and Servico Brasileiro de Justica e Paz.

Number 75, April 22, 1993

LAND ISSUES

-PEASANTS TRY TO RECUPERATE THEIR LAND IN CEARA.

Rural workers in Sitio Lagoa, in the townsland of Barbalha,

Ceara, are trying to recuperate, through the courts, their lands,

that were invaded 3 years ago by thugs hired by Manoel Costa

Filho, a wealthy rancher and owner of the Sugar Company of

Cariri. The rural workers are being helped by the people of the

Center for Human Rights and Community Education in Juazeiro do

Norte (CE).

The rancher has an army of heavily-armed gunmen patrolling

the area. The peasants appealed to the courts on two issues. They

want their land demarcated and given back to them and and they

want Manoel Costa Filho arrested for attempted murder. Both

processes are at a stand still in the courts.

The rancher is also bringing a process against the rural

leader, Manoel Jose Vitorino and the lawyer from the Center, Jose

de Anchieta Barbosa Landim, accusing them of "land invasion",

because they are holding meetings with the rural workers to help

them understand their rights.

Messages demanding that the rural workers be given back

their lawful land and that the prosecutions against Manoel

Vitorino and Jose de Anchieta Landim be dropped, should be sent

to the following authorities:

Governador do Ceara,

Ciro Gomes,

Centro Administrativo,

Cambeba, Fortaleza,

Ceara, Brazil;

Juiza de Direito da Comarca de Barbalha,

Maria Elisabeth Aguilar Filgueira,

Centro Judiciario,

Barbalha, Ceara,

Brazil;

Prefeito Municipal de Barbalha,

Jose Ilario Coelho Correia,

Rua Princesa Isabel, 187,

Barbalha, Ceara,

Brazil.

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

-INDIANS BEGIN 6 MONTH CAMPAIGN FOR LAND DEMARCATION

On April 14th, a campaign was launched in Fortaleza, Ceara,

for the urgent demarcation of indian territory in that State. The

slogan for the campaign reads: "Land demarcated is life

guaranteed".

In the letter of invitation for the event, 30 indigenous

leaders from the Tapeba and Tremembe people state that they "are

tired of waiting for a solution from the Brazilian government"

and that they have had to put up with not just one month or two,

but "centuries of massacres, threats, death, discrimination,

anguish and fear".

The indigenous leaders add, "We are the original people of

this land, we are the rightful owners, but our land is no longer

in our hands, no longer in our power. We are unable to take from

the land our food for survival, like in ancient times, as in the

time of our fathers and grandfathers. Even in the great drought

of 1958, we remember, our fathers held the lowlands where they

could plant a small garden for our food. And on the great days of

Holy Week, there was always beans, always a green patch and

always food guaranteed.

Today these lands are in the hands of companies, of

landgrabbers who invaded our territories". The Campaign of the

Tapeba and Tremembe people is programmed to last 6 months, and

will include discussions, debates, cultural programs and

demonstrations of the indian's traditional medicine.

-KRENAK PEOPLE PROMOTE WEEK OF DEBATES

A Week of "Krenak Awareness", will be held from May 3rd to

8th in Colatina, Espirito Santo.

The Krenak people are an indian tribe from Espirito Santo

and Minas Gerais and the week of activities is being supported by

indigenous organizations, church groups and human rights

movements.

A march will also be made on the 8th of May, starting from

the town of Resplendor and ending in Krenak territory.

CHURCH NEWS

-EVANGELICALS FROM RIO GRANDE DO SUL PROTEST AGAINST FAT

SALARIES OF CITY COUNSELORS

The Evangelical Community of Sapucaia do Sul, in the greater

Porto Alegre (RS), recently published an open letter protesting

against the high salaries "earned" by the local city counselors -

CR$ 57 million a month (or a little less than US$ 2,000).

