X-NUPop-Charset: English
Date: Fri, 26 Apr 1996 13:19:37 -0600 (CST)
From: "Alan Spector" <spector@calumet.purdue.edu>
Sender: spector@calumet.purdue.edu
Reply-To: spector@calumet.purdue.edu
To: REVS@csf.colorado.edu
>From Alan Spector, REVS editor/manager: The following message appeared on
another e-mail network. I have forwarded it to REVS because it is relevant
to REVS issues...

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THIS MESSAGE CONTAINS A LETTER FROM THE LANDLESS RURAL WORKERS MOVEMENT ABOUT
> THE RECENT SLAUGHTER OF RURAL WORKERS IN BRAZIL AND A SUGGESTED TEXT (IN
> ENGLISH AND IN PORTUGUESE) FOR A PETITION REQUIRING URGENT MEASURES. PLEASE
> FORWARD THIS MESSAGE TO WHOEVER YOU THINK WILL BE OF HELP. WE ALSO ASK YOU TO
> CONFIRM THE POSTING OF YOUR MESSAGE TO BRAZILIAN AUTHORITIES, SENDING US A
> MESSAGE TO: semterra@ax.apc.org
>
> ESTA MENSAGEM CONTEM UMA CARTA DO MOVIMENTO DOS TRABALHADORES RURAIS SEM TERRA
> SOBRE O RECENTE MASSACRE DE TRABALHADORES RURAIS NO BRAZIL E UM TEXTO SUGERIDO
> PARA ABAIXO-ASSINADO EXIGINDO MEDIDAS URGENTES (em ingles e em portugues). POR
> FAVOR, ENCAMINHE ESTA MENSAGEM A TODOS AQUELES QUE POSSAM AJUDAR. TAMBEM
> PEDIMOS QUE VOCE CONFIRME O ENVIO DE SUA MENSAGEM A AUTORIDADES BRASILEIRAS,
> MANDANDO UMA MENSAGEM PARA: semterra@ax.apc.org
>
>
> To our friends abroad:
>
> During the national convention of bishops at Itaici, the Land Pastoral
> Commission of the catholic church (Comiss!o Pastoral da Terra - CPT) and the
> Landless Rural Workers Movement  (Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra
> - MST) have met and discussed the situation of the Para slaughter (where at
> least 19 workers were murdered and many others were slain in April 17; for
> more detail, see http://www.ibase.org.br or write us).
> We are taking steps at the legal, political and action dimensions in a
> national scale. The episodes of the massacre have produced a general commotion
> in Brazil.
> Nevertheless, despite all that, governmental authorities are seen to be moving
> so that as soon as the indignation atmosphere is dispersed, once again the
> guilty will be left unpunished. They have already tried to falsify medical
> reports, few weapons have been apprehended and no one has been arrested up to
> now.
>
> WHAT WE WILL DEMAND FROM THE PRESIDENT OF BRAZIL
> We are announcing here what we will formally demand at the meeting to be held
> in April 29 between the National Direction of the MST and the president:
> 1. Preventive detention of all involved.
> 2. Federal intervention at the State of Para, since the governor Almir
> Gabriel, who ordered the massacre, is also responsible.
> 3. Dismissal of Minister of Justice Nelson Jobim, for incompetence and for
> having been politically unwilling to act on the issue: he has not determined
> responsibilities as to the previous Corumbiara slaughter, he has not prompted
> the endorsement of important laws currently being considered at the Congress
> and, furthermore, he has issued a decree against Indian reservations which
> will certainly bring about other massacres.
> 4. That the Federal Police takes on the investigation in this case.
> 5. That the Federal Government mobilizes its congressmen to endorse three laws
> that have been under consideration for a long time:
> - !rito sum!rio!(!brief rite!, meaning speedy procedures) for land
> expropriation
> - Prohibition of collective eviction determined by judge in rural areas
> - non-military judgment for military police crimes (unlike current military
> judgments)
> 6. Revocation of decree 1775/96, which determines the revision of previous
> demarcations for Indian areas
>
> THEREFORE, WE ASK EVERYBODY!S SOLIDARITY TO TRIGGER AN INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN
> Such a campaign could include the following activities:
> a. public manifestation at Brazilian embassies
> b. letters to the president Fernando Henrique Cardoso demanding that the
> measures above be properly adopted
> c. collection of signatures for a petition addressed to the president of the
> Law Court of the State of Para, demanding the preventive detention of all
> involved (suggested text bellow).
