Number 385, January 28, 2000.

Visit our home page: http://www.oneworld.org/sejup/

In this week's issue:

>NEWS BRIEFS

- Sao Paulo chosen to test hydrogen-powered buses

- Minas Gerais announces moratorium on loan payment

- Brazil ranks third in unemployment in the world

- Recovery from oil spill will take ten years

>ACTION APPEAL FROM THE MST

- Request for international presence at the trial of Jose Rainha Jr.

>MESSAGE FROM MINORITY RIGHTS GROUP INTERNATIONAL

- Minority Rights Group releases report on racism in Brazil

NEWS BRIEFS

- Sao Paulo chosen to test hydrogen-powered buses

The United Nations has chosen the city of Sao Paulo to be a testing ground for an experiment with buses powered by hydrogen gas. The advantage of using hydrogen gas, especially for a city like Sao Paulo, is that it is a non-pollutant--the by-product is water released into the air as vapor. The project, which also includes the construction of a hydrogen plant, will cost US$23 million, half of which will be funded by the U.N., the other half by various federal institutions. The first three buses should be ready for service in January, 2001.

Source: Folha de Sao Paulo

January 22, 2000

- Minas Gerais announces moratorium on loan payment

Once again, the state government of Minas Gerais has announced that it will be unable to pay its second payment of debt to "Eurobonus," bonds which were issued in the European market in 1994, under a different state governor, Helio Garcia. The debt of US$ 108 million is due in February 10, 2000. "It is difficult to not pay public workers and close schools in order to pay off the bonds. This is not a political decision, it is just a statement of fact," said Alexandre Dupeyrat, a spokesperson for Governor Itamar Franco. This same moratorium was declared last year when the first payment was due. As it did last year, the federal government will have to assume responsibility for the debt in order to maintain foreign confidence. In doing so, it is likely that the federal government will once again withhold payments to the state of Minas Gerais until the Franco government repays its debt to the Union.

Source: Folha de Sao Paulo

January 26, 2000

- Brazil ranks third in unemployment in the world

A study released by the University of Campinas revealed that in terms of absolute numbers, Brazil ranks third in the world in the number of persons unemployed, 7.7 million. India ranks first with 40 million, followed by Russia with 9.1 million. In 1990, Brazil was in eighth place. Between 1986 and 1999, Brazil increased the numbers it adds to world employment --in 1986, Brazil had 1.68% of the world’s unemployed; in 1999, it had 5.61%. The study revealed that the increase in the "economically active population" did not justify the high rate of population--in 1986, Brazil held 2.75% of the world’s economically active population compared to 3.12% in 1999.

Source: Folha de Sao Paulo

January 27, 2000

- Recovery from oil spill will take ten years

According to the assessment reports from Ibama (the environmental protection agency), it will take ten years for the Guanabara Bay to recover from last week’s oil spill. Ibama’s inspection revealed that the oil gravely damaged an area essential for the reproduction of marine species as well damaged the biggest mangrove swamp in the state of Rio de Janeiro. Petrobras, the state company responsible for the spill, has been slapped with a US$27 million fine. The company paid the fine immediately, and was given a 37% discount for doing so. The money will be used directly for clean-up operations.

Source: Folha de Sao Paulo

January 28, 2000

ACTION APPEAL FROM THE MST

- Request for international presence at the trial of Jose Rainha Jr.

January 18, 1999

Dear Friends,

The Court of Espírito has just decided that the new trial of José Rainha Jr. shall happen on April 3, 2000. We are inviting all the friends and supporters of the MST to express their solidarity by coming to Vitória that Monday.

Please let us know if you will be able to be in Vitória to follow the trial. You may send messages asking a fair trial to:

- Judge Ronaldo Gonçalves de Souza: fax 00 55 27 222 38 52

- President of the Justice Court of Espírito, Santo Judge Wellington da Costa Citi: presidente@tj.es.gov.br

- Governor of Espírito Santo, José Ignácio Ferreira: governador@es.gov.br

- Minister of Justice, José Carlos Dias: acs@mj.gov.br; fax 00 55 61 321 15 65

- President of the Republic, Fernando Henrique Cardoso: pr@planalto.gov.br; fax 00 55 61 322 23 14

Sincerely,

Ney Strozake

Human Rights Department,

MST - sdh@mst.org.br

MESSAGE FROM MINORITY RIGHTS GROUP INTERNATIONAL

- Minority Rights Group releases report on racism in Brazil

How is it that Afro-Brazilians have shaped so much of Brazilian culture, yet remain politically and economically disenfranchised? This is the central question posed by MRG's new Report, published to coincide with the 500th anniversary of the arrival of the Portuguese in Brazil. Many will not be joining in the celebrations but reflecting on the consequences of colonization for the land and peoples whom the Portuguese forced into bondage - in particular, the descendants of the millions of African slaves uprooted from the African continent and brought to work in one of the largest slave economies of human history.

The myth that Brazil is a 'racial democracy' remains a powerful one. It is a myth that this Report seeks to challenge. The Report describes how skin pigmentation is still used to delineate social hierarchy in Brazil and how Afro-Brazilians - thought by many to form a numerical majority in Brazil - are discriminated against at every level of Brazilian life. Afro-Brazilians suffer from high infant mortality , landlessness, poor access to education, discrimination in employment and police violence.

The Report also gives a history of the evolution of civil rights in Brazil, discusses the contribution of Afro-Brazilians to Brazilian culture and describes the work of the many Afro-Brazilian organizations which are working to raise awareness and inform people of their rights. It forms a timely contribution to the debate as to how far Brazil needs to go to meet the needs and aspirations of all its citizens.

The author of Afro-Brazilians - Time for Recognition is Darien J. Davis, an academic and consultant who has published widely of Latin American history and culture and is currently director of Latin American Studies at Middlebury College, Vermont, USA.

Contents Include:

Series: Minority Rights Group Reports, ISSN 0305 6252, ISBN 1 897693 13 3, Publication date: December 1999, A4, wirebound, 40pp, £6.70 per copy inc.P&P (£6.95/US$11.75 outside the UK/EIRE).

For further information or to order copies of this new Report please contact Graham Fox at Minority Rights Group International (UK). For details of our other books and reports on Latin America including 'No Longer Invisible: Afro-Latin Americans Today' please also visit MRG's online catalogue. www.minorityrights.org If you would like to receive an inspection or review copy please contact me at the address below.

Yours sincerely,

Graham Fox

Marketing Coordinator

Minority Rights Group International

379 Brixton Road

London

SW9 7DE

UK

Tel: +44 (0)171 978 9498

Fax: +44 (0)171 738 6265

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