URGENT: A call for solidarity against forced evictions of MST camps in northern Brazil

Wednesday, December 13, 2017
Info Source: 
Da Página do MST

Dear comrades,

An aggressive attack is being waged against MST landless peasants in the northern state of Pará, Brazil.



Large-scale landowners along with local judicial authorities, mainstream media and the Brazilian military police are targeting MST camps throughout the country.

2,000 peasant families living in 20 camps located in the northern State of Pará are under the risk of being violently evicted by the end of the year

On Monday (December11) gunman attacked the Hugo Chavez encampment. Seven heavily armed men - illegal "private security" hired by the landowners, fired shots against unarmed peasants, including women and children.

The judicial order for the eviction of the 300 families living at Hugo Chavez encampment was confirmed to be carried out by the military police tomorrow (December 14). There is an expectation more violence, since the families are ready to resist.

The recent escalation of violence takes place as the Brazilian government continues to use regressive land ownership laws, which have resulted in devastating consequences on landless and displaced agricultural workers.

During the administration of the unelected Brazilian President Michel Temer, the MST has witnessed increased levels of state violence and criminalization against our members.

In light of the escalating violence and repression, we are issuing a call of international solidarity!

Send a short video or statement in support and solidarity to the MST families in Pará to the emails address: redacao@mst.org.br and srimst@mst.org.br !

MORE IMPORTANT: LET'S TRY TO STOP TOMORROW'S EVICTION AND MORE VIOLENCE.

Write to the official authorities condemning the evictions in Pará, and demanding the revision of the eviction order of Hugo Chavez Camp!

Send an email  to the following email addresses:

President of the court of justice - Ricardo Ferreira Nunes: presidência@tjpa.jus.br  
Secretary of State for Public Secutiry -  Jeannot Jansen da silva Filho: segup.ascom@gmail.com
Secretary of the State of Pará - Jose Megale Filho: casacivil@palacio.pa.gov.br
Agricultural Ombudsman's Office - Rosi Maria Gomes de Farias: ouvidoria.agraria@tj.pa.jus.br
Agrarian Judge of Maraba - Amarildo Mazutti: Amarildo.mazutti@tjpa.jus.br
National Agrarian ombudsman - Jorge Tadeu Jatoba: ouvidoria@incra.gov.br

Copy: redacao@mst.org.br and srimst@mst.org.br

With your solidarity and the international pressure, the 2,000 camped families of the state of Pará hope to spend Christmas in their houses and lands.

MST National Directorate - International Relations Collective

More Information on the situation in Pará:

In Pará, Landless families from the Hugo Chávez encampment receive support after attacks

The families had already agreed to leave the place peacefully when they began to suffer violent attacks with gunmen firing on the peasants

Landless workers at the Hugo Chávez encampment, located in rural Marabá, Pará, are receiving a number of demonstrations of solidarity as a result of a judicial action issued by the Agrarian Court of Marabá, which ordered the repossession to take place today (December 13).

The families had already agreed to leave the place peacefully when they began to suffer violent attacks with gunmen firing on the peasants.

Therefore, the "Christmas Deceptions" campaign was created with the objective of mobilizing Brazilian civil society and the international community to pressure the public authorities of the state of Pará to suspend the eviction of around 300 families.

See the support demonstrations below:

The Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA) issued a communiqué demanding the assurance of the physical integrity of the peasants and repudiating the offensive of the latifundio in the north of the country.

"We see with great concern the escalation of violence generated by the government, orchestrated by murderers and with the complicity of the media, against organized communities and social movements. The Eldorado dos Carajás massacre in the state of Pará is still present in our minds and in our hearts when 20 years ago, police forces killed more than 20 landless workers. To Forget is Prohibited!"

Already the Assembly of the Peoples of the South welcomed the decision of the families to continue the struggle and resistance. "We congratulate the brave and courageous decision of the militancy of the MST of Pará to remain in the Hugo Chávez encampment despite the critical situation. We demand that the Brazilian authorities act with justice to avoid injury or fatal consequences and thus ensure the well-being of children in camps and their families."

The Popular Homeland Movement of Argentina reiterated that: "In the context of an authoritarian and corrupt government imposed by a coup, a strong attack on the struggle for land was unleashed in Brazil. This offensive includes the owners with their private guards, court officials, media and military police."

The Ecumenical Service Coordination established by Christian Churches such as the Evangelical Lutheran Confession, Independent Presbyterian, Episcopal Church, Catholic Church and Baptist Alliance have also shown support for families.

On hearing of the attack, State Representative Manuela d'Ávila (PCdoB-RS), who had visited the site at the end of the week, published a video showing solidarity with the MST and the Hugo Chávez encampment.

Senator Lindbergh Farias (PT / RJ) also expressed his solidarity. In a video posted on his social networks on the internet, he warned the governor of the state of Pará that the country is following the conflicts of violence in the countryside.

Teachers and students from the Campus School of Education at the University of South and Southeast of Pará (UnifessPa) issued a public letter of support to the camp. "We are witnessing that families have been occupying the area for at least three years, where they farm the land, raise small animals, have a minimally structured school to guarantee the right to education of their children and are currently potential victims of various types of violence."