Political Unrest

I was leaving Changuinola on Tuesday, and I nearly got stuck there. Protestors had blocked off the only exit street with tree trunks, rocks, and fire. Banana workers were demonstrating against a new law that limited union rights and benefits. After taking six taxis, walking through protests, and crossing a bridge on foot, I arrived at a bus that could take me the rest of the way to Almirante. Good thing I got out when I did, because the next day, no one was able to leave. Road blocks had expanded and no Changuinola to David buses were running.

Thursday night as I sat with my nightly cup of coffee, I heard the roar of a chain saw, and thought it an odd time to be cutting timber. Within seconds, my question was answered as I heard the trunk crash onto the highway. Two more cracks and crashes. Men from Renacimiento, the community next to mine, were also protesting. One of their family members had been killed by riot police in Changuinola the day before.

By Friday afternoon, I received a message from Peace Corps that said Bocas and No Kribo (Bocas comarca) volunteers were in STANDFAST mode, prohibiting us from travel out of site, and for those that were already out of site, to stay where they are. We were asked to check in with Regional Leaders immediately to confirm our whereabouts. Things had escalated in Changuinola, and travel along the highway that runs through the province was unsafe due to multiple protest and roadblocks. This STANDFAST mode meant little to me, as I couldn´t have left anyway since the highway was blocked and bus transport was impossible. That afternoon, as I exited the bathroom after bathtime, I was shocked to see dozens of armed policeman with big-boy war guns marching down the street, followed by more piled into the back of government trucks. (I have some arresting photos of this, but Panama Internet, like every service in this country, is being slow and uncooperative. You will have to wait.) As I went up to my balcony to get a better look, I noticed helicopters circling my community, and soon heard the chainsaws of the police start up to remove the roadblocks. They moved on peacefully, but continued their daily marches every 12 hours to make sure protesters were keeping the road open.

By Saturday afternoon, the STANDFAST alert was issued for all PCVs country-wide. We received text messages daily offering vague information about nationwide protest and potential dangers of which we should steer clear. I listened to the radio to get as much information as possible, but those reports also gave an incomplete picture. I yearned for NPR. Brother James kindly did some Web searches and filled me on President Martinelli´s latest inflammatory statements and the latest word from the strikers.

On Tuesday, nation-wide strikes were supposed to start at midnight. In Renacimiento, I´d heard they had plans to block off the road again, and from snippets of gossip I heard, it sounded like things could get uglier between them and police. But by the time Tuesday rolled around, things had calmed in Bocas, and as far as I know, there were few incidents nationwide. The President agreed to revise a few articles of the law, and given that concession, strikers declared their efforts a success. Unfortunately that ¨success¨came at the cost of lives lost and hundreds injured. Thankfully it ended somewhat sooner than initially expected, and on a more peaceful note than it began.

By Wednesday morning, Peace Corps gave us all the all-clear and we were free to travel and leave site. I breathed a sigh of relief, and headed to David, to get some computer work done and enjoy the comforts of AC and cable TV.

Note: For those who worry about my safety, please be advised that Peace Corps takes the safety of volunteers very seriously. There is a full-time Safety and Security Coordinator who is responsible for monitoring conditions of the country and issuing alerts and/or taking action in the event that a volunteer is unsafe. She is a tiny, feisty Panamanian woman who takes no BS from anyone. We also have a Duty Officer, who is on call 24-7 to respond to our concerns. (OK, Mom?)