Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people: Mission to Bolivia, Rodolfo Stavenhagen (2009)

Date: 18 February 2009

The present report contains the findings of the Special Rapporteur on his mission to Bolivia. It notes that the “zero coca” policy, whose objective was the eradication of surplus crops, led to social clashes and the militarization of some areas of cultivation. However, the new policy of the Government promotes the legal coca market by redefining the lawful growing area from 12,000 hectares to 20,000 hectares (reducing surplus cultivation by 6,000 hectares) and developing an eradication strategy in cooperation with the coca-grower unions.

Citation: Rodolfo Stavenhagen, 'Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people: Mission to Bolivia' (2009) A/HRC/11/11