Number 315, August 6, 1998.
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Our principal topics this week are:
VIOLENCE:
- Child labor
HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES:
- Women prisoners are ignored
- Health situation of women prisoners
- Christine Lamont case.
LAND ISSUES:
- Injustice on the land and hunger and unemployment in the city
HEALTH:
- One person in every 10 die due to lack of Doctors
- North and Northeast have the worst medical assistance
- Arara is the city with the highest death rate
EDUCATION:
- Public schools are inadequate
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES:
- Brazil’s main environmental problems
VIOLENCE:
- Child labor
About 7,860 children and adolescents in eight cities in Rio de Janeiro are working in painful and unhealthy conditions say OIT
(International Work Organization).Of this number 2,160 do not go to school.
PPETI (Program for the Prevention and Eradication of Child Labor) are offering R$40.00 reais a month to 4,450 children to
study. This amount offered is the average amount that a working child earns per month. The grant was made available yesterday
and the children will start school next Monday.
The children who will receive this aid are between 7 and 14 years, they work . These children work as crop harvesters. PPETI
met a child of 3 years working in the production of making wooden skewers for holding meat., however they added that the
largest working age group is between 7 - 14. Of the 1,646 children who work in the cutting of sugar cane, 26% are almost
illiterate. Only 644 are registered in school are attend school regularly.
One of the most frightening figures according to Ana Jensen is the number of children who do not study because of domestic
chores. There job is taking care of younger brothers and sisters, this number is 444. Theses are children condemned to
reproduce the cycle of misery and they have no way out. Ana Jensen added that PPETI is trying to offer these children an
opportunity.
Source - O Estado de S. Paulo, August 6, 1998.
HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES:
- Women prisoners are ignored
Prisons in the state of Sao Paulo have two major problems, without any short term solution in sight. One ids the over crowding
of women prisoners in prisons and the second is the precarious situation of medical attention. The question of over crowding
was raided by the Secretary for the administration of Prisons. Prisons are over crowded by 75.8% in all four women’s prisons..
There are 1.055 prisoners for 600 places. According to the Secretary’s aid this problem can by solved by building two new
women’s units costing R$II million reais.
- Health situation of women prisoners
The woman’s detention center in Tatuape in the southeastern part of the city of Sao Paulo
is over crowded. Two hundred and forty six prisoners out of 300 who were interviewed say that the medical facilities are
dreadful. Fifty three percent of the women were having medical treatment before going to prison, while in prison only 9% of the
prisoners receive medical attention and 45% said they have had no medical attention since they came to jail. Forty two point
seven percent say they acquired illness while in prison and 55% of pregnant women have received no treatment on a regular
basis.
A research done by Grupo Cidadania, shows that the largest number of prisoners that is 56.5% are between the ages of 18 and
30 years. The majority of them that is 76.4% have not completed any basic education program. Twenty five percent have no
visitors, 52% have been physically abused, 77.6% say there family income is less that R$500 a month.
Source - Folha de Sao Paulo 28, July 1989
- Christine Lamont case.
Since December 1997, SEJUP have been following the case of Christine Lamont, and the nine others involved in the political
kidnapping of Abilio Diniz
The following is a letter we have received, which is being sent out to support groups of the Lamont case. It details the reasons
for the hunger strike, the agreement and subsequent
response by the Brazilian authorities.
The following is a copy of the letter we received.
Dear Friends
You undoubtedly are aware that a hunger strike by all ten prisoners
involved in the case of Christine Lamont and David Spencer, lasting sixteen
days, took place in April.
The reasons for this hunger strike were:
1) to press for day parole for which they have been eligible for over
three years - a right guaranteed by the Brazilian constitution
2) to protest the 28-year sentences which are unjust according to the
Brazilian constitution and penal code
3) to petition for a resolution which would treat all ten prisoners
equally (a treaty option is not available to any of the others)
Work began on a Transfer of Offenders Treaty between Canada and Brazil in
1986, three years before Christine and David were arrested. The Canadian
government attempted to push this treaty through in 1992 as a possible
means to resolve this case. Their lobbying efforts resulted in a backlash
in Brazil against Canada and against Christine and David which has been
prejudicial to their case to the present. The treaty remained unsigned by
the President for six years. On the eve of the hunger strike the President
of Brazil offered to sign this treaty, after the announcement of the hunger
strike had been made public. We feel that this was a cynical gesture made
in an attempt to prevent the hunger strike. However President Cardoso did
in fact sign the treaty a few days later at the Summit of the Americas
meeting in Chile. Prime Minister Chrétien and Minister of Foreign Affairs
Lloyd Axworthy seemed displeased that Christine and David did not accept
the treaty resolution at that time, and implied that the two Canadians
would have been almost immediately paroled upon their return to Canada.
