Number 20, March 12, 1992.

HUMAN RIGHTS

- Accused of the slaughter of workers in the State of Paraiba is condemned.

A thousand rural workers were gathered outside the Courthouse in Alhandra in the State of Paraiba when judge Antonio Fernandes Santana Lins condemned rancher Severino Mariano de Sena (Biu) on the afternoon of February 28 last. Biu Mariano was condemned to 18 years in prison for the assassination of Severina Rodrigues dos Santos (Dona Bila) and to a further nine and a half years for injuries which he caused to various people on May 30, 1989.

The background to this incident had its origin on the afternoon of December 29, 1988, when a rural leader - Jose Francisco Avelino, was assassinated in front of his house in the region known as Gurgi 11 in the municipality of Conde, State of Paraiba. The assassin - an individual known as Zequinha, remained in the area even though there was a court order for his arrest. On March 30, 1989, a group of 80 rural workers went to the Court House in Alhandra to ask the judge to carry out the court order for his imprisonment.

On the afternoon in question, Severino de Sena Mariano, who is an uncle of Zequinha, left the Court House and drove into this defenseless group with his pick-up. He then emptied his revolver on the people who lay bleeding on the ground. Approximately 28 people were injured and Severina a mother of 11 children later died.

According to Ermano Allergi who represents the Land Pastoral Commission (Comissao Pastoral da Terra) "this condemnation takes on a special significance since in the last 30 years almost 20 rural workers and leaders were assassinated in the State of Paraiba. Only 4 of these cases were judged and this is the first example in all that time of where a criminal was condemned".

RURAL WORKERS

- The harvest is not a guarantee of an improvement says the National Confederation of Agricultural Workers (Confederacao Nacional dos Trabalhadores na Agricultura - Contag)

The forecast of a big harvest this year does not guarantee an improvement in the living conditions of the population according to the president of Contag, Francisco Urbano. According to Urbano, even if there is an increase in production, the policies of the government favors exportation and this will have negative effects on the internal market. He claims that "there is no guarantee that basic products will be cheaper".

According to the president of Contag, there has been a bias against the small producer in receiving credit and bank loans on the part of the government and also on the part of private banks. Urbano believes that government measures have only benefited large producers. "On the question of agrarian reform, if there have been conservative ministers, Cabrera (the present minister for agriculture) in the champion. The large producers run no risk" says Urbano.

Contag defends a policy of different financial support for the large and small producer. This organization is trying to receive support from the National Congress to support its concept of the small producer which is defined as "those who work with their family and have the occasional help of hired workers". In this category would thus be included share-croppers; those who rent small areas of land, undocumented farmers and agricultural workers. However, Contag is facing severe opposition from organizations of the large landowners such as the Brazilian Rural Society (Sociedade Rural Brasileira - SRB) and the Rural Democratic Union (Uniao Democratica Rural -UDR)

With 23 federations and 3200 affiliated trade unions, Contag represents 12 million small producers. Recently, the Sole Workers' Congress (CUT), became part of the directory of Contag. "Contag always endeavored to work with all tendencies in the trade union movement" commented Urbano.

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES.

- The demarcation of the Yanomami territory continues.

The Commission for the Creation of the Yanomani Park (Comissao pela Criacao do Parque Yanomami - CCPY) is accompanying the demarcation of the Yanomami territory which is being carried out by 10 teams of the Asserplan company. Some people cast doubts on the manner in which the National Foundation of the Indian (Fundacao Nacional do Indio - Funai) contracted Asserplan but the federal ministry responsible for this area (Ministerio Publico) carried out an investigation and came to the conclusion that the contract followed the stipulated legal criteria.

On February 19 last, a Yanomami indian and two gold prospectors died in an armed conflict in the indigenous area known as Peapiu Velha. According to the CCPY, these deaths show how security is fragile in the Yanomami territory where some hundreds of invaders yet remain. Funai itself admits that approximately 350 gold prospectors who were mining in Venezuela, returned to Brazilian territory after Venezuela began to repress such prospectors.

In the State of Roraima, a leadership movement amongst the gold prospectors is increasing in association with the local press in order to hinder the demarcation of the Yanomami territory. A newspaper in the city of Boa Vista, Roraima, published a report that three gold prospectors were killed by indians during the last few weeks; the newspaper did not reveal its sources for this information. According to this report, Funai is covering up these deaths and is encouraging the Yanomami to attack the gold prospectors. Funai was not interviewed before the report was published.

URBAN WORKERS

- Workers want a real increase in the minimum salary.