> We thank you beforehand for your certain attention,
> Yours,
>
> Pe. Irio Conti
> National Secretary of the CTP
>
> Joao Pedro Stedile
> National Direction of the MST
>
> (Suggested text for the petition - please print and post or send it by fax to
> the president of the Law Court of the State of Para, address bellow)
>
> TO YOUR EXCELLENCE THE PRESIDENT OF THE LAW COURT OF THE STATE OF PARA
>
> Certain that the peace deserved by citizens is a consequence of Justice, that
> being a responsibility of the Judiciary Power, we state our request:
> Grieved, we took notice of the murder of nineteen landless rural workers by
> members of the Para Military Police in April 17, at the city of Eldorado do
> Carajas.
> Worried, we heard that the Major Jose Maria Oliveira, an officer of that
> corporation and commandant of the detachment placed at Parauapebas, lamented
> the fact that other leaders of the Landless Rural Workers Movement were not
> dead too.
> Distressed, we read that the Colonel commanding the slaughter had attributed
> the order for the execution of the workers to the governor of the State of
> Para and that the Secretary of Public Security confirmed having given the
> order to shoot !if necessary!.
> Surprised, we watch the military policemen destroying the evidences of the
> crime - apprehending video tapes and removing corpses from the site - and
> obstructing the recognition of the authors - destroying weapon delivery
> receipts and threatening witnesses.
> Indignant with the traditional impunity involving crimes committed by military
> policemen against defenseless workers, and in face of the indications that
> once again authorities are revealing themselves unprepared and unconcerned
> with the warrant of civil rights,
> We require that you determine of the preventive arrestment of all the members
> of the Parauapebas and Maraba detachments of the Military Police of the State
> of Para, especially the officers and graduate policemen, who had participation
> in the criminal facts here described.
>
>
> Address for correspondence:
> President Fernando Henrique Cardoso
> Palacio do Planalto
> e-mail: pr@cr.df.mp.br
> fax: (55-61) 226 75 66
>
> Desembargador Manoel de Cristo Alves - President of the Law Court of Para
> Tribunal de Justica
> Praca Felipe Patroni S/N
> Para - Belem
> Fax: (55-91) 241 29 70
>
> (Texto em portugues)
> EXMO. SR. DESEMBARGADOR PRESIDENTE DO TRIBUNAL DE JUSTICA DO ESTADO DO PARA
>
> Seguros de que a Paz que os cidadaos merecem decorre da Justica que e dever -
> antes de mais nada - do Poder Judiciario prover, vimos manifestar nosso
> pleito:
> Consternados, tomamos conhecimento do assassinato de dezenove trabalhadores
> rurais sem-terra por integrantes da Policia Militar do Estado do Para, no dia
> 17 de abril p.p. no Municipio de Eldorado do Carajas.
> Preocupados, soubemos que o Major Jose Maria Oliveira, oficial daquela
> Corporacao e comandante do destacamento sediado em Paruapebas, lamentou o fato
> de outros dirigentes do Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais sem Terra nao
> estarem entre os mortos.
> Angustiados, lemos que o coronel comendante da chacina atribuiu ao Governador
> do Estado do Para a ordem para a execucao, e que o Secretario da Seguranca
> Publica confirmava haver dado ordem para atirar !se necessario!.
> Surpresos, vimos que os policiais militares estao destruindo as provas do
> crime - apreendendo fitas de televisao e removendo os cadaveres do local dos
> fatoes - e dificultando a identificacao dos autores - destruindo os recibos de
> entrega das armas e ameacando testemunhas.
> Inconformados com a impunidade que tradicionalmente tem cercado os crimes por
> policiais militares contra os trabalhadores desprotegidos, e com os sinais de
> que ainda desta vez as Autoridades vem se mostrando despreparadas e
> despreocupadas com a garantia dos direitos dos cidadaos.
> Requeremos de V.Exa. a decretacao das prisoes preventivas de todos os
> integrantges dos destacamentos de Parauapebas e Maraba da Policia Militar do
> Estado do Para, em particular dos oficiais e graduados, que tiveram
> participacao nos fatos criminosos aqui descritos.
>
>
>
>
>
>