U.S. organizations support decriminalize coca chewing

DECRIMINALIZATION OF CHEWING COCA LEAVES • The Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) asked the White House not to oppose decriminalizing Bolivian request of chewing coca leaves. .

By EUGEN ROXAS

Women drying coca leaves. Photo © THE ACHACACHI POST™

WASHINGTON, USA .— This organization sent a letter to that effect to the Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton.

"Coca chewing is central in the cultural identity of millions of Andean indigenous people and has been used for religious, social, medicinal and food for centuries."

The Convention on Narcotic Drugs signed at Vienna in 1961 banned the chewing of coca leaves.

John Walsh, WOLA, said that if Washington "want to correct its mistake" it would be the best gesture of support for indigenous rights in the Andean region.

Bolivia present an amendment to banning article of the Convention on July 31, 2009. The signatory countries the Convention have 18 months to present their observations.

If any country objects to the proposal, it immediately and automatically goes into effect, but an objection was anticipated by the United States, the United Kingdom and Sweden to reject the Bolivian proposal.

Source: LA PRENSA^®
NEW HERALD^®