Hi all,
hope you are doing fine, I forward you a letter explaining the difficult situation of a recently occupied acampamiento of the MST. They are threathened with eviction and have only occupied since 15 days. I was there during the weekend and it was amazing to see all the things they already built in 15 days, as well as to feel their positive spirit and hear them talk about problems caused by the gigantic amount of eucalyptus monocultures in the region. A lot of the people joining the MST here used to work for eucalyptus companies, and some of the people that we talked to in an encampment of the MST, sharing the horrors of their working days for eucalyptus companies, were certainly more than happy that through the struggle within the MST they gained back the dignity of working and producing on their own land.
So please take a moment to read this, forward and send letters of support,
greetings and thanks,
An

--------------------------------------------------------------------------



Dear Friends,


The Network Alert against the Green Desert in Brazil is requesting your urgent support


IN THE STRUGGLE FOR AGRARIAN REFORM AND AGAINST MONOCULTURE EUCALYPTUS PLANTATIONS


The Municipality of Conceição da Barra launched the Movement of Landless Rural Workers' (MST) national day of struggle in the State of Espirito Santo (Brazil), which was started this April in various parts of the country. The Federal and State Government incentives to latifundia and to agro-business in detriment to the Agrarian Reform and family-scale farming are at the hub of these protests. In this case, monoculture eucalyptus plantations are the major violator of rights, because they are plantations that have already caused much damage to the indigenous peoples, the
Afro-Brazilian (Quilombolas) population, peasants and former workers, among so many others.


On 10 April, the 1,150 hectare Sao Joao hacienda belonging to the Fazendas Ecológicas S/A company (previously Coimex Agrícola S/A), was occupied by 140 families of rural landless workers who, since last year, have been asking the Government to expropriate this hacienda to establish a rural
settlement and prevent it from being purchased by Bahia Sul Celulose or any other company that wishes to plant even more eucalyptus in a Municipality that already has 60 per cent of its area covered by this monoculture plantation. The owner has already managed to have the property restored through a court decision, which implies the eviction of the families in the area.


In May 2004, the MST had already occupied an area in Bahia Sul, neighbouring the Sao Joao hacienda, when an international campaign was launched to have the hacienda expropriated, seeking to prevent it from being acquired by the eucalyptus planting companies that are the greatest
accumulators of land in the State. From then on, INCRA has been disputing the purchase of the land with the owner, who is placing obstacles on the sale for Agrarian Reform by demanding a price much above the market value in the region. It has been the practice of cellulose and sugar cane companies in Espirito Santo to over-value the price of land, creating a real obstacle to the settlement of the over 700 families (counting MST members alone) that are camping in the State.


It should be remembered that this Municipality was practically occupied by Quilombola (Afro-Brazilian) families that were evicted from their land by the Aracruz Cellulose Company. The families that resisted this are isolated by the eucalyptus and sugar cane monoculture plantations and have serious difficulties in subsistence. This situation is similar to that of the Tupinikim and Guaraní communities in the Municipality of Aracruz. It is already public knowledge that the processes for acquisition of land by the Aracruz Company were illegal and marked by violence, with the
connivance and encouragement of the State and Federal Governments that even made fiscal lands available for this purpose. (Report on the violation of economic, social, cultural and environmental rights by eucalyptus monoculture plantations: Aracruz Cellulose and the State of Espirito Santo, published in 2002).


Together, in the struggle for land and for a decent life for the Quilombolas, the indigenous peoples, the peasants and landless workers and against the expansion of monoculture eucalyptus plantations, we support the MST and demand:


- that through INCRA, the Federal Government guarantees expropriation of the Sao Joao hacienda, for the purpose of Agrarian Reform;


- And that the Federal Government fulfils the Nation Agrarian Reform Plan


WE REQUEST you all to send letters urgently to the Ministry of Agrarian Development (Ministerio de Desarrollo Agrario/INCRA) and to the Fazendas Ecológicas S/A Company with copy to the MST in Espírito Santo:  mst-es@uol.com.br


We are attaching two model letters.
Vitória, April 15
Rede Alerta contra o Deserto Verde - Espírito Santo/Brasil


*********************************************
Model letter to the Ministry of Agrarian Development
*********************************************


Mr. Miguel Soldatelli Rossetto - Minister of Agrarian Development
Fax +55 61 3220492. E-mail:  comunicacaosocial@mda.gov.br


Mr. Rolf Hackbart - President of INCRA
E-mail:  presidencia@incra.gov.br


Mr. Cândido Resende - Superintendent of INCRA - Espírito Santo
E-mail:  candidorezende@vta.incra.gov.br


On 10 April the 1,150 hectare Sao Joao hacienda, belonging to the Fazendas
Ecológicas S/A Company, located in the Municipality of Conceição da Barra
in Espírito Santo was occupied by 140 families of landless rural workers,
members of the MST. Since last year these families have been asking the
Government to expropriate the area for rural settlements and prevent it
from being purchased by Bahia Sul Celulose or any other company wishing to
plant even more eucalyptus in a Municipality that already has 60 per cent
of its area covered by this monoculture plantation.


We demand that MDA/INCRA:


- carries out formalities in order to avoid the eviction of the 140
families, requested through a process restoring possession to the owner of
the area - to expropriate the Sao Joao hacienda as soon as possible;
- to fulfil the National Agrarian Reform Plan, settling all the families
presently camping in the State of Espirito Santo (of which 700 families
alone are members of MST).


Yours sincerely,


******************************************
Model letter to the Fazendas Ecologicas S/A company
******************************************
Contacts by e-mail:  coimex@coimex.com.br;  comercial@clacimportacao.com.br
Copy to:  mst-es@uol.com.br


Director of "Fazendas Ecológicas S/A"
Mr. Cláudio Antônio Coser
Cachoeira do Cravo km 44/45
Rod. 0001/05 São Mateus-N. Venécia
Distrito Nestor Gomes
29000-930 - São Mateus - ES
Brazil


Dear Sir,
On 10 April the 1,150 hectare Sao Joao hacienda located in the
Municipality of Conceição da Barra in Espírito Santo, belonging to your
company, was occupied by 140 landless rural workers members of the MST.
Since last year, these families seeking a decent life for their children
have been asking the Government to expropriate this area as a rural
settlement, preventing your company from selling or renting this area to
Bahia Sul Cellulose or to any other company wishing to plant more
eucalyptus in a Municipality that already has 60 per cent of its area
covered by this monoculture plantation.


We request that:


- your company enters into an agreement with INCRA as soon as possible to
enable the area to be used for Agrarian Reform purposes; - it avoids
compliance with the order of evicting families occupying this area.


Yours sincerely,




----------------------------------
World Rainforest Movement
Movimiento Mundial por los Bosques
Maldonado 1858
CP 11200 Montevideo
Uruguay
Tel: (598 2) 413 2989
Fax: (598 2) 410 0985
e-mail:  teresap@wrm.org.uy
 http://www.wrm.org.uy