AI: Brazil bulletin
Ray.Mi...@amnesty.org.uk
+ AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL URGENT ACTION BULLETIN +
+ Electronic distribution authorised +
+ This bulletin expires: 1 November 2000. +
+------------------------------------------------------+
PUBLIC AI Index: AMR 19/27/00
19 September 2000
UA 291/00 Fear for safety/ Death threats/ Extrajudicial
execution
BRAZIL Joao Vitor de Oliveira Neto ]
Antonio Epitacio da Costa ] Land activists
ManoelaPaulo ]
Josenilton Carreiro de Melo ]
Roberto Costa Araujo - human rights defender with the
CPT
Killed: Sandoval Alves de Lima
A land activist, one of the leaders of a group of landless
families occupying an estate in northeastern Brazil, has been
shot dead by a gunman closely linked to the owner of the estate.
The other people named above have received repeated death threats
and are believed to be on a death list.
Some 78 families are occupying the Fazenda Antas estate, in the
municipality of Sobrado, Paraiba state. One of their leaders,
Sandoval Alves de Lima, was shot dead in the street on 9
September in the neighbouring municipality of Sape. The gunman,
while escaping on horseback, shouted to bystanders that he was
not finished, and that he had a death list with five more names
on it - believed to be those named above. Witnesses reportedly
recognised the killer as a gunman known to work for a powerful
local businessmen with close links to the owner of the Fazenda
Antas.
The Catholic Church human rights organisation Comissao Pastoral
da Terra (CPT), Pastoral Land Commission, has repeatedly urged
the state authorities to open a proper investigation into the
murder. Despite the CPT providing the authorities with a list of
eyewitness, so far no action has been taken. The killer has
reportedly been seen in public in local towns with his employer,
the businessman. The businessman has reportedly told people,
"Este caso nao vai dar nada... E um problema pequeno" (This case
is going nowhere... it's just a little problem".
All those named above received numerous death threats before
Sandoval Alves de Lima was killed, reportedly from gunmen working
for the businessman and the landowner. Representatives of the CPT
repeatedly denounced these threats to the state authorities. No
action was taken to bring those responsible to justice or prevent
the killing of Sandoval Alves de Lima.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION There are conflicts between landless
peasants and large landowners throughout rural Brazil. Landless
leaders are often threatened and attacked by gunmen in the pay
of landowners. State authorities often fail to take action to
stop these crimes or bring those responsible to justice.
Military police evicting landless peasants have often used
excessive force, including extrajudicial executions and torture.
In August 1995 military police and hired gunmen killed 10
landless peasants in Corumbiara, Rondonia state. In April 1996
they killed 19 members of the Movimento Sem Terra (MST), Landless
Rural Workers Movement, in Eldorado de Carajas, Para state. This
year a number of land activists have been killed by hired gunmen
in Mato Grosso do Sul and Ceara. Those responsible are almost
never brought to justice.
Amnesty International takes no position on the question of land
tenure or agrarian reform per se. However, it is deeply concerned
at the continuing human rights violations taking place during
land conflicts, and the impunity enjoyed by those responsible.
+-----------------------------------------------------------+
+ Supporters of Amnesty International around the world are +
+ writing urgent appeals in response to the concerns +
+ described above. If you would like to join with them in +
+ this action or have any queries about the Urgent Action +
+ network or Amnesty International in general, please +
+ contact one of the following: +
+ +
+ Ray Mitchell, u...@amnesty.org.uk (UK) +
+ Scott Harrison, shar...@igc.apc.org (USA) +
+ Guido Gabriel, ggab...@amnesty.cl.sub.de (Germany) +
+ Marilyn McKim, mmc...@amnesty.ca (Canada) +
+ u...@aibf.be (Belgium) +
+ Anne Nolan, u...@amnesty.iol.ie (Ireland) +
+-----------------------------------------------------------+