[04/09/2007] Shootout leaves Landless Worker dead in Tocantins
[04/09/2007] Shootout leaves landless worker dead in Tocantins
On Wednesday, April 4th, Landless Workers tied to the Landless Workers Movement (MST) found themselves caught in a hail of gunfire while fishing in a stream off of the Araguaia River, in Brazil’s northern state of Tocantins (TO). As the Landless attempted to escape the gunfire, they noticed José Reis, also known as Zé Preto, 25, had been shot and had fallen into the stream they were attempting to cross.
Antonio Pinheiro Silva – encamped member of the MST – described how, after discovering Zé Preto had been shot, he tried pushing Zé out of the stream, but was unable. After several failed attempts to remove Zé from the water, Antonio had to flee in order to avoid also falling victim to the ongoing hail of bullets. Zé Preto’s body was found by the Federal Police a day later, on Thursday, April the 5th.
The shooting began around 3:00pm, while 18 Landless Workers were fishing near a stream. Without warning, the Landless Workers found themselves caught in between the gunfire of both Military Police and hired gunmen of the region. Three of the four gunmen who participated in the shootout have been identified by the group of Landless. The gunmen used 12 and 38 caliber weapons during the incident.
According to reports by Landless Workers, once the hired gunmen had begun shooting at them, the Military Police approached the scene and also began shooting at the Landless. Since the hired gunmen and Military Police have made numerous threats against Landless families encamped in the region, the suspicion is that the police were in fact giving armed cover to the hired gunmen, as they launched their attack. Adding to their suspicion is the fact that, as the police fired their weapons, they screamed profanity at the group of Landless, referring to them as, “thieves�? and “sons of bitches�?.
No one is certain of the number of police involved, or their identities, but one of them did make his presence known when he arrived at a nearby MST encampment with six other police officers around 6:00pm that same evening. He identified himself as Sergeant Casa Branca. According to the Landless, the officers went on to search their tents/homes without cause.
The Landless Workers and their respective families are encamped on the Fazenda Santo Hilário, in the municipality of Araguatins, lands they have occupied since 2003 as they await governmental orders of expropriation for the purposes of Agrarian Reform.
In a public note, the encamped families are demanding agility in the expropriation process and for a full investigation into the murder of José Reis, or Zé Preto. “Zé Preto, victim of the morosity of this process, and of the failure of the State to implement Agrarian Reform, remains alive in the midst of this our struggle�?, the not affirmed.
Article originally available at:
http://www.mst.org.br/mst/pagina.php?cd=3213