[06/04/09] MST Informa #166: The MST Review has reached 50 editions!
Dear Friends of the MST,
[02/06/09] MST Informa #161: A Note of Solidarity and Sorrow
The Landless Workers Movement (MST) announces its sorrow at the death on Thursday February 5 of the Federal Deputy Adão Pretto and extends its solidarity to the family at this time of loss for Braz
[01-16-09] MST Informa #159: 25 Years of Agrarian Reform
In 1984, our country was going through an intense period of social struggles. A context of popular struggles for the end of the military dictatorship, with widespread mobilizations.
[01/17/09] MST Twenty Fifth Anniversary – “25 Years of Obstinacy,” by Joao Pedro Stedile
João Pedro Stedile In January 1984, there was a process of re-ascension of mass movements in Brazil. The working class was reorganizing, accumulating organic forces. Underground parties, such as the Brazilian Communist Party (PCB), the Communist Party of Brazil, etc., were in the streets. We had achieved a partial amnesty, but the majority of the exiles had returned. The Worker's Party (PT), the Central Workers' Union (CUT) were taking shape, as well as the National Congress of the Working Class (CONCLAT) promoted by the communists, which later merged into the CUT. Broad sectors of the Christian churches broadened their beaver-like efforts, to keep building consciousness and nucleos de base (1) in defense of the poor, inspired by liberation theology. There was enthusiasm everywhere, because the dictatorship was being defeated and the Brazilian working class was on the offense; fighting and organizing. The peasants in the countryside lived in that same climate, amidst the same offensive. Between 1979 and 1984 dozens of land occupations were carried out throughout the country. The posseiros (2), the landless, salaried country-dwellers, lost their fear. And they fought. They did not want to migrate to the cities like bullocks to the slaughterhouse (in the words of our dear Uruguayan poet Zitarroza). As the fruit of all that, we met in Cascabel, in January 1984, encouraged by the pastoral work of the Pastoral Land Commission (CPT), leaders of the land struggle in 16 Brazilian states. And there, after 5 days of debates, discussions, collective reflections, we founded the MST: the Landless Workers Movement.
[06/01/08] Informa #151 - Legalization of Land Grabbing
Esteemed friends of the MST, The approval of Provisionary Measure 422, Medida Provisória (MP) 422, by the federal deputies on Tuesday night, May 27, a few hours after the resignation of Marina Silva, the Ministry of the Environment, confirms that the defense of biodiversity is losing the battle against deforestation and development at whatever cost, which are defended by diverse sectors of the government. The recently approved MP 422 can be translated as the “legalization of land grabbing”. It deals with the sale of public lands of up to 1,500 hectares without bidding— broadening the limit by a thousand hectares—under the tutelage of INCRA (National Institute of Colonization and Agrarian Reform, or Instituto Nacional de Colonização e Reforma Agrária).
[04/16/08] MST Informa #150: Why we are struggling
Dear Friends of the MST,
The Massacre at Eldorado de Carajás
In April 1996, the MST organized a march of the Landless from the southern part of the state of Pará with the intention of demanding Agrarian Reform. On April 4, 1996, approximately 500 Landless set from the Acampamento da Juventade. On April 14, 1996 began marching south from Belem, the state capital. By April 17th the number of marchers had swelled to about 1,500. The march occupied and blocked PA-150 in Eldorado de Carajás with the intention of pressuring the state and federal government to implement agrarian reform.
Twenty-eight years of the Eldorado do Carajás massacre amid attempts to erase the fight for land
The day when 21 landless workers were killed is remembered as World Day for the Struggle for Land
During the Red April, the Landless Workers' Movement activities restate the importance of agrarian reform
Actions focus on occupying land for food production and fighting hunger
MST in Bahia celebrates 35 years of struggle and resistance
Activities will be carried out in the center of Itamaraju and in the settlement 40/45, in Alcobaça, both municipalities in the extreme south of Bahia.
