Biopirates Attacking the Forest, Priest Assaulted During Land Occupation
3/26/98
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RELAYED TEXT STARTS HERE:
Title: Biopirates Attacking the Forest, Priest Assaulted During Land
Occupation
Source: SEJUP (Servico Brasileiro de Justice e Paz)
Visit our home page: http://www.oneworld.org/sejup/
Status: Distribute freely with proper credit to source
Date: 3/26/98
Complacency Fans Amazon Flames
Friends of the Earth International today condemned the lack of action to combat
the horrendous forest fires in Northern Brazil. Weeks after the Roraima state
governor declared a state of emergency, precious few resources have been
deployed to combat the flames [1]. An area of rainforest and pasture land twice
the size of Belgium has already been scorched and the fire is now encroaching
upon a Yanomami indigenous reserve.
The fires are raging in areas that do not normally suffer such fire damage. The
forest - already unusually dry due to the El Nio effect [2] - is more
vulnerable to fire as they have been thinned and degraded by activities such as
logging. Illegal logging is rife throughout the Brazilian rainforest. The
Brazilian Government estimates that 80 per cent of timber is illegally
extracted.
Friends of the Earth International is calling on the international community to
take effective international action.
This includes:
An immediate emergency package from the rich nations to tackle the fires;
An effective forest action package to be devised at the G8 meeting in May in
Birmingham, UK [3];
Drastic international action to stop illegal logging in Brazil, and the
tightening of import controls on tropical timber;
Roberto Smeraldi, Co-ordinator of Friends of the Earth International's Amazonia
Programme said:
"It is incredible that the world is sitting back and watching these rainforests
burn. These fires spell disaster not just for these forests, but for the global
environment. Brazil is in desperate need of immediate emergency aid including
the most basic fire fighting equipment. How much worse will the situation be
allowed to get before the international community acts? Roberto Smeraldi
continued:
"The rich nations are partly responsible for the crisis in the Amazon, and it's
about time they got off their backsides. We need effective action plans to
combat forest loss and excessive logging instead of green rhetoric and
voluntary principles."
[1] According to local reports the people in the forest are losing their
homes and are cut off with low water supplies. Thousands of cattle have already
died and a third of the state's crops have gone up in smoke. Only a handful of
fire fighters tackling the flames and, as yet, water-carrying aircraft have not
been deployed.
[2] The El Nio effect is a periodic global weather phenomenon which brings
drought to some areas such as Brazil, South East Asia and Southern Africa and
typhoons and storms to other areas such as the west coast of America. The
current El Nio is unusually severe and according to Robert May, Tony Blair's
chief scientist, this could be linked to human-induced climate change.
[3] The eight major global economies are meeting in Birmingham, in the UK,
in May where the issue of forests and illegal logging will be discussed.
Source - Neil Verlander,Press Office,Friends of the Earth - London
(44)171 566 1649
Priest Assaulted During Land Occupation
During the eviction of 120 families, who were occupying unused property in
Santa Vitoria, Minas Gerais, Frei Rodrigo, a Brazilian Franciscan priest, was
assaulted by a soldier in training for the Military Police. The soldier was
owing the orders of a lieutenant. A lay church worker and a lawyer were also
assaulted when they tried to stop the attack on Frei Rodrigo.
Frei Rodrigo is coordinator of a church program that supports people involved
in land struggles. He was present at the eviction with the authorization of
the bishop. His task was to help with negotiations, in order to prevent
conflicts and police violence. He was in the of negotiation with the Major in
command and with the agent of INCRA (the government's land reform agency) for
Minas Gerais.
The property had already been investigated by INCRA, confirming that it was
non-productive. Under Brazilian law this makes it available for redistribution
to landless farmers. The families involved in the occupation had already been
evicted from this land five times, and their crops had been destroyed twice.
Although they refused to leave, their resistance was non-violent.
This was the first time in almost fifteen years of working on land problems
that Frei Rodrigo had experienced police violence. We are concerned that this
incident could establish a precedent. The Franciscan Fathers in Brazil have
asked us to organize a letter-writing campaign to the Governor of the State of
Minas Gerais and to the General Commander of the Military Police.
SUGGESTED TEXT FOR LETTERS
Exmo. Sr.
