Our principal topics this week are:

HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES:

- Childrens Day – the workers

WOMEN'S ISSUES

• Beyond Violence

ECONOMIC ISSUES:

• The Social Debts in the Amazon

LAND ISSUES:

- MST Continues Land Occupations

HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES:

- Childrens Day – the workers

More than four million children in Brasil have nothing to celebrate on "Childrens National Day" On the one hand there is no shortage od toys, games, clothes, fun etc., on the other it is another hard days work for thef child labourer.

They are boys and girls between the ages of se3vem and fifteen, who live in humiliation, sofering and daily risking their lives. They have no dreams that mark there short history. They are the cinderellas and unknown heros who live on the edge of life. There smile is not one of a child who goes to school. They are very timid and shy. There small hands are rough and chapped from the burden of hard work. They carry the external mark of injustice. Without care or kindness, they do not walk in the direction of schools or playgrounds, rather they walk towards another day of work in tattered clothes with there bodies full of exhaustion and tiredness.

ECONOMIC ISSUES:

• The Social Debts in the Amazon

At a meeting of pastoral workers in the state of Amazonas, leaders

Discussed the effects of the social debts that are multiplying in that

State and other areas of the Amazon. The plight of the indigenous was

given special attention at the meeting. Lumber companies continue to

invade indigenous lands, bringing with them their diseases, including AIDS

and other sexually transmitted diseases. "The devastation of the

environment is alarming. Acting decisively and without impunity, huge

industrial companies and their projects are expelling from the forest and

jungle our fauna and our people," said one leader. Additionally, to work

for indigenous rights is complicated by the fact that state senators and

representatives are themselves connected to the land invasions.

Participants agreed that is crucial for the government to demarcate

Indigenous lands and to expel those who have invaded these lands.

Source: Bulletin of the 3a Semana Social Brasileira.

LAND ISSUES:

- MST Continues Land Occupations

After taking a brief respite during the elections, the MST (the Movement of

Those Without Land) went back to work and occupied several land estates

throughout the country this week - one in Pernambuco, three in Paraná, and

three in the state of São Paulo. All the occupations happened without

incident. However, in Tamandaré, Pernambuco, those occupying the land are

armed and determined to defend themselves should they be attacked.

Meanwhile, in an effort to cut costs, the federal government suspended its

spending on the retitling of occupied lands. The government did not say

for how long the suspension will last.

Source: Folha de São Paulo, 14 October 1998

WOMEN'S ISSUES

- Beyond Violence – Northeastern Brazilian Women Search for Justice and

Healing

Maria José Goncalves de Andrade, Maria de Lourdes da Silva, and Maria

Vitorino Ribeiro: Late September newspapers reported that these women were

viciously attacked with knives in João Pessoa, a capital city of 600,000 in

the Northeastern Brazilian State of Paraíba. All three women knew their

assailants. Goncalves’ ex-boyfriend assassinated her in a jealous rage.

She was 17 and three months pregnant. Lourdes da Silva was killed by her

neighbor over a dispute involving their children. In a domestic quarrel,

Ribeiro, was critically injured by her husband who also knifed their

11-year-old daughter as she tried to protect her mother.

These headlines have become increasingly common here. In recent years

violence rates, especially against women, have skyrocketed. Female

homicide victims have more than doubled with fifty-five in 1997 compared to

twenty-two in 1990. Reported rape has jumped from twelve in 1990 to

ninety-three in 1997. As elsewhere, reported numbers are just the tip of

the iceberg. Gilberta Soares, a local psychologist working with women’s

issues explains, "If we take into account the cases of women who fail to

press charges due to the fear of reprisal and/or being blamed for the rape,

the number would be much higher." Escalating violence against women is not

a trend exclusive to the Northeast region. In Brazil, a woman is abused by

her partner every 4 minutes.

