Number 307, March 26, 1998.
Visit our home page: http://www.oneworld.org/sejup/
Our principal topics this week are:
LAND:
Priest assaulted during land occupation
ECOLOGY:
Rio Ribeira de Iguape
Biopirates attacking the Forest
Update: Roraima
HEALTH:
HIV
UPDATE:
Complacency Fans Amazon Flames
Friends of the Earth International today condemned the lack of
action to combat the horrendous forest fires in Northern Brazil.
Weeks after the Roraima state governor declared a state of
emergency, precious few resources have been deployed to combat
the flames [1]. An area of rainforest and pasture land twice the
size of Belgium has already been scorched and the fire is now
encroaching upon a Yanomami indigenous reserve.
The fires are raging in areas that do not normally suffer such
fire damage. The forest - already unusually dry due to the El
Niño effect [2] - is more vulnerable to fire as they have been
thinned and degraded by activities such as logging. Illegal
logging is rife throughout the Brazilian rainforest. The
Brazilian Government estimates that 80 per cent of timber is
illegally extracted.
Friends of the Earth International is calling on the
international community to take effective international action.
This includes:
An immediate emergency package from the rich nations to
tackle the fires;
An effective forest action package to be devised at the
G8 meeting in May in Birmingham, UK [3];
Drastic international action to stop illegal logging in
Brazil, and the tightening of import controls on
tropical timber;
Roberto Smeraldi, Co-ordinator of Friends of the Earth
International's Amazonia Programme said:
"It is incredible that the world is sitting back and watching
these rainforests burn. These fires spell disaster not just for
these forests, but for the global environment. Brazil is in
desperate need of immediate emergency aid including the most
basic fire fighting equipment. How much worse will the situation
be allowed to get before the international community acts?
Roberto Smeraldi continued:
"The rich nations are partly responsible for the crisis in the
Amazon, and it's about time they got off their backsides. We
need effective action plans to combat forest loss and excessive
logging instead of green rhetoric and voluntary principles."
[1] According to local reports the people in the forest are
losing their homes and are cut off with low water supplies.
Thousands of cattle have already died and a third of the state's
crops have gone up in smoke. Only a handful of fire fighters
tackling the flames and, as yet, water-carrying aircraft have not
been deployed.
[2] The El Niño effect is a periodic global weather
phenomenon which brings drought to some areas such as Brazil,
South East Asia and Southern Africa and typhoons and storms to
other areas such as the west coast of America. The current El
Niño is unusually severe and according to Robert May, Tony
Blair's chief scientist, this could be linked to human-induced
climate change.
[3] The eight major global economies are meeting in
Birmingham, in the UK, in May where the issue of forests and
illegal logging will be discussed.
--
Source - Neil Verlander,Press Office,Friends of the Earth - London
(44)171 566 1649
LAND:
Priest Assaulted During Land Occupation
During the eviction of 120 families, who were occupying>unused property in
Santa Vitoria, Minas Gerais, Frei Rodrigo, a Brazilian Franciscan priest,
was assaulted by a>soldier in training for the Military Police. The soldier
was owing the orders of a lieutenant. A lay church worker and a lawyer were
also assaulted when they tried to stop the attack on Frei Rodrigo.
Frei Rodrigo is coordinator of a church program that supports people
involved in land struggles. He was present at the eviction with the
authorization of the bishop. His task was to help with negotiations, in
order to prevent conflicts and police violence. He was in the of
negotiation with the Major in command and with the agent of INCRA (the
government's land reform agency) for Minas Gerais.
The property had already been investigated by INCRA, confirming that it was
non-productive. Under Brazilian law this makes it available for
redistribution to landless farmers. The families involved in the occupation
had already been evicted from this land five times, and their crops had been
destroyed twice. Although they refused to leave, their resistance was
non-violent.
This was the first time in almost fifteen years of working on land problems
that Frei Rodrigo had experienced police violence. We are concerned that
this incident could establish a precedent. The Franciscan Fathers in Brazil
have asked us to organize a letter-writing campaign to the Governor of the
State of Minas Gerais and to the General Commander of the Military Police.
SUGGESTED TEXT FOR LETTERS
Exmo. Sr.
