NEWS FROM BRAZIL supplied by SEJUP (Servico Brasileiro de Justiça e Paz).
Number 437, March 9, 2001.
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In this week's issue:
-Brazilian government promises to be more active in Colombian Plan
-AIDS NGOs protest against the U.S.
-CTNBio allows for genetically-altered beans experiment
-Seminar on child labor to be held in Belo Horizonte
-Governor of Sao Paulo dies of cancer
-Febem director admits that torture exists
News Briefs
-Brazilian government promises to be more active in Colombian Plan
Brazilian chancellor Celso Lafer met with Secretary of State Gen. Colin
Powell this past week and promised that the Brazilian government would be
more active in the politics of Latin American countries, especially in its
cooperation with the Colombian Plan. According to Lafer, Brazil will be
more active in the areas of diplomatic cooperation and in intelligence
services. However, Lafer stated that Brazil would not send troops or
equipment to Colombia, thereby maintaining Brazil’s belief in the
sovereignty of Colombia. Lafer’s statements come one year after the U.S
accused Brazil of being negligent in assuming leadership in the region.
Source: Folha de Sao Paulo
March 3, 2001
-AIDS NGOs protest against the U.S.
A group of AIDS NGOs (non-governmental organizations) protested
yesterday in front of the U.S. Consulate in Sao Paulo. The protestors are
demanding that the U.S. drop its complaints to he World Trade Organization
in regard to Brazilian pharmaceutical companies who make the medicines
necessary for AIDS patients. U.S. companies claim patent on these
medicines and therefore charge that Brazil is violating intellectual
property rights. If Brazilian companies are prohibited from making these
medicines, the NGOs fear AIDS patients will not be able to afford the
medicines made by the U.S. companies.
Source: Folha de Sao Paulo
March 6, 2001
-CTNBio allows for genetically-altered beans experiment
The CTNBio (National Technical Commission of Biosecurity) has
ruled in favor of the agricultural company Embrapa, allowing the company to
plant an experimental crop of genetically modified beans. The experiment
will take place in the state of Goiania. Currently, it is against
Brazilian law to produce genetically-modified crops, but it seems that the
CTNBio is permitting more and more experimental plots, paving the way for
full production.
Source: Folha de Sao Paulo
March 7, 2001
-Seminar on child labor to be held in Belo Horizonte
The First Brazilian Seminar on Child and Adolescent Labor is being held
this week in the city of Belo Horizonte. The National Movement of Street
Children is sponsoring the event. The seminar will present a study which
demonstrates that the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte has the
greatest incidence of child labor among the six biggest cities of the
country. Among children between the ages of 10-14 in Belo Horizonte, 4.3%
are involved in child labor. The national average is 3.5%. Researchers
attribute the high rate of child labor to the high rate of unemployment, in
which category Belo Horizonte is only second to Salvador.
Source: Folha de Sao Paulo
March 8, 2001
-Governor of Sao Paulo dies of cancer
On Tuesday of this week the governor of the state of Sao Paulo, Mario
Covas, 71, died after years of battling with cancer. Covas left his
position as governor earlier this year to treat the cancer, leaving the
state in the hands of vice-governor, Geraldo Alckmin. Persons ranging from
President Fernando Henrique Cardoso to Luis Inacio da Silva ("Lula")
eulogized the governor for being a man of integrity. Former Archbishop of
Sao Paulo, Cardinal dom Evaristo Arns, celebrated the funeral mass for Covas.
Source: Foha de Sao Paulo
March 8, 2001
-Febem director admits that torture exists
The president of the Sao Paulo Febem system (juvenile detention
centers) admitted this week that in fact torture of the youth happens in
the Febems. Saulo de Abreu Filho commented, "There are facts that I simply
cannot deny." It is the first time since the beginning of the Febem crises
that a president of the institution has publicly admitted that torture
exists. According to Abreu Filho, the Public Minister is at fault for not
investigating some 300 complaints of torture. The president of the
National Commission on Human Rights, Marcos Rolim, said after visiting
Febems that Sao Paulo’s system is the worst in the country. Abreu Filho
has promised that he will try to diminish the number of youth in Febems
most notorious for torture.
Source: Folha de Sao Paulo
March 8, 2001
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