[1/6/05]: MST Update #81- Results of Agrarian Reform in 2004

January 6, 2005

MST Update #81: Results of Agrarian Reform in 2004: Expropriations Don’t Pay Attention to Settlement Goals

MST News Briefs:
-3 Landless Killed in Pernambuco
- Brazilian Army and MST Build WSF City
-INCRA Receives Permission to Expropriate Fazenda de Barra in SP

Dear friends of the MST and Via Campesina's struggle for agrarian reform,

We are at the beginning of another year of activities. We hope that it will be full of personal fulfillment, and above all social victories, and improvements in lives of the long suffering Brazilian people. With that hope, we are continuing our collective letter, in MST Informa..

To begin 2005, we share with you the results of agrarian reform for 2004, in terms of policies and settlement goals. We have opted to distribute the article by Eduardo Scolese, published in the newspaper Folha de São Paulo, whose analysis presents the reality accurately. The article is concise, with enough basic information for you to draw your own conclusions.

Throughout the year we expect to continue to connect every 15 days, to share our concerns, reflections and victories with you.

A big hug to all, on behalf of the whole communications sector, and the national office of the MST.

Exproriations Fail to Reach Settlement Goals
Source: Folha de São Paulo, January 4, 2005
byEduardo Scolese

Between January and December 2004 the Federal Government expropriated enough area to settle approximately 25,000 landless families. The goal had been 115,000 families, with 75,000 of those to be settled on land expropriated specifically for agrarian reform.

The Minister of Agrarian Development admits that this year, just as in 2003, the goal will not be met. As of December 20th, 68,300 families have been settled.

The government expropriated 389 properties in 2004, resulting in a total of 875,700 hectares, according to Presidential Decrees published in the “official