"It hasn't helped to have brought Lula to power"
Civil Society (Cover Story) | Date not Available http://civilsocietymagazine.com/anton_fon.htm In January 2003, when Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva was sworn in as President of Brazil, euphoria swept the nation. He was Brazil's first leftist president after 40 years. A fiery trade union leader, born in poverty, he promised to end economic misery in Brazil, under the grip of the IMF. Industrial workers and landless peasants backed him to the hilt. Two years later, activists are sceptical about Lula's radicalism. "He has distributed less land to the landless than his predecessor, Fernando Henrique Cardosa," says Anton Fon Filho, director of Rede Social, the human rights wing of MST or the Brazilian Rural Workers Landless Movement. MST is one of the most successful grassroots movements in the world. Land distribution is the most crucial issue in Brazil. Less than three percent of the population owns two-thirds of arable land. Nearly 60 percent of farmland lies idle, while 25 million landless peasants work as agricultural labour. Since 1985, MST has helped peasants occupy such land. Their "No Roof" movement got the homeless to occupy buildings and then fight for their rights. More than 250,000 families have got titles to over 15 million acres, because of MST takeovers. Their work has resulted in a new model of economic development, based on small farms, cooperatives and agro-industries. But landowners and the police shoot at peasants and MST activists. Since anybody can buy land, a strange situation has developed. Reverend Sun Hyung Moon, founder of the Unification Church, a religious sect started in North Korea, has bought some two million hectares of land along Brazil's border with Paraguay and Bolivia. "It amounts to virtually creating an independent state," says Anton. Anybody can slip between these three countries, via the Unification Church's elaborate ranch. MST occupied land there to attract the government's attention. The matter is now in court. North of Brazil lies the Amazon forest, home to the quilombo or black communities. In Alcantara, the US wanted to build a military base for launching rockets. The quilombo supported by MST put up stiff resistance. The US backed out. But the government is now extending this facility to the Ukrainian government. "We don't understand why. In fact in South America a strong movement has started against US military bases in Columbia and Argentina," says Anton. Although Brazil has resisted joining free trade agreements with the US, the respite is temporary. "Last time around the agreement was put on hold because the US government could not answer queries on agricultural subsidies. But we don't know for how long," remarks Anton. These free trade agreements permit corporations to take governments to task if any programme of theirs, whether social or environmental, interferes with their business. "Although unemployment has been reduced by two percent it means nothing unless the land question is settled," says Anton. " The economic and social structure of Brazil has to change. We supported Lula but he's not a friend anymore." There is no social movement to oppose Lula. "What we are seeing is the death of radicalism," says Anton, "The 2006 presidential elections will witness the emergence of the right. There will be only one plan, one project and people will elect the best manager." Maybe it's easier to be an activist than a president? " Lula knew everything, when he got elected. He had the prescription in his hand," says Anton. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> In low income neighborhoods, 84% do not own computers. At Network for Good, help bridge the Digital Divide! http://us.click.yahoo.com/S.QlOD/3MnJAA/Zx0JAA/uTGrlB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> �������������������������������������������������������� This is ZESTGlobal. Post articles on international affairs to [email protected] If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTGlobal by sending a blank mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTGlobal/join ==theZESTcommunity====================================== [1] ZESTCurrent: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCurrent/ [2] ZESTEconomics: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTEconomics/ [3] ZESTGlobal: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTGlobal/ [4] ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/ [5] ZESTPoets: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTPoets/ [6] ZESTCaste: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ [7] ZESTAlternative: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTAlternative/ [8] TalkZEST: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TalkZEST/ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTGlobal/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
