The Military Police surrounded the MST State office in Bahia, and is blocking their access to Porto Seguro, where they were planning to join 200 Indigenous groups for the protests against the governmental celebration of 500 of Brazil's "discovery" by Portugal. The Brazilian Indigenous Movement, Black Movement, and Rural Workers Movement are organizing a big march to arrive in Porto Seguro on April 22. In response, the State and Federal governments adopted an extremely repressive approach. The military police are blocking the main roads, arresting activists, and confiscating their food and other belongings.

Please help us organize letter campaigns asking the Brazilian authorities to stop repressing popular movements in the region. Please write to:

Presidente Fernando Henrique Cardoso
Praça dos Três Poderes
Palacio do Planalto, 3^o andar
70.150-900 Brasília DF
e-mail: pr@planalto.gov.br
Fax: 011-55-61 322 - 2314
fone: 011-55-61 - 411 - 1169

Governador César Borges
Estado da Bahia, Governadoria
Prédio da Governadoria
Terceira avenida, 390
Centro Administrativo da Bahia
41.750-300 Salvador BA
fax 011-55-71 - 371 11 66
fone 011-55-71 - 371 11 66
e-mail: cborges@governadoria.ba.gov.br

Thank you very much for your support,

MST
Bahia State Office