In spite of the growing climate of violence, women in Paraiba are fighting

back. Since 1991, hundreds of maids, homemakers, factory workers and

students have participated in community-based women’s support groups, which

focus on human development and self-esteem. Maryknollers Efu Nyaki, Connie

Pospisil and Kathleen Bond along with Brazilian counterparts accompany the

women’s groups in both rural and urban areas. The weekly, two-hour

courses dive into health, sexuality, and citizenship issues, stressing the

value of the women’s experiences. "Women are invited to share their life

stories in a safe environment", comments Pospisil who has been facilitating

these groups for nearly 20 years, " Our approach creates a space to

reflect, see connections with each other, and seek solutions together."

Reflections on human rights and violence against women are integral parts

of the work. Great care is devoted to inviting women to explore the

various forms of violence in their lives. Physical beatings are merely one

example. DRS, a homemaker and mother of 3 teenagers, explained in a

recent group session, " Every Wednesday when I get ready for the group, my

husband starts accusing me of being unfaithful. He always assures me that

he is going to follow me to the group and make an ugly scene. The irony is

that he is the one who has been unfaithful for the last 20 years. One day

he even said that he was going to buy a gun and blow my head off."

Many of the women that participate in the groups have experienced negative

reactions from their husbands. Some leave because the risk is too high but

many stay. As DRS explains, " Some days are really horrible and I think

about leaving the group. But I remember someone saying in an earlier group

that A gente não muda ninguem, a gente muda nos mesmas. (we cannot change

anyone else, we can only change ourselves) If he wins on this one, I’ll

never be able to do anything. I have to have the courage to believe in my

rights and myself. Every week the women’s group reaffirms this for me. "

After examples of everyday violence are shared in a jigsaw puzzle, the

women create a flower of non-violence and equality. Each petal states

one-step towards healing and justice that they commit to make in their

lives. In a final ritual, women are invited to deepen the process of

healing, both individually and collectively, in a celebration of their

sacredness. "Unfortunately, the Church’s response in terms of pastoral

and spiritual care to survivors of domestic violence and rape has often

been inadequate," remarks Maryknoll Sister Nyaki, " We weave rituals of

mourning, rage, empowerment, and healing into the course to address the

deep spiritual needs of these women."

For some women in Paraíba, the human development courses have been

stepping-stones into the Brazilian women’s movement. In João Pessoa,

Centro da Mulher 8 de Marco and Cunha Coletiva-Feminista are two

non-governmental organizations advocating on behalf of women in the areas

of violence and health. Both groups are currently working towards the

establishment of government-run Casas de Abrigo (safe houses for women in

situations of domestic and sexual violence). The lack of alternatives for

victims of abuse and rape facing threats often forces women to remain

silent in dangerous situations. "Safe houses would provide temporary

housing for women at risk, offering them the space, without pressure, to

reflect and take action to resolve the situation," comments Valquíria

Alencar, president of Centro Mulher 8 de Marco (named for international

women’s day) which also offers psychological and judicial counseling for

female victim of violence.

While the roots of violence are complex, society’s structures and values

are often perpetuating forces. Impunity is one of the leading factors in

the increased violence against women in Paraíba. Perpetuators are rarely

punished. One example is the assassination of union leader Margarida Maria

Alves by a local landowner and military policeman. After 18 years, in

spite of strong evidence and international attention, the case continues to

drag in the courts. In a step to decrease impunity, the Brazilian

government established delegacias da mulher (all women police precincts)

for female victims of violence in 1986. Proposed by the women’s movement,

the delegacias are the first government institution devoted exclusively to

survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Besides offering a more

supportive venue for women to denounce violence, the record keeping of the

delegacias has exposed the problem. In particular, the delegacias broke

the silence that often maintained domestic violence as solely a private

issue. Even though the delegacias provide a great benefit, problems

persist. Lack of resources and personnel often force the delegacias to

operate in substandard conditions. In João Pessoa, the delegacia is a tiny

room in the state police building. The inadequacy of the space and the

location are often inhibiting for women.

