Bolivian Indians in road protest

Hundreds of Amazonian Indians in Bolivia have begun a long march in protest at the construction of a road through a pristine rainforest reserve, BBC said.

Activists say the road will encourage illegal settlement and deforestation.

Isiboro-Secure National Park is home to several isolated tribes.

The protest is an embarrassment for President Evo Morales, who is a prominent advocate of indigenous rights and the protection of "Mother Earth."

His government says the road is vital for national integration, and insists there will be environmental safeguards.

More than 500 protesters from a range of indigenous groups began the march in the Amazon city of Trinidad.

"We do not want dialogue, we want them to respect us as indigenous peoples," said Pedro Vare, the head of the regional indigenous organization CPIB.

The protesters plan to walk all the way to La Paz - Bolivia's main city in the Andean highlands - a 500km (310 mile) journey they expect will take a month to complete.