Christine and David had no such assurances from the Canadian office of the
Solicitor General, under whose jurisdiction this decision would be made.
The treaty was not an acceptable solution from Christine's and David's
perspective because such a resolution was not available to all the ten
prisoners, and therefore violated the precept of loyalty to one another,
which by now they all endorsed. We think you will agree that it is
completely understandable that after over eight years in prison together
all ten prisoners would want to hold out for a solution that would apply
equally and fairly to all of them. This the treaty clearly did not do.
Furthermore the utilization of the treaty would have been based on the
harsh, unlawful and unprecedented sentences. The treaty would have required
Canada to administer these sentences, compelling David and Christine to
serve out the remaining 20-year term in full with only the possibility of
parole, which has restrictions that are onerous and demeaning.
The agreement upon which the hunger strike was suspended, drawn up by
Cardinal Paulo Evaristo Arns, Head Judge Octávio Augusto Machado de Barros
Filho and Dr. Jo o Bennedito Azevedo Marques (State Secretary of Prison
Administration) was as follows:
1) day parole would be implemented within 60 days (this would be
administered as specified by the Brazilian penal code, which guarantees
equal treatment to foreigners)
2) individual review of the sentences was to proceed within 60 days with
reference to the political motivation of the crime (Brazilian law provides
for sentences of 5-10 years for political crimes such as this one)
These promises have not been fulfilled, and there is no indication that a
commitment to abide by this agreement is proceeding.
A public letter to Cardinal Arns protesting that the Brazilian authorities
have reneged on the agreement will have been released by the time you
receive this letter. A resumption of the hunger strike will occur if the
prisoners are not given an acceptable guarantee that the terms of the
agreement will be met.
Christine and David are not asking for special treatment, nor are they
trying to escape Brazilian punishment: they are attempting to be treated as
specified by Brazilian law after having served over eight and a half years
of difficult imprisonment. Had they wished, they could have made use of the
treaty to make life easier for themselves, but this would have meant
abandoning their companions.
It was international pressure around the hunger strike that convinced
Brazilian authorities
to make the agreement, and so international pressure must now come forward
again to convince them to stand by their word.
We are asking you yet again to contact President Cardoso asking why the
word of the Brazilian authorities has not been honoured. Time is imperative
at this point, so we ask that you fax or e-mail a short message to
President Cardoso. All that needs to be expressed is a strong objection to
the Brazilian authorities having reneged on their agreement.
The President's fax number is 011-55-61-411-2222.
E-mail pr@cr-df.rnp.br or
pr@planalto.gov.br
We express our heartfelt appreciation for your concern and help in the
past, and thank you in advance for your present efforts on behalf of David
and Christine.
Canadians for Justice for Christine Lamont and David Spencer - July 1998
LAND ISSUES:
- Injustice on the land and hunger and unemployment in the city.
This is based on an interview with Diolinda Alves a militant leader of the MST (The Landless Movement) and a youth magazine.
Diolinda -; Today there exist 12 million landless people, 150 thousand families have land. There are about 52 thousand families
occupying land. These are the figures we have that is without mentioning the number of unemployed people, homeless people
and children not attending school. This is just one part of the social problem in Brazil.
Youth -: Why don’t we have agrarian reform in Brazil?
Diolinda-: Because it is not a priority and secondly those who are in powder have no idea what misery is and never even came
close to it. If they had experienced misery there would certainly be a better distribution of land, there would be a better
investment in the economy, in education and in health. What I see is a country always represented by the minority, and as long
as society continues this way the minority will always exploit the majority.
Youth -: How are the youth involved in the MST?
Diolinda -: Youth are an expressive force. But we never wait for one to be old or young. The youth have to be ready, you need
to know who you are in order to be able to direct yourself and your life. We have many youth meetings in all the different
States. The youth is the one who will build the future. We prioritize our work with youth and we believe that you have the
conditions to work with the down trodden.
Youth -: The media present the MST as having no respect for property and only cause riots. What do you say to this?