Impunity is not the only factor leading to increased violence against

women. Anthropologist Peggy Reeve Sunday collected data on the prevalence

of rape in more than one hundred cultures. The results of her research

showed a link between cultures with high indexes of rape and certain

characteristics. In general, "high rape cultures" are very militarized.

There is often a great difference in the status of men and women. Creation

myths recognize only a male deity, not a female one or a couple. With the

recent experience of a 25-year military dictatorship and an entrenched

"machista" culture, many of these traits match the Brazilian reality.

Specifically, the Northeast region has weathered numerous cycles of drought

including the current one in which 10 million people are at risk of hunger.

In desperation, thousands of northeasterners have flooded into the urban

areas. According to Sunday’s research, waves of migration and famine

cause instability which is a tendency in "high rape cultures".

Women here are searching not only for justice and healing but also for a

spiritual response to violence. In July, more than 50 women (including 13

from Paraíba) gathered for an ecumenical course entitled Shared Garden in

Recife, Brazil. A third in a series of gatherings throughout the Americas,

this Garden focuses on the theme of "Beyond Violence: Women,

Solidarity, and Forces for Change". For two weeks, community workers,

theologians, students, and feminist activists, from 11 countries in the

South and North, shared personal and collective experiences that lighted

paths of change and empowerment. Maryknoll Sisters Efu Nyaki and Connie

Pospisil helped communication and energy flow in 3 languages with their

translating skills. Besides the diversity of experience and nationalities,

the ecumenical nature of the encounter with Protestants, Catholics, and

Afro-Brazilian religious believers offered both challenges and excitement.

According to Afro-Brazilian religious leader, Maria Stella de Azevedo

Santos, "Coming together as people of faith is valuable. Even though I am

of Candomblé (Afro-Brazilian religion), this type of meeting reinforces in

me that the essence is the same. The language and rituals may be different

but we’re all here trying to find the way of non-violence which is based in

love"

For Malu Oliveira, a theologian working at the community and advocacy

levels in João Pessoa, the encounter offered concrete proposals for action

in addition to creating a network of women throughout the Americas doing

theology from their own experience and reflection. "I am excited about our

commitment in the Northeast to carry the Garden back to our own

communities," remarks Oliveira, "We hope to multiply the fruits by holding

"little gardens", extended weekend workshops focusing on violence and

self-esteem." Oliveira and countless others here in Paraíba are responding

- - forging paths for human relationships that lead beyond violence.

By Kathleen Bond, a Maryknoll Lay Missioner working in João Pessoa,

Paraíba, Brazil.

Hey Ann,

Two pieces for this week's sejup. We'll see you this afternoon!

The Social Debts in the Amazon

At a meeting of pastoral workers in the state of Amazonas, leaders

discussed the effects of the social debts that are multiplying in that

state and other areas of the Amazon. The plight of the indigenous was

given special attention at the meeting. Lumber companies continue to

invade indigenous lands, bringing with them their diseases, including AIDS

and other sexually transmitted diseases. "The devastation of the

enviornment is alarming. Acting decisively and without impunity, huge

industiral companies and their projects are expelling from the forest and

jungle our fauna and our people," said one leader. Additionally, to work

for indigenous rights is complicated by the fact that state senators and

representatives are themselves connected to the land invasions.

Participants agreed that is is crucial for the government to demarcate

indigenous lands and to expel thoe who have invaded these lands.

Source: Bulletin of the 3a Semana Social Brasileira, September, 1998

MST Continues Land Occupations

After taking a brief respite during the elections, the MST (the Moviment of

Those Without Land) went back to work and occupied several land estates

throughout the country this week - one in Pernambuco, three in Paraná, and

three in the state of São Paulo. All the occupations happened without

incident. However, in Tamandaré, Pernambuco, those occupying the land are

armed and determined to defend themselves should they be attacked.

Meanwhile, in an effort to cut costs, the federal government suspended its

spending on the retitling of occupied lands. The government did not say

for how long the suspension will last.

Source: Folha de São Paulo, 14 October 1998