MST UPDATE #48
Agrarian Reform at the Witness Stand: 17 Rural Workers Imprisoned

A Message from MST Human Rights Section Regarding the Rise in Criminalization of MST Leaders for which URGENT ACTION IS NEEDED. Also read two short news briefs on (despite the one year lift on the ban) mobilizations against GMOs mounted in Brasilia and the MST meeting with the minister of justice regarding the increased criminalization of social movements.

September 19, 2003 Reforma Agrária no banco dos réus: 17 trabalhadores presos

From: MST Human Rights Section www.mst.org.br

For defending the introduction of Agrarian Reform in Brazil, 17 rural workers connected with the MST have been detained throughout Brazil. In a tactic designed to intimidate the movement, judges have decreed prison sentences and are abusing their power. The detention of each of these workers represents the imprisonment of all the landless of Brazil, who are being treated as outlaws for struggling for land and against the latifundio (large landed estates). See the following cases and also how to show your solidarity.

São Paulo There are three rural militants detained in the state: José Rainha Júnior and Felinto Procopio, Mineirinho, have been in prison since the 11 of July in Teodoro Sampaio, Pontal do Paranapanema, accused of forming a criminal gang. Rainha's wife, Diolinda Alves de Souza was detained on the 10th of September. Their imprisonment is part of a strategy to criminalise the MST, set in motion by the actions of the judge Átis de Araujo who, in a little more than a year has decreed preventive prison sentences for 28 members of the movement in the Pontal region. Also in this state, the judiciary continues to persecute workers: detention orders include another 8 from the MST: Cledson Mendes, Márcio Barreto, Messias Duda, Eduardo de Morais, Zelitro Luz, Valmir Rodrigues Chaves, Sérgio Pantaleão and Roberto Rainha.

Messages and protests should be sent to the governor of the state: Governador do Estado - Geraldo Alckmin - Fax: (11) 3745-3301- saopaulo@sp.gov.br

Paraiba Eight rural workers from the occupation of the Fazenda Mendonça (farm) - considered unproductive by an inspection by INCRA (government body in charge of agrarian reform) in the municipality of Itabaiana, have been in prison since June 2002. They are accused of the homicide of a hired gunman in the area. The worker's defense states that they acted in legitimate self defense. Antonio Francisco da Silva, Jose Inacio da Silva Irmao, Jose Luiz dos Santos, Jose Martins de Farias, Marcelo Francisco da Silva, Severino Jose da Cruz, Severino Ramos dos Santos and Ivanildo Francisco da Silva are waiting for the judgment of the habeas corpus and are accusing the local police of using torture to get them to confess to a crime they did not commit.

Send your messages of solidarity to the judge: Juiz da Comarca de Itabaiana - José Ferreira Ramos Júnior - Fax: (83) 281-1383

Goiás On the 4th of July, an eviction in an area near the Fazenda Duartina (farm), near the town of Fazenda Nova, in Goiás, resulted in the imprisonment of about 40 people. During the removal of the families there were acts of physical violence and intimidation, besides the burning of food and the destruction of flags and hats. Yet again, the local judge paid no heed to these irregularities. Four workers are still being held prisoner: Josnei Dias, Claudinei Lúcio Soares dos Santos, Valdinei Vicente Silva and Milton Felipe de Moraes, are still in prison in the town of Fazenda Nova. Messages of support and solidarity to the governor of the state: Governador do Estado - Marcolini Perillo, www.goias.gov.br (on the link: "Fale com o Governador" - Talk to the Governor)

Mato Grosso do Sul Carlos Aparecido Ferrari and Antonino Alves de Lima, Toninho Borborema, have been in prison since the 26th of August in the town of Dourados, in a maximum security prison. The prison orders were decreed in December 2000, when the then judge, Eduardo Magrinelli Júnior also handed out prison sentences for another 19 rural workers. The state lawyer's argument is that the delay in carrying out these prison orders was due to the difficulty in finding the workers, despite the fact that they are leading activists and are constantly present on the encampments. The MST understands that these prison sentences are in fact a retaliation for the occupation of Fazenda Coimbra (farm), near the town of Itaporã, on 24th of August.

Messages to: Procurador Geral do Ministério Público - Sérgio Luiz Morelli, Fax: (67) 341-4102

News Briefs

MST Meeting with Minister of Justice

Leading activists from the movement met with the minister for Justice, Márcio Thomaz Bastos on the 16th of September, in Brasilia, to discuss the increase in violence in the countryside and the action of armed militias. Also present at the meeting were Dom Tomás Balduino from the CPT (Catholic church body concerned with rural issues) and Nilmário Miranda (national secretary for human rights). The minister came out against the criminalisation of the social movements. "Social movements are fully entitled to pursue land reform", declared the minister, making it clear that he will combat the growth of private militias in rural areas.

Encampment against GMOs Mobilises Social Movements in Brasília

Combating the legalisation of the commercial production and use of genetically modified seeds and giving incentives to the production of natural seeds instead in order to guarantee sovereignty over the production of food to the peoples of the world. These are the aims of the Encampment against GMOs which was started on September 12th in Brasilia and which promises to keep going for more than a month in the federal capital. The encampment is being promoted by the social movements in the countryside and there are more than 500 people staying in the campsite in the capital.