National Council of Ayllus and Markas of Qullasuyu

National Council of Ayllus and Markas of Qullasuyu
Huhsunqu · Public domain · source
Name	National Council of Ayllus and Markas of Qullasuyu
Native name	Consejo Nacional de Ayllus y Markas del Qullasuyu
Founded	2000s
Headquarters	La Paz
Region served	Bolivia, Peru, Chile
Ideology	Indigenous originalidad, plurinationalism

National Council of Ayllus and Markas of Qullasuyu is an indigenous political organization rooted in highland Andean communities across Bolivia, Peru, and northern Chile. It emerged from communal assemblies influenced by movements such as Bartolina Sisa Confederation, Túpac Katari Revolutionary Movement, and the broader Andean indigenous resurgence that intersects with actors like Evo Morales, Movimiento al Socialismo (MAS), and civil society networks including CIPCA and CEJIS. The council articulates demands in relation to states, international bodies such as the United Nations, and regional groupings like CELAC.

History

The council traces origins to late-20th and early-21st century social mobilizations that included participants from Ayllu communities, activists linked to Q'ero, Aymara, and Quechua organizations, and veterans of events such as the Water War (Cochabamba), the Gaseous Hydrocarbons Law protests, and the protests preceding the 2003 Gas War (Bolivia). Its formation was influenced by historical precedents including the Inca Empire administrative units and colonial-era uprisings like those led by Túpac Amaru II and Tupac Katari. The council developed working relationships with international indigenous forums such as the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and engaged with academics from institutions like the University of San Andrés and Pontifical Catholic University of Peru.

Organization and Structure

The council adopts a federative format inspired by traditional Ayllu practice and regional confederations like the CSUTCB and the National Council of Ayllus and Markas-style bodies. Its internal bodies include a General Assembly that draws delegates from Marka and community juntas, a Coordinating Committee that negotiates with ministries such as Ministry of Cultures and Tourism (Bolivia), and local commissions for land, water, and cultural rights that collaborate with NGOs like Oxfam and research centers like IIED. Leadership rotates in line with indigenous protocols and interacts with municipal governments in places like El Alto, Potosí, and Cusco.

Political Ideology and Goals

The council's program blends indigenous sovereignty claims comparable to platforms of Movimiento al Socialismo (MAS) and autonomy proposals seen in the Eastern Bolivian Gas conflict, advocating plurinational constitutionalism inspired by the 2009 Constitution of Bolivia. It demands territorial reconstitution referencing historical entities such as Qullasuyu of the Inca Empire, communal land titles analogous to ejido reforms, and cultural revitalization consonant with policies promoted by UNESCO. Its agenda emphasizes rights to natural resources in contests involving corporations like Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales Bolivianos disputes, and legal recognition akin to instruments like the ILO Convention 169.

Activities and Campaigns

The council organizes mobilizations similar to the 2000s roadblocks and festival-based protests that echoed tactics used by Federación Sindical Única de Trabajadores Campesinos de Cochabamba and Federación Nacional de Mujeres Campesinas Bartolina Sisa. Campaigns have targeted extractive projects associated with companies referenced in cases before courts like the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and have promoted land titling initiatives coordinated with agencies comparable to Servicio Nacional de Áreas Protegidas. It conducts intercultural education programs in partnership with universities such as Universidad Mayor de San Andrés and international solidarity networks including Amnesty International.

Electoral Participation and Alliances

While primarily a social movement, the council has engaged electoral politics through coalitions with parties similar to Movimiento al Socialismo and ad hoc alliances resembling those formed by MAS-IPSP dissidents, indigenous party lists, and regional blocs in municipal contests in La Paz, Oruro, and Potosí. It has negotiated electoral pacts with platforms inspired by leaders like Evo Morales and Felipe Quispe and has fielded candidates in local elections drawing support from organizations such as the Bartolina Sisa Confederation and trade union federations including CSUTCB.

Impact and Controversies

The council influenced constitutional debates akin to the 2007–2009 Bolivian constituent process and pressured governments over policies linked to nationalization campaigns and extractive sector regulation, provoking disputes with companies and ministries comparable to YPFB conflicts. Critics have accused the council of fragmenting indigenous representation in competition with bodies like CONAMAQ and of tactical alliances that mirrored splits within MAS factions. Controversies include clashes with state security forces in demonstrations reminiscent of the 2003 Gas War confrontations and legal disputes submitted to tribunals similar to the Plurinational Constitutional Tribunal.

Membership and Social Base

Membership is concentrated among highland communities identifying as Aymara and Quechua, with participation from communities tied to historic regions such as Qullasuyu and transnational networks spanning Bolivia, Peru, and Chile. Social bases include peasant unions like CSUTCB, women’s organizations such as the Bartolina Sisa Confederation, youth movements, and urban migrant communities in hubs like El Alto and La Paz. The council collaborates with indigenous rights NGOs including Fundación Tierra and research institutes such as CIDOB.

Category:Indigenous organizations of South America Category:Politics of Bolivia Category:Andean culture