Number 346, April 16, 1999.
Visit our home page: http://www.oneworld.org/sejup/
In this week's issue:
From FOLHA DE SAO PAULO:
- 20% of killings by the police are of minors
- AIDS prevention helps the country save US$86 million
- Budget for medications to combat AIDS is insufficient
- Paraiba registers 467 cases of Cholera
- Comgas is sold for R$1.65 billion to a British company
- FHC criticizes occupations of productive lands
- CNBB puts the blame on IMF for social problems
From PACS (Policy Alternatives for the Southern Cone):
- Convocation: Tribunal on External Debt
**NEWS BRIEFS**
From FOLHA DE SAO PAULO:
- 20% of killings by the police are of minors
A report produced by the Sao Paulo Police shows that 50% of the people
killed by police officers in Sao Paulo in the first months of the year were
between 18 and 25 years of age. 20% of the victims were minors. Another
piece of the research says that 63% of those killed did not have a criminal
record. According to an author of the report, Benedito Domingos Mariano,
the number of people killed by the police in the first trimester of 1998
and the same period of this year are "practically equal."
April 15, 1999
- AIDS prevention helps the country save US$86 million
A World Bank report points out that Brazil saved US$85.7 million between
1994 and 1998 thanks to preventative actions against the HIV virus. These
actions were developed in the last four years with resources of Aids 1 - a
loan agreement between the Ministry of Health and the World Bank to combat
the disease in the country. According to the World Bank, 38,100 Brazilians
have avoided being infected by the HIV virus since 1994. The treatment and
the loss in productivity of these people because of the disease would have
cost the country US$ 255 million. As the expenses were approximately US$
169,7 million, there was a "profit" of US$ 85,7 million. The calculations
were made by taking the rate of infection in 1994 and projecting it for the
following months, supposing no preventative actions taken in that period.
Aids 2, a new accord launched last year which will go until 2002, counts
on resources of US$300 million. The World Bank will loan US$165 million
and the rest (US$135 million) will come from the union, states and
municipalities. The strategy of Aids 2 will be to develop campaigns for
the population in general, giving special attention to women, young people
and low income people.
April 15, 1999
- Budget for medications to combat AIDS is insufficient
The distribution of medications to combat AIDS in the country is only
guaranteed until the middle of the year. To attend to the demand of all
carriers of the disease, R$632 million would be necessary. However, only
half - R$315,6 - will be available in the Budget. The free distribution of
medicines to combat AIDS has been legal obligation in the country since
1996. However, last year there was a lack in money for medication, and
this year there is an even greater lack since the devaluing of the currency
(almost all of the medicine is imported). Jose Serra, Health Minister,
affirmed that, even without having the money guaranteed, medications to
fight AIDS will be sufficient.
- Paraiba registers 467 cases of Cholera
The Secretary of Health in Paraiba released yesterday a bulletin that
stated that there have been 467 cases of cholera in the state since January
1. Seven people have already died from cholera this year. Last year, 253
cases were registered and 6 deaths.
- Comgas is sold for R$1.65 billion to a British company
British Gas and Shell bought Comgas, the state company that distributes
gas in Sao Paulo, for $1.65 billion. British Gas bought 95% of the shares
auctioned. According to British Gas of South America, the purchase was a
good investment considering the possibility of expansion in gas consumption
in the next years.
April 15, 1999
- FHC criticizes occupations of productive lands
President Fernando Henrique Cardoso said that governors ought not be
afraid to remove those who invade productive lands. "I never was
supportive of acts of violence, but I perceive that there exists today in
Brazil a disposition that has nothing to do with agrarian reform, and is
very dangerous as it challenges that for which we always fight, that is the
Law, and the respect of the Law," he said, in front of 11 governors, in the
Presidential Palace. " Institutions have to use the legal resources at
their disposition so that the law be respected." continued the president.
April 14, 1999
- CNBB puts the blame on IMF for social problems
The CNBB (Brazilian Conference of Bishops) released yesterday a document
in which the bishops place responsibility on the interference of
international financial groups in the Brazilian economic policies for the
principal social problems of the country. "The economic measures, in
spite of being announced by the president, are being in fact dictated in
accordance with the International Monetary Fund and with the secretary of
the US Treasury," says the text entitled "Análise da Conjuntura" read
yesterday during the 37th General Assembly of the CNBB. The document
emphasizes the preoccupation of the Catholic Church, and especially of Pope
John Paul II, with the vulnerability of "emerging markets" before the
process of economic globalization. "The pope sees the current global
economic order as one of the largest sources of the violation of human
rights," says the text. According to the CNBB, globalization penalizes
poor countries creating unemployment, which in turn increases indices of
violence, misery, illiteracy and disease.
The document criticizes severely the government’s action in the social
area and reaffirms a polemical position already discussed at other
assemblies regarding the defense of the taking of food by people suffering
from the drought in the Northeast and the land occupations promoted by
landless movements.
From PACS (Policy Alternatives for the Southern Cone):
- Convocation: Tribunal on External Debt
Debt paid over and over again impedes development of a country, blocking
the payment of social debts. A POWERFUL PREDATOR slowly destroys the
insides of the Brazilian economy: external debt. And, along with it comes
internal debt which causes the stagnation in which we find the country
today. When the machines stop, jobs disappear. Misery and exclusion
increase. But the interest and amortization payments to creditors are
"honored" with punctuality. Indebtedness, impacting the life of all,
escapes accountability: it is a national problem, political, ethical and
juridical.
From 1989 to 1998 Brazil paid US$ 225 billion in interest and amortization
payments. On a debt of US$115 billion debt we paid US$225 billion and
still owe US$235 billion. Up to November 1998 we made debt service
payments equivalent to twice the annual budget of the Ministry of Health:
US$46 billion. It is an old vicious circle of indebtedness, that has
become, in fact, unpayable.
Pope John Paul II, remembering the biblical tradition of pardoning debts,
launched the International Jubilee 2000 Campaign, seeking the cancellation
of the external debts of poor countries.
A Tribunal on External Debt is being organized by entities and ecumenical
movements, professionals, unions and citizens. We would like to invite all
that read this convocation. The principal objectives of the Tribunal are
to denounce and judge external debt, identify those responsible, raise
awareness in Brazilian society of this important problem and propose a
policy of socio-economic transformation that gives rise to the end of the
country’s indebtedness and the construction of a human-centered
development, open democratic participation, and social and environmental
sustainability.
The Jury will be mounted on April 26-28th at the Teatro João Caetano in
Rio de Janeiro. Diverse national personalities, political, social,
religious and union leaders, economists, jurists, artists, intellectuals
will be testifying and judging the accused .
Come to Rio de Janeiro to participate in the Tribunal. Share this
invitation with others in your city.
CNBB/Cáritas (Conferência Nacional dos Bispos do Brasil)
CONIC (Conselho Nacional de Igrejas Cristãs)
CESE (Coordenadoria Ecumênica de Serviço)
MST (Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem-Terra)
CMP (Central de Movimentos Populares)
IAB (Instituto dos Advogados Brasileiros)
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