Protesteors block major roads

On 11 May 2010 approximately 5,000 members of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of the Ecuadorean Amazon (Confeniae) will march to Quito to protest a controversial water resources bill outside the National Assembly building, where the legislation is being debated. On 10 May Indian groups blocked major highways linking Quito with northern and southern provinces as part of an ongoing protest over the bill, which the groups claim would effectively privatize water systems. Approximately 500 protesters from the Pichincha province, of which Quito is the capital, blocked the Panamerican North Highway with trees, rocks and burning tires in Guachala. In the northern Imbabura province, protesters closed the highway that links Ecuador with Colombia, while in the Cotopaxi province, demonstrators blocked the Panamerican South Highway. After several clashes with protesters, police officers used tear gas to disperse the crowds and lift the blockages. Lawmakers are reportedly close to voting to approve the contentious bill, which would likely prompt intensified protests