Number 457, November 1, 2001.
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In this week's issue:
>NEWS BRIEFS
- Homage paid to Dom Pedro Casaldáliga
- More assassinations in the Northeast
- Bin Laden "fans" may be punished
>INDIGENOUS ISSUES
- Tense climate lingers on in Pau Brazil
NEWS BRIEFS
- Homage paid to Dom Pedro Casaldáliga
Homage was paid this past week to the bishop of São Félix do Araguaia, d. Pedro Casaldáliga. On the evening of Tuesday, the 23rd, Casaldáliga was awarded the title of honorary citizen of Brasília, as proposed by district representative Paulo Tadeu (Workers' Party - PT - Federal District). Members of the Landless Movement, indigenous people, blacks, pastoral agents, human rights militants, and many politicians attended the ceremony to pay homage to the bishop, who was persecuted in the days of the military dictatorship for his commitment to the cause of the excluded and for his love for Amerindia. The title coincided with the 30th anniversary of d. Pedro's episcopal consecration. Born in Balsanery, Barcelona, d. Pedro Casaldáliga, 73, is a Claretian missionary. He has been living in Brazil for more than 30 years, during which he has devoted himself fully to his prelacy and to the poor.
Source: Cimi
October 25, 2001
- More assassinations in the Northeast
A leader of an MST (Movement of Rural Workers Without Land) settlement in the Northeastern state of Pernambuco was assassinated on September 26th. Pedro Miguel Demesio, 46, father of 7, was returning home from the fields when he was brutally murdered by two gunmen. Demesio was a integral part of an occupation of a 600 hectare plot of land by 70 families. The group has been expelled from the land seven times since the original occupation in 1999. Meanwhile, there was yet another assassination in the state of Para. Nilson Souza Santos, 32, father of 3, was shot to death in the city of Parauapebas, in southeastern section of the state. Santos was the leader of an area currently being occupied by 95 families. According to the Catholic Church’s land commission, 706 rural workers have been killed in Para over the last 30 years. The assassinations have been the greatest in the south and southeastern parts of the state. To date, there have been four convictions: one is in prison and the other three have escaped.
Source: Sem Terra (October issue) and Folha de Sao Paulo (October 28, 2001)
- Bin Laden "fans" may be punished
The Public Minister of the state of Acre has requested court actions against a group of "fans" of Osmar bin Laden. The group has been putting bumper stickers on their cars with bin Landen’s name. The case is being heard in Cruzeiro do Sul, (pop. 67,000), a city accessible only by plane or by boat. "The bin Laden propaganda caused fear for the majority of the population of the city, so we had to do something about it," commented prosecutor Tales Fonseca Tramin. No decision has yet been rendered by the judge.
Source: Folha de Sao Paulo
October 30, 2001
INDIGENOUS ISSUES
- Tense climate lingers on in Pau Brazil
A new conflict took place in the wee hours of Wednesday, the 24th, in Pau Brazil, south tip of the state of Bahia. The Pataxó Hã-Hã-Hãe who re-occupied the farm allegedly owned by the ex-mayor of Pau Brazil, Durval Santana, invader of the Caramuru Catarina Paraguassu indigenous land , were shot at by masked gunmen for the second time. At least five houses have been set on fire by this group already in an attempt to intimidate the Pataxó and destroy any built facilities that can be used by the indigenous people. After repeated pleas, the ministry of Justice sent a group of Federal Police officers to the site of the conflicts.
On Wednesday, the 23rd, the district attorney of Ilhéus, Márcio Torres, visited the indigenous area to talk to the indigenous people and the farmers and was threatened by the latter, who said they would continue to expel the indigenous people from the area and use their guns against them if Funai doesn't solve the problem. The farmers made a proposal to remain in the land for 90 days, which is the deadline for the official indigenous agency to complete a survey of the area. Considering the climate of violence that has prevailed in the area in the last few days, the proposal seems unfeasible. The district attorney instructed the Federal Police to hold an inquiry to find out why the violent incidents took place and press charges against those responsible for this week's violence.
The farmers of Pau Brazil do not accept the demarcation of the Caramuru Catarina Paraguassu indigenous area because more than 30 years ago they received title deeds to lands inside it illegaly granted by the government of the State. In 1982 Funai filed an Action to Declare Title Deeds Null and Void, but the Supreme Federal Court (STF) is yet to issue a final decision on the matter. It is a 54,100-hectare area, 30 % of which have been occupied by the indigenous people in reoccupation actions. The Pataxó Hã-Hã-Hãe blame the Judiciary Branch and Funai for the violence they have been suffering. They blame Funai because some of the farmers already recognize the rights of the indigenous people to the land and are willing to leave the area after they are duly indemnified. Funai had begun to survey the area and to indemnify farmers for improvements, but it suspended the payments without any explanations, giving rise to a feeling of insecurity and created the conflict. According to some indigenous leaders, the attacks of this week were sponsored by large landowners with the support of the mayor of Pau Brazil, José Augusto dos Santos Filho (known as Zé de Dezinho), whose antiindigenous posture is well known.
In Brasília, an indigenous commission that has been trying to negotiate with the federal administration talked to the president of Funai, Glênio Alvarez, but was not received by a key advisor to the ministry of Justice, Sérgio Leitão. Cimi blames the conflicts on the federal administration, which has been slow to tackle the indigenous issue in the south region of the state of Bahia and has been neglectful of its duties in this connection.
Source: Cimi
October 25, 2001
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