Diolinda -: Certainly it is not the MST that are causing the problems. If it were we would be truly ashamed of ourselves. On the
contrary, the Landless people have the approval of the population, who are wanting together with us agrarian reform. This
negative image which is being presented by the media is an attempt on behalf of the government to show Brazil that we do not
want Agrarian Reform. We know that it is through participation that will bring about change. This is so concrete that at the Basic
Christian Community’s meeting of Latin America, which took place in Maranhao, a clear statement was made that the way of
change was through participation. This statement needs to be put into practice.
Youth -: Is your work open to other struggles?
Diolinda -: The MST is an autonomous social organization which works along with other organizations. We work along with the
homeless workers in the cities along , workers union etc., Working like this brings unity and strength. We cannot think that the
struggle is over. We must get it into our heads that participation is building a better Brazil.
Youth -: Do you have a dream for the MST?
Diolinda -: If it depends on our dreams then our dream will be shared with many people. There is a song with the words "the
dream does not dream alone, but dream together..." I see that in order to build this dream we need as a people to grow
stronger every day and to dedicate ourselves to face every obstacle that life presents to us.
Source: Mundo Jovem, July 1998
HEALTH:
- One person in every 10 die due to lack of Doctors.
The Minister for Health announced that at least one in every ten people die in Brazil without the presence of a Doctor. This
number does not take into account the number of people who die in accidents, murders hired killings, suicide or hunger. In 1996
eighty eight thousand people die because there was no Doctor present out of a figure of 908 thousand deaths. For example in
the State of Paraiba 17.739 people died in 1996. Almost half that number died with out the presence of a doctor, that is 8.690
people died.
These figures show how difficult it is for the ordinary people to have access to public health facilities. This is a typical example of
the lack of public health facilities for the public says Cassia Maria Buchala, professor at the University of Public Health in Sap
Paulo. It is a reflection of the lack of investment in the health sector. Jose Cassio says it just goes to show that if a Dr. is not
available to attend you on your death bed, just imagine how difficult it is to find a Dr. when you are in reasonable good health.
- North and Northeast have the worst medical assistance
Paraiba is the leading State with the poorest medical assistance. 49% of deaths that occur happen without a medical attendant.
The high incidence of in the poorer stated and the poor quality of medical assistance reinforces the fact that there is an immense
need to investigate the health system.
According to the statistics given by the minister of health in 1994, 40 children in every 1,00 born in Brazil died before reaching
their first birthday.. In the Northeast this rate is 63 in every 1,000 children, in the South it is 26 in every 1,000 with Alagoas and
Paraiba registering 83 and 65.5 respectively in every 1,000 children. It is no accident that the poorer states have both high infant
mortality rate and high death rate in general.
- Arara is the city with the highest death rate
The city of Arara near Joao Pessoa in the state of Paraiba is the champion in the highest rate of deaths without medical
assistance. The state registered 262,9 deaths without a doctor being present in every 1000 people in 1996 In Arara for the
same year 929,5 people died out of 1000 without being attended by a doctor.
The death rate has been increasing steadily every year. Between January and July of this year of the 96 people who have died,
79 died with out medical attendance. Ninety percent of the deaths registered are people aged 65 years and older.
Source: Folha de Sao Paulo, August 2, 1998.
EDUCATION:
- Public schools are inadequate
Studies show that 95% of public schools in the North and Central West of the country are functioning in very precarious
conditions. A little over 4,000 public schools in 80 of the largest cities in the North of the country and the Central Western part
of the country are way below the basic minimum standard.
According to BIRD (Ministerio da Educacao e o Banco Mundial), the schools have no basic conditions to function, no
structure, no installations no qualified teachers and no plan of development.
Source - O Estado de S. Paulo August 6, 1989
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES:
- Brazil’s main environmental problems
Lack of proper sanitation and pollution are the two basic environment problems in Brazil. This is based on the latest research
done by BIRD (World Bank). Water not being treated, poor, blocked and open sewerage systems as well as uncollected
garbage are responsible for 8,500 deaths per year in Brazil. In the cities of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo another 4,000 people
die due to the pollution in the air.
Other serious problems effecting the environment in the country is the contamination of rivers and beeches in urban areas. Lack
of efficient garbage collection in neighbor-hoods and high amounts of toxic waste from factories are also major contributors in
destroying the environment.
Outside of the cities and towns especially in the Amazon area, the gold diggers are responsible for using mercury in the rivers in
their pursuit of gold.
Simple and cheap methods in the education and alternatives technology are solutions to the problem. The World Bank says that
Brazil tries to do many things but resolves nothing, and are doing nothing to rid the pollution problem.
Source - Instituto Cento July 29,1989.
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