Dr. Eduardo Brandao de Azeredo
Governador do Estado de Minas Gerais
Palacio dos Despachos
Praca da Liberdade s/n
30140-912 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
Fax: 011-55-31-250-6059
Mr. Governor:
Cel. PM Marcio Lopes Porto
Comandante Geral
Comando Geral da Policia Militar de Minas Gerais
Praca da Liberade, s/n
30140-010 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
Fax: 011-55-31-239-2402
Colonel Lopes Porto:
I am writing to express my support for Frei Rodrigo in relation to the
conflict of the landless farmers at the Nossa Senhora das Gracas Ranch in
Santa Vitoria (MG) on February 19. I am aware of the attack on Frei
Rodrigo, who was helping with the negotiation between the farmers and the
Military Police. He was assaulted by a Military Police soldier in training
for the state of Minas Gerais who was obeying the orders of a lieutenant.
Frei Rodrigo is the coordinator of the Animacao Pastoral e Social no Meio
Rural, and he was negotiating with the major who was commanding the
operation and with the agent from INCRA of Minas Gerais. His job is to help
the farmers and to show solidarity for the families who are in a difficult
situation. The position of his supporters is of non-violence and peace for
the farmers and also for the soldiers of the Military Police.
I sincerely hope that there will be no repetition of incidents like that
suffered by Frei Rodrigo. Sincerely
Source: RIO MARIA BULLETIN Volume VIII, Number 2,March, 1998
ECOLOGY:
Journalist Nario Cesar Carvalho for the Folha de São Paulo won the
Latin-American Inter parliament Award for the Environment, for his report on
'Bio pirates attacking the forest'
His report shows how laboratories from the US and Europe use Indigenous
herbs, remedy and cures without making reference to the local people.
At the ECO '92 meeting in Rio de Janeiro, 144 countries signed a statement
declaring that Indigenous populations receive royalties when their knowledge
of herbs etc result in the discovery of new drugs. Carvalho's report reveals
a Brazilian NGO called Selva Viva (live jungle) were offering to
universities and institutes for research in Germany, plants for medicinal
use from the Kaxinawas indians in the state of Acre.
The report also revealed that Britain chemicals Conrad Gorinsky patent a
substance obtained from the seed of the bibiri tree which is used by the
Wapixanas indians from Roraima as an anti-conception. Gorinsky said the
substance they patented could be used in the prevention of tumors and
control the AIDS virus.
Source - Folha de São Paulo, March 13, 1998.
-----------------------------------------
POPULATIONS OF THE VALLEY OF THE RIBEIRA DO IGUAPE,
THE LAST' LIVING" RIVER IN SAO PAULO STATE, BRAZIL, REQUEST YOUR SUPPORT IN THEIR STRUGGLE AGAINST DAMS
The region of the Ribeira do Iguape Valley is one of the largest areas of
the Atlantic Coast rain forest remaining in Brazil. It is the site of the
Jacupiranga State Park, the Upper Ribeira State Park (with more than 400
caverns documented) and the Serra do Mar State Park. There are also
innumerable archaeological sites and shell mounds.
Besides this, in the region there are 19 communities of descendents of
"quilombos", colonies of escaped Black slaves. Their culture is the living
register of the resistence of Afro-Brazilians.
Despite being economically the poorest region in São Paulo state, there are
also mineral resources, including gold and iron ore. But, all this natural,
cultural, and mineral wealth could end up underwater, if a plan proposed
bythe government of São Paulo and aluminum magnate Antônio Ermírio de Moraes
is carried out.
According to the plan, four dams would be constructed on the Rio Ribeira do
Iguape. The Votorantim mining group would build the Tijuco Alto dam, and the
state of São Paulo the Itaoca, Funil e Batatal Dams.
River dwellers and the Afro-Brazilian descendents of the quilombos, as well
as the national Movement of Dam-Affected People, environmental groups and
other non-governmental organizations have been fighting the dam plans.
However, now mayors in the region are touting the dams as a way not only of
promoting development in the region, but also for flood control.
These slogans are meant to mis-lead the people of the region. THE DAMS WILL
NOT CONTROL FLOODING, AND CERTAINLY WILL NOT BRING DEVELOPMENT!!!
There are already two dams upstream, Capivari and Catas Altas that hold
floodwaters to generate electricity. When heavy rains come, the floodgates
must be opened, and as a result the river rises rapidly, creating downstream
flooding.
