Number 344, April 1, 1999.
Visit our home page: http://www.oneworld.org/sejup/
In this week's issue:
From FOLHA DE SAO PAULO:
- Official fears land occupations will end in conflict
From O MENTIROSO:
- Important News Concerning SEJUP
**NEWS BRIEFS**
From FOLHA DE SAO PAULO:
- Official fears land occupations will end in conflict
A leading official in Incra (National Institute of Colonization and Land
Reform), Rosesvelt Goncalves fears that the latest waves of land
occupations by the MST (Landless Movement) will provoke violent conflict
between the landowners and those doing the occupations. "The landowners
are going to the Justice department to demand their lands back; and if
there are attempts at removing these people, there will be a strong
reaction from the MST," said Goncalves. According to MST, 41 estates were
occupied last weekend in Pernambuco.
In other MST news, nearly 200 rural workers connected to the MST sacked a
truck carrying 14 tons of sugar on a highway in Pernambuco, a state greatly
suffering from the effects of the recent drought. MSTers made a human
barrier across the highway, forcing the truck to stop. The truck then made
a detour to an occupation site, where they unloaded the supply. In
addition, the MST also occupied two sugar factories in the same state,
Pernambuco.
March 24, 25 and 30, 1999
- Unemployment hits new record in Sao Paulo, again
Unemployment once again hit a new record in the metropolitan area of Sao
Paulo. According to research done by Seade/Dieese, unemployment rose from
17.8% in January to 18.7% in February. This rate represents 1.62 million
out of work. This is the highest employment rate for the month of February
since this particular company began its research in 1985. "The
unemployment rate normally rises during the month of February, but this
time the increase was even greater due to the economic crises," said the
director of the research, Sergio Mendonca. Unemployment rose greatly
among women (6.5%), among young adults between 18-24 years old (9.8%), and
among persons without professional experience (9.1%).
March 24, 1999
- Brazil critiques attacks on Yugoslavia
The minister of Foreign Relations, Luiz Felipe Lampreia, condemned the
recent bombing of Yugoslavia by NATO forces, principally because Nato did
not seek the approval of the U.N. before beginning the attacks. "We cannot
go along with the use of unilateral force," said Lampreia. The minister
signed a formal protest issued by the "Grupo do Rio" which includes
countries in the Carribean, Central and South America.
- 33,000 protest in 14 capital cities against IMF accords
Critiquing the economic policies of president Fernando Henrique Cardoso
and the recent negotiations with the International Monetary Fund for a
US$41 billion loan, 33,000 protesters organized by CUT (Union Center of
Workers) took to the streets of 14 capital cities in Brazil. In Sao Paulo,
the protest ended in violence when a protester and members of the military
police got into an argument. Video tapes show the police brutally beating
a protester while he was on the ground. "I sincerely do not why there were
so many police there in the first place at a peaceful demonstration such as
this," said opposition leader Luis Ignacio "Lula" da Silva.
Update on the Diniz case
The Chilean and Argentinian kidnappers of Brazilian businessman Abilio
Diniz are still being held in a Sao Paulo prison. The prisoners were to be
released to their countries of origin nearly three months ago. The
transfer of the Chileans is currently being "studied" by the titular judge
of Criminal Administration, Otavio Machado de Barros Filho. "I'm analyzing
it. In principal, the five Chilean have legal rights to be transferred,"
said the judge, but added that there may be a technical impediment in the
transfer of security from the Sao Paulo General Procurator of Justice to
the Federal Supreme Court, a point not well explained by the judge. The
two Argentinian prisoners have yet to have their transfers "legalized" as
well.
From O MENTIROSO:
- Important News Concerning SEJUP
Through a news leak, it has been learned that the entire staff at Sejup is
being nominated for the Nobel Prize for Peace. It would be the first time
the award would be given to a whole group of people. "It's really quite
humbling to be considered for this award, but really all we want is a staff
car for the group. The latest Mercedes model would do," said director of
Sejup. When asked what he would do with the prize money, one member of
Sejup responded, "Well, I guess I would finally have enough money to sign
up for that level one Portuguese class I've always wanted to take."
April 1, 1999: HAPPY APRIL FOOL'S DAY TO ALL OF OUR READERS!
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