Bolivian Indians call temporary halt to anti-road march

About 1,000 indigenous protesters in Bolivia have called a temporary halt to a march protesting against a new road.They have been walking for weeks to highlight opposition to a government plan to build a road through their territory and a national park.Hundreds of police officers and government supporters have set up road blocks to prevent them reaching Bolivia's main city, La Paz.One of their leaders told the BBC that they feared a confrontation.For more than a month, the column of indigenous people has been advancing at a snail's pace on La Paz, more than 500 kilometres from its starting point in Bolivia's lowlands.The protesters say they were not consulted before the construction of the highway began.There have been several failed attempts at dialogue with the government, and now, hundreds of police officers have been sent to the town of Yucumo, halfway along the route of the march, to prevent the protesters from coming further."We fear that the police may assault us. So we don't want to risk it," one of the protesters, Ernesto Sanchez, told the BBC."There are women and children among us. And the police may use tear gas. That's what we're afraid of."Behind the police cordon, hundreds of government supporters have set up roadblocks.They say the highway is essential to bring progress and much-needed integration to the country.Critics of the project say President Evo Morales is alienating his indigenous support base, and that the road will destroy the very environment that the president says he wants to protect.Mr Sanchez and the other protesters say they will camp a few kilometres behind the roadblocks until a solution to the dispute is found. From / BBC