The evangelicals suggest that the crucifix on the wall of

City Hall be removed, "for as long as these salaries represent a

total lack of justice and an affront to the majority of the

people of Sapucaia". Signed by the president of the Community,

Delci Leuchtenberger, and distributed during Holy Week, the

letter states that "no Christian community can refuse to hear the

cry of its people, nor can it shut its eyes to social injustice".

The letter says that half of this salary would be better

used in the area of health and educational programs. Sapucaia is

a working-class neighborhood, whose residents work in Porto

Alegre. Laborers with the Sapucaia Council earn less than two

minimum salaries (less than US$ 100 a month) and the majority of

those living in the area maybe just a little more, but it is

still only a tenth of what the counselors get.

The letter concludes by adding that by receiving such high

salaries, the counselors are only adding to the general apathy

people feel towards politics and politicians.

-ECUMENICAL LEADERS SHOW SOLIDARITY WITH BISHOP OF RORAIMA

A message of solidarity and support for the Catholic bishop

of Roraima, d. Aldo Mongiano, who has been receiving death

threats because of his work in favor of indigenous peoples has

just been published by leaders of the Christian church that

belong to the Ecumenical Services Coordination (CESE), based in

Salvador, Bahia.

The message states that the directors of CESE, having been

informed by their president, bishop Clovis Erly Rodrigues, of the

Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil, that the bishop of Bela

Vista, Roraima, d. Aldo, was being persecuted and threatened with

death because of his work in defense of the indigenous cause,

wish to express their solidarity with him. "We admire his work",

says CESE, "in favor of minority groups and we stand entirely

with him, because we see in him, someone who works for justice,

motivated by the love of the Gospel of Jesus Christ".

The letter is signed by the president of Cese, bishop

Clovis Erly Rodrigues, Lucia Leiga de Oliveira (Methodist

Church), Iaci do Valle P. Nogueira, (Independent Presbyterian

Church of Brazil), Bishop Jose Carlos de Melo (Catholic Church)

and Enilson Rocha Souza, Executive Secretary for CESE.

HUMAN RIGHTS

-APPOINTMENTS OF TORTURERS DENOUNCED

The group "Torture Never More", Rio de Janeiro, warn of

three facts happening in Brazil, which they claim "dishonor,

shame and are an affront to the dignity of our people". They

refer to the appointment, to important positions of confidence,

of three people known and proven to have been linked to the

repressive machine of the military dictatorship.

In a note sent to the National Movement for Human Rights

and to AGEN, the Group, made up basically of relatives of missing

political prisoners of the military regime, denounce the

appointment of former Colonel of the Military Police, Paulo Cesar

Amendola de Souza, by the Mayor of Rio, Cesar Maia, as

Superintendent of the Rio Municipal Guard.

Secondly, the Group denounces the appointment of the

notorious torturer, Roberto Felipe de Araujo Porto, as

superintendent of the federal Police of Pernambuco and indicated

by the Superintendent of the Federal Police in Brasilia, Amaury

Galdino. The third case is the appointment made by the Secretary

of the Military Police for the State of Rio, Colonel Carlos Magno

Nazareth Cerqueira, of Colonel Airton Sotto Maior Quaresma, to

command the 23rd Batallion of the Military Police of Rio de

Janeiro.

Based on the 12 volumes of the "Brazil Never More" project

(the most complete investigation made into the crimes of the

military dictatorship, and compiled secretly, over a period of 8

years, by the archdiocese of Sao Paulo), the group point out that

the first of these names, Paulo Cesar Amendola de Souza appears

on two lists in the Brazil Never More Project, as a captain of

the Military Police, acting in Rio during the 1970s and accused

of torturing political prisoners. One of Amendola's accusers is

State deputy for Rio, Carlos Minc, of the Worker's Party, who was

a political prisoner during the 1970s.

The archives register lots of accusations against Roberto

Felipe de Araujo Porto and Airton Quaresma. The "Torture Never

More" group propose a national and international campaign to have

these torturers removed from the positions of authority they've

been appointed to.