Dr. Eduardo Brandao de Azeredo
Governador do Estado de Minas Gerais
Palacio dos Despachos
Praca da Liberdade s/n
30140-912 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
Fax: 011-55-31-250-6059
Mr. Governor:
Cel. PM Marcio Lopes Porto
Comandante Geral
Comando Geral da Policia Militar de Minas Gerais
Praca da Liberade, s/n
30140-010 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
Fax: 011-55-31-239-2402
Colonel Lopes Porto:
I am writing to express my support for Frei Rodrigo in relation to the conflict
of the landless farmers at the Nossa Senhora das Gracas Ranch in Santa Vitoria
(MG) on February 19. I am aware of the attack on Frei Rodrigo, who was helping
with the negotiation between the farmers and the Military Police. He was
assaulted by a Military Police soldier in training for the state of Minas
Gerais who was obeying the orders of a lieutenant.
Frei Rodrigo is the coordinator of the Animacao Pastoral e Social no Meio
Rural, and he was negotiating with the major who was commanding the operation
and with the agent from INCRA of Minas Gerais. His job is to help the farmers
and to show solidarity for the families who are in a difficult situation. The
position of his supporters is of non-violence and peace for the farmers and
also for the soldiers of the Military Police.
I sincerely hope that there will be no repetition of incidents like that
suffered by Frei Rodrigo. Sincerely
Source: RIO MARIA BULLETIN Volume VIII, Number 2,March, 1998
ECOLOGY:
Journalist Nario Cesar Carvalho for the Folha de Sao Paulo won the Latin-
American Inter parliament Award for the Environment, for his report on 'Bio
pirates attacking the forest' His report shows how laboratories from the US and
Europe use Indigenous herbs, remedy and cures without making reference to the
local people.
At the ECO '92 meeting in Rio de Janeiro, 144 countries signed a statement
declaring that Indigenous populations receive royalties when their knowledge of
herbs etc result in the discovery of new drugs. Carvalho's report reveals a
Brazilian NGO called Selva Viva (live jungle) were offering to universities and
institutes for research in Germany, plants for medicinal use from the Kaxinawas
indians in the state of Acre.
The report also revealed that Britain chemicals Conrad Gorinsky patent a
substance obtained from the seed of the bibiri tree which is used by the
Wapixanas indians from Roraima as an anti-conception. Gorinsky said the
substance they patented could be used in the prevention of tumors and control
the AIDS virus.
Source - Folha de Sao Paulo, March 13, 1998.
POPULATIONS OF THE VALLEY OF THE RIBEIRA DO IGUAPE, THE LAST' LIVING" RIVER IN
SAO PAULO STATE, BRAZIL, REQUEST YOUR SUPPORT IN THEIR STRUGGLE AGAINST DAMS
The region of the Ribeira do Iguape Valley is one of the largest areas of the
Atlantic Coast rain forest remaining in Brazil. It is the site of the
Jacupiranga State Park, the Upper Ribeira State Park (with more than 400
caverns documented) and the Serra do Mar State Park. There are also innumerable
archaeological sites and shell mounds.
Besides this, in the region there are 19 communities of descendents of
"quilomboos", colonies of escaped Black slaves. Their culture is the living
register of the resistence of Afro-Brazilians. Despite being economically the
poorest region in Sao Paulo state, there are also mineral resources, including
gold and iron ore. But, all this natural, cultural, and mineral wealth could
end up underwater, if a plan proposed by the government of Sao Paulo and
aluminum magnate Ant"nio Ermrio de Moraes is carried out.
According to the plan, four dams would be constructed on the Rio Ribeira do
Iguape. The Votorantim mining group would build the Tijuco Alto dam, and the
state of Sao Paulo the Itaoca, Funil e Batatal Dams.
River dwellers and the Afro-Brazilian descendents of the quilombos, as well as
the national Movement of Dam-Affected People, environmental groups and other
non-governmental organizations have been fighting the dam plans. However, now
mayors in the region are touting the dams as a way not only of promoting
development in the region, but also for flood control.
These slogans are meant to mis-lead the people of the region. THE DAMS WILL NOT
CONTROL FLOODING, AND CERTAINLY WILL NOT BRING DEVELOPMENT!!!
There are already two dams upstream, Capivari and Catas Altas that hold
floodwaters to generate electricity. When heavy rains come, the floodgates must
be opened, and as a result the river rises rapidly, creating downstream
flooding.
