The National Women's Day for Land Reform and Against Violence
in Rural Areas, August 12, was marked, in Brasilia, by audiences,
demonstrations and a protest march at the Tres Poderes square.
The day was organized by the National Movement of Female Rural
Workers in remembrance of the murder of union leader Margarida
Alves in the state of Paraiba 13 years ago. For this reason also,
the Landless Movement (MST) chose that day to receive in Brasilia
a monument designed by architect Oscar Niemeyer in honor of the
19 landless rural workers who were killed in Eldorado dos
Carajas, in the state of Para (the monument is being shown in
various Brazilian capitals on its way to the site of the
massacre). In the protest march, which included the presence of
two indigenous leaders, the Women's Movement issued a manifesto
with six claims that was delivered to the ministries of Justice
and Land Reform and to the UN office in Brazil.
The Indians and the female rural workers demand justice for
the killers of rural workers, the revocation of Decree 1,775/96,
the approval of the Bill for the Summary Expropriation of Land
Areas for Land Reform Purposes and of another one which limits
the issuance of preliminary orders for evictions and the approval
of a bill transferring the judgment of crimes committed by the
military from the Military Courts to the Courts of Law. They also
demand the expropriation of land areas for settling 40,000
families.
The demonstration was attended by Hebe Bonafini and Marta
Badillo, Mothers of the May Square of Argentina, Maninha Xucuru
Kariri, representing Capoib, and Edna Marcal, daughter of Margal
Tupay, who was murdered in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul;
survivors of the massacres of Eldorado do Carajas and Corumbiara;
representatives of the "Draught Widows"; Olinda Tavares, the
mother of priest Josimo, who was killed ten years ago, and Mrs.
Pureza Loyola, mother of Abel, who was rescued from a scheme of
slave labor in the state of Maranhao. In the second part of the
demonstration, the Landless Movement set up a permanent camp with
Capoib's support to demand work, land and Land Reform.
CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES APPROVES SUMMARY EXPROPRIATION OF LAND AREAS
FOR LAND REFORM PURPOSES, BUT DEPUTIES ELECTED BY FARMERS REACT
The Chamber of Deputies approved yesterday, by 343 votes
against 13, a revised bill proposed by deputy Jose Luiz Clerot
(PMDB-Paraiba) providing for the summary expropriation of land
areas for land reform purposes. The revised text was based on
bills originally proposed by deputy Jose Fritsch (PT-Santa
Catarina) and by the Executive Branch. According to the approved
text, the possession or ownership of land areas identified as of
social interest for Land Reform purposes may be transferred to
the Union. Today, this procedure may take years. The new
procedure is expected to avoid conflicts such as the ones which
led to the massacres of Corumbiara, in the state of Rondonia, and
of Eldorado dos Carajas, in the state of Para. However, the bill
may still be rejected in another voting session to be held next
week.
The approval of the bill yesterday was possible thanks to an
agreement between the government and deputies representing
farmers, who in exchange for their favorable votes want the
Chamber to approve a bill to amend the Land Law, so as to prevent
the expropriation of areas invaded or occupied by landless rural
workers. The amendments being proposed also provide for the
possibility of declaring an area productive through judicial
procedures one year from now, which cannot be done today.
Brasilia, 15 August 1996
Indianist Missionary Council - CIMI