JUST IMAGINE WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF WE HAVE MORE DAMS CONSTRUCTED ON THE
RIBEIRA RIVER!!!???
How would the Tijuco Alto Dam, of Antônio Ermirio de Moraes hold all this
water if it were built? The company itself says it would not have sufficient
capacity. Besides, the dam plans do not offer any type of aid to the
population during heavy rains.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN?
With heavy rains, all the reservoirs will fill up at the same time. Where
will all this water go??? Who will pay for the damage downstream??? What
will be the impacts on the riverbank communities???
People of the region want the RESTORATION of the Ribeira River -- not
DESTRUCTION that new dams will cause.
The Ribeira River has already changed. One of the largest remaining
wetlands on the planet is threatened. The river is filling up with
sediments, and its waters no longer find space in which to flow.
What is needed is to:
* take out the sand, sediments, and mud where sedimentation is most serious!!!
* impede erosion from continuing to modify the river, by prohibiting savag>
mining in the basin!!!
* save the Ribeira river and thus permit people who live along its margins
to not have to suffer anymore the tragic flooding which occurs from
January-March!!!
FOR THESE REASONS, WE ASK FOR INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT IN SENDING EXPRESSIONS
OF SUPPORT FOR THE POPULATION OF THE RIBEIRA VALLEY IN THEIR FIGHT AGAINST
THE CONSTRUCTION OF DAMS, AND IN SUPPORT OF THE LIFE OF THE RIO RIBEIRA
De IGUAPE.
Please write saying that:
1. You support the Movement of People Threatened by Dams in the Ribeira do
Iguape valley in their fight against dams on the river;
2. That experience in other parts of the world has shown that large dams
are not an effective means of flood control, and that they have serious
ecological impacts on important ecosystems such as wetlands and rainforests;
Please send your letters to:
Governor Mario Covas
Palacio dos Bandeirantes Av. Morumbi 4500
Cep 05698-900 São Paulo, SP
Brazil Fax (+55-11) 845-3301/ 3700
Tel (+55-11) 845-3000/3344
CODIVAR - Consorcio de Desenvolvimento do Vale do Ribeira (Development
consortium of the Ribeira Valley)
Organizaçao dos prefeitos do Vale do Ribeira (Mayors' organization of
Ribeira Valley
Av. Dr. Carlos Botelho, 859
Cep 11930-000- Pariquera Açu, SP
Brazil
Fax (+55-13) 856-1966
tel (+55-13) 856-1960
Please also send a copy to:
MOAB- Movimento dos Ameaçados por Barragens
(Movement of Dam-Threatened People of the Ribeira Valley)
Praça Nossa Senhora da Guia, 103
Cep 11960-000 - Eldorado, SP
Brazil
If more convenient, you may send your message to MOAB in care of:
MAB - MOV. DOS ATINGIDOS POR BARRAGENS
(MAB - NATIONAL MOVEMENT OF DAM-AFFECTED PEOPLE)Rua Sete de Abril, 264 -
sala 722 - 7º and.
Centro - Cep 01014-000 - São Paulo, SP
Brazil
Telefax (011) 256-0839
Source: South and Meso American Indian Rights Center (SAIIC) March 17, 1998
HEALTH:
For every three men one woman is HIV positive.
In the Campaign for the Prevention and Controll of AIDS, women are
recveiving more attention says the Minister for Health. The reason being
that the there is an increassing number of women , principally in the South
and Southeastern part of the country who are HIV positive. In 1994 for every
26 men with AIDS there was one woman, today for every three men there is one
woman.
This is the second campaign which has been financed by the World Bank and
the Brazilian governament for the Prevention and Controll of AIDS. The first
campaign which began in 1994 ends in June of this year.The objective of the
programme is the prevention of illness, assist , inform and accompy HIV
cases. What has been noted is still in the early stages, the porogramme
hopes to have greater decentralization, and to reach out to the unemployed
and low income section of the population. The programme hopes to form
committies where cities and states can receive grants.
The amount of money for this programme is $300 million dollars. The World
Bank is contributing 55%. According to the Minister for Health, 500
thousand people are infected with HIV in Brasil.
Source - Folha de São Paulo, March 14, 1998
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