Carolina Gonçalves Reporter Agência Brasil
Brasília – Representatives of the Landless Farm Worker Movement (“Movimento do Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra – MST”) delivered a list of their demands to representatives of the president’s cabinet on April 11. This has become an annual occurrence, a harbinger of what is known as Red April (“abril vermelho”) when a wave of red flags (symbols of the MST) is supposed to sweep across the land as the group holds demonstrations and invades farms and public buildings commemorating the 17th of April in 1996 when the Massacre of Eldorado dos Carajás took place. At that time, 21 landless workers were killed by police in the state of Pará.
The MST document, given to ministers Pepe Vargas (Desenvolvimento Agrária) and Gilberto Carvalho (Secretaria-Geral da Presidência), called on the government to provide land for “...more than 4 million families of rural workers who are waiting for land while another 186,000 families are camped out in precarious conditions, living in canvas tents, as part of the struggle for a just and equitable land reform so family farmers can produce healthy food for the population.”
According to the MST, land reform (“criação de assentamentos”) is at a complete standstill in Brazil.
Besides land, the MST demands include more rural credit so “peasants and family farms can produce, organize in cooperatives and use ecologically friendly farming techniques.”
In a note, the Ministry of Agrarian Development promised to analyze the MST demands. According to ministry spokespersons, a meeting between minister Vargas and MST representatives took place in a calm atmosphere (“clima de tranquilidade”).
The MST promises more protest demonstrations around the country when the anniversary of Eldorado das Carajás arrives.
Allen Bennett – translator/editor The News in English
Link - MST entrega ao governo a pauta de reivindicações do Abril Vermelho