JUST IMAGINE WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF WE HAVE MORE DAMS CONSTRUCTED ON THE RIBEIRA
RIVER!!!???
How would the Tijuco Alto Dam, of Ant"nio Ermirio de Moraes hold all this water
if it were built? The company itself says it would not have sufficient
capacity. Besides, the dam plans do not offer any type of aid to the population
during heavy rains.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN?
With heavy rains, all the reservoirs will fill up at the same time. Where will
all this water go??? Who will pay for the damage downstream??? What will be the
impacts on the riverbank communities???
People of the region want the RESTORATION of the Ribeira River -- not
DESTRUCTION that new dams will cause.
The Ribeira River has already changed. One of the largest remaining wetlands on
the planet is threatened. The river is filling up with sediments, and its
waters no longer find space in which to flow.
What is needed is to:
* take out the sand, sediments, and mud where sedimentation is most serious!!!
* impede erosion from continuing to modify the river, by prohibiting savage
mining in the basin!!!
* save the Ribeira river and thus permit people who live along its margins to
not have to suffer anymore the tragic flooding which occurs from January-
March!!!
FOR THESE REASONS, WE ASK FOR INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT IN SENDING EXPRESSIONS OF
SUPPORT FOR THE POPULATION OF THE RIBEIRA VALLEY IN THEIR FIGHT AGAINST THE
CONSTRUCTION OF DAMS, AND IN SUPPORT OF THE LIFE OF THE RIO RIBEIRA De IGUAPE.
Please write saying that:
1. You support the Movement of People Threatened by Dams in the Ribeira do
Iguape valley in their fight against dams on the river;
2. That experience in other parts of the world has shown that large dams are
not an effective means of flood control, and that they have serious ecological
impacts on important ecosystems such as wetlands and rainforests;
Please send your letters to:
Governor Mario Covas
Palacio dos Bandeirantes Av. Morumbi 4500
Cep 05698-900 Sao Paulo, SP
Brazil Fax (+55-11) 845-3301/ 3700
Tel (+55-11) 845-3000/3344
CODIVAR - Consorcio de Desenvolvimento do Vale do Ribeira (Development
consortium of the Ribeira Valley) OrganizaĜao dos prefeitos do Vale do Ribeira
(Mayors' organization of Ribeira Valley
Av. Dr. Carlos Botelho, 859
Cep 11930-000- Pariquera AĜu, SP
Brazil
Fax (+55-13) 856-1966
tel (+55-13) 856-1960
Please also send a copy to:
MOAB- Movimento dos AmeaĜados por Barragens
(Movement of Dam-Threatened People of the Ribeira Valley)
PraĜa Nossa Senhora da Guia, 103
Cep 11960-000 - Eldorado, SP
Brazil
If more convenient, you may send your message to MOAB in care of:
MAB - MOV. DOS ATINGIDOS POR BARRAGENS
(MAB - NATIONAL MOVEMENT OF DAM-AFFECTED PEOPLE)Rua Sete de Abril, 264 -
sala 722 - 7 and.
Centro - Cep 01014-000 - Sao Paulo, SP
Brazil
Telefax (011) 256-0839
Source: South and Meso American Indian Rights Center (SAIIC) March 17, 1998
HEALTH:
For every three men one woman is HIV positive.
In the Campaign for the Prevention and Controll of AIDS, women are recveiving
more attention says the Minister for Health. The reason being that the there is
an increassing number of women , principally in the South and Southeastern part
of the country who are HIV positive. In 1994 for every 26 men with AIDS there
was one woman, today for every three men there is one woman.
This is the second campaign which has been financed by the World Bank and the
Brazilian governament for the Prevention and Controll of AIDS. The first
campaign which began in 1994 ends in June of this year.The objective of the
programme is the prevention of illness, assist , inform and accompy HIV cases.
What has been noted is still in the early stages, the porogramme hopes to have
greater decentralization, and to reach out to the unemployed and low income
section of the population. The programme hopes to form committies where cities
and states can receive grants.
The amount of money for this programme is $300 million dollars. The World Bank
is contributing 55%. According to the Minister for Health, 500 thousand people
are infected with HIV in Brasil.
Source - Folha de Sao Paulo, March 14, 1998
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