The Intertrade Union Department of Statistics and Socio-Economic Studies (Departamento Intersindical de Estatistica e Estudos Socio-Economicos - Diesse) who participated in the most recent meeting (the eight of the series) of the technical commission with responsibility to discuss the minimum salary, is launching a campaign called SOS Minimum Salary. The official national launching of the campaign will take place in the national congress; the launching has already taken place in various states. Represantives from the Congresses of Trade Unions are expected to be present to support Diesse. This entity plans to discuss with parliamentarians an alternative project dealing with the minimum salary.

"The work was taken seriously" stated the technical director of Diesse, Sergio Mendonca. He noted however, that there were divergencies between members of the commission. He felt that the principal cause was the lack of definition of a family monthly food basket (cesta basica) which could serve as a criterion for the calculation of the minimum salary. Apart from this, Mendonca adds that the lack of definition regarding the real increase of the minimum salary does not allow a real recovery of its buying power. For this reason, the workers are discussing alternative proposals. Diesse will sign the report of the commission but will register reservations in it.

The members of the technical group in the commission arrived at consensus regarding the creation of an Index to Readjust the Minimum Salary (Indice de Reajuste do Salario Minimo - IRSM). This index will be calculated by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). There was disagreement about the monthly food-basket and the so called "poverty line" which was measured in 11 urban centers. According to Mendoca, without a policy of real growth, the minimum salary will have less and less value. In spite of campaign promises of the then candidate and now president, Fernando Collor, the minimum salary is hitting a record low when its real value is compared to its value in July of 1940 when the minimum salary was introduced in Brazil. Diesse alerts that if the minimum salary is not readjusted this month, its record low value will repeat itself.

- The government's acceleration of privatization preoccupies the trade unions.

Without drawing much attention, the National Bank of Economic and Social Development (Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Economico e Social - BNDES) is developing the National Program of Destatization (Programa Nacional de Destatizacao) which has been criticized by the trade union movement, especially by the entities linked to CUT. The workers however, will have to speed up their organization if they wish to prevent this process of privatization. BNDES already prepared a time scale which plans 18 auctions between now and next December.

Trade unions connected with some of the companies involved in this program intend to invest in the organization of the workers. Cases include the petro-chemical sector, for example that of Triunfo in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, whose auction will probably take place next September and Petroquimica Uniao (PnU) of Capuava in Maua, State of Sao Paulo whose auction will probably take place next December. Other companies on the list include Companhia Siderurgica Nacional (CSN), Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica (Embraer), Acominas and Compania Sidergica Paulista (Cosipa).

The port of Santos, in the State of Sao Paulo, is also included in the government's plans. In the recent centenary celebrations of the port, the Ministry of Infrastructure participated in a seminar in which it defended a system whereby the operation of the port would be handed over to the private sector. Thus the operation of the port would only be supervised by the government who would continue to be its owner. As has happened in other places, the opposition to this plan in Santos is expected to be large. At the beginning of 1991, the government announced the laying off of 5000 workers in the port of Santos and was forced to revise this decision due to pressure and opposition from the workers, the municipal government of Santos and from many parliamentarians.

- Workers who have not received their salaries have camped in a factory.

For over 50 days, a group of approximately 200 people have occupied a factory which ceased to operate last December in Santo Andre, State of Sao Paulo. Since that month, 600 workers of the company Frigorifico Pedroso have not received their salaries. This company already had a reputation of paying low salaries. A number of workers decided to stay in the factory in order to hinder the removal of equipment by the company. Meanwhile, the Trade Union of Workers in the Meat and its Derivatives Industries and in Refrigeration Industries of the State of Sao Paulo (Sindicato dos Trabalhadores nas Industrias da Carne e Derivados e do Frio do Estado de Sao Paulo) are attempting to negotiate with the help of the municipal authorities the reopening of the factory.

The situation is tense. This tension already provoked a conflict between the workers and the military police when the bailiffs went to the factory with a judicial order which would guarantee the removal of some equipment which belongs to the Mitsubishi bank. A number of people were injured; some sustained bullet wounds. The trade union, which is affiliated to CUT, accused the police of violence and further maintained that negotiations were taking place with the bank to maintain the equipment in the factory.

The workers who remained in the factory have prepared the meals for themselves and their families. Food donated by the municipal authorities and people of the region has guaranteed the continuance of the occupation of the factory. With the delay in the negotiations, many fear other violent incidents. Frigorifico Pedroso which once was one of the largest companies in its sector, was responsible for the daily slaughter of 65 thousand chickens and had a monthly turnover of approximately US $2 million. It is situated in a poor neighborhood of Santo Andre in front of a favela (slum) known as Cruzado Dois. Various requests of bankruptcy were lodged by creditors.

