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The Friends of the MST is saddened to report the death of John Kinsman on January 20, 2014 at the age of 87. John was a founder 
and president of the Family Farm Defenders, a member organization of La Via Campesina. John, a fourth generation family farmer, operated a dairy farm near Lime Ridge, Wisconsin. John was a farmer activist, leading protests against the destruction of farming and our food supply by agribusiness and a proponent of the Principles of Food Sovereignty. He was also an active supporter of the MST, having visited Brazil several times as well having hosted MST militantes in his Wisconsin community.
The MST National Coordination issued the following statement on learning of John’s death:
Comrades of Family Farm Defenders,
The Landless Workers Movement of Brazil (MST) wants to express our deepest sympathy for the death of our comrade John Kinsman.
John was an example of the peasant resistance and someone who defended agroecological production. He was a tireless militant for the unity of peasant movements, without compromising his production of health foods.
Everything we learned with John will live with the MST. His memory reinforces our commitment to a peasant-led agriculture and a new society. Our thank you to John.
From the MST family, receive a big hug and our solidarity to John’s family and Family Farm Defenders.
JOHN KINSMAN!
PRESENT! PRESENT! PRESENT!
Janaina Stronzake João Pedro Stedile
National Coordination of MST
For more information on John, visit the Family Farm Defenders' website.
By Igor Carvalho and Glauco Faria
With a presence in 23 states and the Federal District and with more than 900 settlements with 150 thousand families, the MST celebrates its 30th anniversary this week.
Created on January 22, 1984 in a national meeting that brought together 80 rural workers in Cascavel, Parana, through the years the movement has carried out more than 2.5 thousand occupations, and set...
The year 2013 won’t be missed by the Landless throughout the country. Regarding the struggle for land, the balance is positive, due to the demonstrations, marches and occupations of land and public buildings that occurred almost throughout the year.
But when referring to Agrarian Reform policy, almost nothing has been done, and in many cases the government walked backwards. This is the assessment...
In an historic trial, a jury sentenced ruralista Mark Prochet to 15 years and nine months in prison for second degree murder, resorting to
the defense that the victim was indefensible and had concealed other crimes. The trial ended around 10:00 pm and was attended by over 200 people in the 2nd Circuit Court in Curitiba, Paraná.
The widow and son of Sebastião Camargo, murdered 15 years ago, attended the entire trial. For Cesar...
by Joao Pedro Stedile, National Coordination of the MST
It is usual to take advantage of the year-end period, forever doing the critical balance of losses, achievements and progress in the various sectors of activities of our society.
Unfortunately for workers who live in the countryside the balance of 2013 is anything but optimistic. Briefly we could track several defeats that the movement of capital in imposed....
Dear Comrades José Dirceu and José Genoíno,
The National Directorate of the Landless Rural Workers Movement (MST) has been following with indignation the Judgment of Exception and unjust conviction.
We vehemently repudiate the action of the Brazilian judiciary, especially the Supreme Court (STF), servant to the ruling class in thecountry, which for years has been acting against the working class, social movements and political struggle.
For Social Movements, criminalization is a retreat from democratic gains obtained through the historical struggles of the...
of 30 years of struggle for agrarian reform, social justice and democracy. The movement's 2 million members have spent the last year preparing, debating and discussing in preparation for this historic gathering. Mobilizing 15,000 movement leaders in the capitol Brasilia, the MST will gather to debate and discuss the challenges and next steps in building a more just and equitable Brazil.