
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