IN DEPTH: DRUGS TRADE - BOLIVIA WAGES WAR ON THE COCA LEAF

The government is trying to close all coca plantations By James
Reynolds in Bolivia

The Chapare region of Bolivia used to be famous for its abundant
cultivation of the coca leaf - the raw material for cocaine. For many
years, this tropical area provided much of the world's cocaine supply.

But in 1997 the Bolivian government announced it would eradicate the
cultivation of the coca leaf from its territory by 2002. This campaign
is called the "Dignity Plan." It has received strong financial backing
from the United States.

The campaign has had a profound impact on the Chapare region.
Anti-narcotics officials have succeeded in eradicating tens of
thousands of hectares of coca leaf plantations. Officials estimate
there are now only 5,000 hectares of coca leaf left - equivalent to
just 1% of all land use in the Chapare.

But this is still sufficient to produce 35 tonnes of
cocaine.

The remaining coca leaf plantations are mostly tiny plots of land
hidden amongst dense forest and jungle. Every day armed anti-narcotics
patrols carry out around 10 raids on illegal plantations and on small
laboratories where coca leaves are processed into cocaine paste.

Eradication 'possible'

The fight between those who seek to grow the coca leaf and those who
seek to get rid of it appears never-ending. But anti-narcotics
officials say they are confident that they will be able to eradicate
the remaining plantations.

"It's possible," says Lt-Col Jaime Cruz Vera, the commander of the
anti-narcotics regiment, "And once we've done it, we will continue our
operations to make sure that it stays this way.

"We will carry on patrolling the area, we will sweep the region making
sure that the areas we've eradicated stay eradicated.

"And we'll patrol new areas as well because farmers here will always
try to grow coca somewhere."

The government hopes to persuade coca farmers - known as cocaleros -
to switch to alternative crops such as banana or pineapple. So far, a
number have done so. But many have not.

"They will never get rid of it," says Evo Morales, the head of the
cocaleros' union, "The coca leaf will be defended.

"The fight against drug trafficking is a pretext for the US to
dominate Latin America - for the US to dominate our people - to
violate our sovereignty."

Armed conflict

Many Bolivians question the wisdom of the eradication policy that has
led to armed conflict between the army and coca farmers in the Chapare
region.

"It's had social costs," says Roberto Laserna, an academic who has
studied the drug issue for many years, "And it's very hard to say that
coca can be eradicated. Is it useful? Is it sound? Is it a good
policy? Are they also eradicating drug consumption?

"If not, people will start using other drugs and we will go on to see
new drug wars in other parts of the country. And Bolivia will be left
with widespread corruption and poverty."

So far, in some ways, the "Dignity Plan" has been successful. Coca
leaf cultivation has been reduced - although total eradication looks
unlikely. And major drug traffickers have switched their efforts
instead to Colombia where the government has little control over its
territory.

But for Bolivian authorities there remains the challenge of making the
eradication of the last few years a permanent achievement. Until they
can persuade farmers to grow other crops, many cocaleros will always
try to grow the one crop they know they can sell.

And armed conflict between farmers and soldiers will continue.