In the case of Colonel Amendola, messages should be sent

to the Mayor of Rio:

Cesar Maia,

Prefeitura da Cidade de Rio de Janeiro,

Palacio da Cidade,

Gabinete do Prefeito,

Rua Sao Clemente,360,

Botofogo,

Cep 22.260-200,

fax. 021.273.9997.

With regard to Roberto Porto, the letters of protest should

be sent to:

President Itamar Franco,

Palacio do Planalto,

(fax 061.226.6421)

and to the Minister of Justice,

Mauricio Correa,

(fax 061.321.5145)

and to the Superintendent of the Federal Police,

Amaury Galdino.

(It's worth remembering that Galdino himself, was accused

last year of being a torturer, an accusation that he

systematically denies.)

In the case of Colonel Airton Soares, the protests

should be sent to:

Secretario da Justica do Estado de Rio de Janeiro,

Nilo Batista,

(fax 021.551.3748).

-STATE ASSEMBLY IN ESPIRITO SANTO CREATE HUMAN RIGHTS

COMMISSION

On April 14th, the Legislative Assembly of the State of

Espirito Santo inaugurated a Commission for Citizen's Defense and

Human Rights. The president of the Commission is Alisio Kroling,

a State deputy for the Worker's Party and member of the Justice

and Peace Commission of the Archdiocese of Vitoria.

As well as Espirito Santo, the Legislative Assemblies of

Ceara, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul, also have Human

Rights Commissions.

-LETTER FROM AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL WARNS THAT WORLD CONFERENCE

COULD "PUT THE CLOCK BACK"

The Secretary General of Amnesty International warns in an

open letter that the World Conference on Human Rights to be held

in June, in Austria could mean a step backwards if the

governments of the world don't assume their responsibilities in

the area of defending human rights.

"The world today is faced with ever greater and more

alarming` questions of human rights. Millions of people are

condemned to poverty, sickness and inhuman exploitation.

Countries and communities are devastated by wars, hunger and

anarchy. Everyday, millions of lives are destroyed by political

arrests, torture, "disappearances" and killings, in countries

where the rulers feel free to do as they please", says Pierre

Sane, secretary general.

Only two months from the conference the governments have shown no signs of responding to this enormous challenge. After

six regional and international preparatory meetings, not one new

idea in terms of human rights was given. While some governments

show their willingness to restate their commitment to the

universal declaration of human rights, others are questioning the

very idea of a overall human rights manifesto that can be applied

equally to all.

"In this sense", says Sane, "this Conference could

historically mark a neutral stance on the question of human

rights or worse could even erode the international consensus that

already exists that all men, women and children have the same

rights in all parts of the world".

Amnesty appeal to all governments to make a special effort

to save the conference from apathy or worse from putting the

clock back on the universal question of human rights.

POLITICAL QUESTIONS

-BRAZIL IN CRISIS REAFFIRMS REPUBLIC AND PRESIDENTIAL

SYSTEM

At the peak of one of its worst ever economic crises,

Brazil reaffirmed in a referendum, held yesterday, April 21st,

its option for the Republic(with around 70% of the votes) and for

the presidential system (around 58% of the votes).

However, the numbers of abstentions, null and blank votes

registered was 40% of the total, that is almost half of the 90

million Brazilians eligible to vote. It seems the majority of the

people only voted because the vote is compulsory in Brazil.

According to political analysts yesterday's vote

highlights various political facts.

1. The Presidential campaign for 94 will be quickened up

and some candidates like Brizola, Maluf and Lula will feel free

to campaign more openly.

2. Not to be left behind, President Itamar Franco will be

forced to act with more energy. The first step will be his

ministerial meeting next Saturday, in which certain economic

measures will be announced, such as the removing of three zeros

from the present currency. The President could also push his own

man for the succession in 94, with a slight preference being

given, at the moment, for former president, Jose Sarney.

3. The government are ready to invest in the social area

with their plan to combat Hunger and finally the campaign for the

governor of the States will be intensified.