CHURCHES

- Frei Betto comments on the "Solidarity Flight" ("Voo de Solidariedade").

Returning from the "Solidarity Flight with the People of Cuba" which took place at the beginning of February and in which a number of well known Brazilian personalities took part, the Dominican writer, Frei Betto, said that Cuba is like a huge monastery in which the few resources available are fraternally divided.

According to the writer, "economize" is the key word. The lights in Havana are switched off at night; the buses circulate less; Chinese bicycles substitute cars and animals are used in farming. "It is a war economy. Bomb shelters to protect the population have been opened in Havana since Bush, now in an election campaign, could be tempted to recover his prestige which was high during the attack on Iraq, with a military attack on the only country in the continent which does not give in to the wishes of the White House and the International Monetary Fund" continues Betto.

At the moment, the population mobilizes itself around four priorities : food, biogenetics, the pharmaceutical industry and tourism. The shelves are empty but there is no hunger.

According to the writer, many people outside the Island of Cuba think that socialism has Aids and is without a cure and that Cuba is in a terminal state of illness. "This could not be further from the truth. Short of a holocaust provoked by an American bombing, the Revolution faces no problem. Even those who disagree with the regime recognize that the country does not merit as a future, the present state of Brazil and of our neighbors. Even with all the difficulties, life there is guaranteed to all".

The country is passing through a process of democratization. By July, the reform of the Constitution should be ready and at the end of the year there will be a secret and direct election which can be disputed by candidates not affiliated to the government party.

According to Frei Betto, the Brazilians manifested to Fidel Castro their disapproval of the death penalty. Fidel replied that he is prepared to lead a campaign for its abolition in the entire world but he will not permit that with the blockade, terrorists trained in the U.S. invade the Island.

- Youth conquers space in the Church.

Cardinal Paulo Evaristo Arns opened the Lenten Campaign of the Archdiocese of Sao Paulo with a liturgical celebration in the cathedral of the city. For Karen Simoes Monteiro, who belongs to the Youth Pastoral of the State of Sao Paulo (Pastoral da Juventude do Regional Sul 1), the lenten campaign this year will help the general population to know the situation of youth. It will also help the Church to see why its option for youth until this point in time has not been so effective as its option for the poor. Finally it will show the youth the areas where they can be involved in the pastoral activities of the Church and in the social movements.

Every year since 1964, the Brazilian Catholic Church has carried out a lenten campaign. So that youth would be a theme for the lenten campaign, the Brazilian youth carried out a signature campaign which collected 500 thousand signatures. The text for the campaign was also prepared from contributions given by youth.

According to Veronica Paulics who is a member of the Youth Pastoral at national level (Pastoral da Juventude Nacional), there exists 60.000 youth groups in Brazil in the Youth Pastoral and in specific areas of that pastoral activity such as rural areas, students, grass roots groups and universities. According to Marcos Rogerio da Silva from the Student Youth Pastoral (Pastoral da Juventude Estudantil), youth associated with this entity took on the divulgence of the Statute of Children and Adolescents during this year.

- Liberation theologians are preoccupied with the dificulty of entry into the Dominican Republic.

Latin American liberation theologians who have made work visits to the Dominican Republic in connection with the upcoming fourth general conference of the Latin American episcopate which will take place next October there in the city of Santo Domingo, have denounced the excessive rigor of immigration officials to allow their entry into the country. This topic has been debated since the beginning of this year in the Society of Theological and Religious Studies (Sociedade de Estudos Teologicas e Religisos - SOTER) which is the principal Brazilian entity for theologians and which is presided by Father Antonio Aparecido da Silva (Padre Toninho), who is one of the best known leaders both in the Negro Pastoral (Pastoral Negra) and in the basic ecclesial communities in Brazil.

In informal discussions, the Franciscan theologian Leonardo Boff also showed his preoccupation with this situation. All have difficulties in explaining why the frontier and airport police in the Dominican Republic are so zealous in their rigor against liberation theologians. For some analysts, the CIA is behind this rigor. Their intention would be to cause difficulties for the participation of the progressive clergy in the Santo Domingo meeting. According to other sources, the hypothesis of the involvement of the more conservative sectors of the Catholic Church cannot be discarded; such sources believe that an alliance exists between such sectors and the President of the Dominican Republic - Joaquim Balaguer.

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