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02/23/2006:

"Ecuador troops clash with oil worker hostage-takers"

QUITO, Ecuador (Reuters) - Ecuadorean troops fired tear gas on Wednesday at protesters accused of holding 24 petroleum workers hostage to demand a share of the country's oil wealth in demonstrations that shut one of country's main oil pipelines.

Soldiers briefly shot tear gas canisters into a crowd who on Tuesday stormed the Sardina oil pumping station, 55 miles

east of Quito, according to an Ecuadorean military official and protesters.

Government negotiators were trying to revive talks with Napo province protesters in the latest challenge to hit embattled President Alfredo Palacio and strike at the 530,000 barrel-per-day output of Latin America's No. 5 oil producer.
reuters.com