HEALTH ISSUES

-AIDS AMONG DRUG USERS ON THE RISE IN SAO PAULO'S PERIPHERY

The number of reported cases of AIDS among drug users has

gone from 50 in 1988 to 550 in 1991 in the peripheral areas of

Sao Paulo. The neighborhoods of Sao Miguel Paulista,

Brasilandia, and Santo Amaro account for 61% of these cases.

These statistics come from the report, "The Socio-Economic

Profile of AIDS Cases in the City of Sao Paulo", by the Referral

and Training Center (CRT-AIDS) of the Sao Paulo State Secretary

for Health.

Alexandre Grangueiro of the CRT, said that "the tendency of

AIDS is to become, like other infectious diseases, predominant in

the poorest social sectors."

In these poor neighborhoods, the transmission of AIDS

through heterosexual relations has surpassed that of transmission

through homosexual relations. As a result, the number of women

with AIDS has increased greatly. In the peripheral regions, the

ratio of women with AIDS to men with AIDS is 1 to 3. In the

center of Sao Paulo, the ratio is 1 to 6.

"In some areas of the eastern periphery of Sao Paulo, drug

use has resulted in entire families being contaminated,", said

Carlos Strabeli, of Projeto Esperanca (Project Hope). The

Project, with 53 volunteers, assists 278 persons with AIDS in the

eastern zone of the city. According to Strabeli, it receives one

new AIDS case each day. With the increasing numbers of drug

users and heterosexuals with AIDS, private organizations and

government are being challenged to re-focus their AIDS prevention

campaigns. "The challenge now is not only to educate on the use

of condoms", said Elisabete Inglese, of the State Secretary for

Health. "Prevention campaigns have to continue. Drug dependency

needs to be seen as a health issue, not a police case."

Projeto Esperanca, along with 50 other NGOs which deal with

Aids prevention and support for person with AIDS, met on April 17

at Sao Paulo's City Council building to establish a permanent

forum. The forum will work towards the formulation of public

policies related to AIDS and for legislation to secure the rights

of patients.

WOMEN'S ISSUES

-NEW BOOK CHARGES THAT WOMEN WERE INJURED IN NORPLANT RESEARCH

The book, "The Norplant Routes-Detours of Contraception" (As

Rotas do Norplant-Desvios da Contracepcao), by Doctor Giselle

Israel and Sociologist Solange Dacach, accuses the state

University of Campinas (UNICAMP) of using 3,544 women as "guinea

pigs" in tests of the contraceptive Norplant.

The study, which will be presented at an international

seminar on population control in Berlin in May, analyzed the

Norplant research which UNICAMP began in 1984, in conjunction

with 21 health centers across the country. It charges UNICAMP of

being more concerned with marketing Norplant in Brazil than in

conducting scientific research, and of not providing the women

with the necessary medical accompaniment.

Norplant, which is produced by Leiras Pharmaceutical of

Finland, consists of six small tubes implanted in the woman's

forearm. It emits amounts of progesterone daily to prevent

ovulation. The process is similar to that of the Pill, but

Norplant's side effects are still polemic.

According to Israel and Dacach, the main complaints of the

women with Norplant were constant headaches (26%0, agitation,

anxiety, confusion, aggressiveness (20%), weight gain (18%), and

other symptoms (10%0 such as hair loss, ovarian cysts, lesions of

the uterus, hypertension, and urinary infections.

Dr. Luis Bahamondes of UNICAMP responded to the charges by

saying that Norplant is a "good and highly efficient"

contraceptive, and denied that the women were used as guinea pigs

in the research. He said that Norplant was introduced in Brazil

through this research study, in order to obtain national

statistics regarding reactions to the contraceptive. "The data

would assist the federal Health Ministry in its evaluation to

whether or not allow Norplant to be marketed in Brazil."

According to Bahamondes, the health problems created by the

use of Norplant caused the World Health Organization to exclude

Brazil from its study of the long term effects of using Norplant.

The reproduction of this material is permitted as long as the source is cited.