Tuesday 24 January 2012

Brazil must address needs of thousands left homeless following eviction (#Brasil)


Amnesty International has called on the Brazilian authorities to urgently address the needs of some 1,600 families made homeless by a forced eviction in a settlement in São Paulo state, Brazil.

The eviction, which has been ongoing since Sunday, was carried out without prior warning, while negotiations were still under way and without provision of alternative housing.

Violent clashes between police and residents continued into Monday after a state judge ordered almost 2,000 police officers into the Pinheirinho settlement on the outskirts of São José dos Campos. Police authorities say the eviction will finish tomorrow.

“This eviction violates a raft of international standards," said Atila Roque, the director of Amnesty International, Brazil.

“The operation was carried out in a deeply inappropriate manner: early in the morning on a Sunday and without any adequate warning. It was pushed through even though negotiations with authorities to find a peaceful way out were ongoing,” he said.

Police descended on the area without warning at 6am on Sunday in riot gear, backed up by armoured cars and helicopters and using tear gas and rubber bullets. The authorities cut electricity, gas and telephone lines and cordoned off the area, restricting access to homes.

Some 30 people have been arrested after some residents of the eight-year-old settlement resisted the eviction with barricades, burning cars and throwing rocks and sticks.

The eviction order went against a previous agreement to suspend the eviction while a peaceful solution was sought, including the possibility that the federal government could buy the land and legalise the residents’ land titles.

A number of residents have gone to stay with relatives, while others – around 350 families - have been housed in a gymnasium with inadequate sanitation. Some have been allowed back into the evicted area to collect belongings before houses are demolished.

The Pinheirinho settlement was formed in 2004, when groups of homeless people occupied abandoned land belonging to a bankrupt investment firm.

Churches, football pitches, libraries and shops have sprung up in the area and local residents have been trying to legalize the situation through a state government programme called Cidade Legal, but without success.

The residents association are now appealing to the Superior Federal Court (STF) for the eviction order to be overturned.

“What is happening in Pinheirinho is part of an unfortunate pattern of forced evictions in Brazil: as the country booms, tens of thousands of poor families are being removed to make way for infrastructure and private development projects, without receiving adequate protection and alternative housing,” said Atila Roque.

“The Brazilian authorities must immediately address the needs of the thousands of people who now have been left homeless. They must actively engage with the residents to find a long-term solution that suits their needs – not temporary spaces in shelters which split up families,” he added.

Despite considerable investment by the federal government, Brazil struggles with a huge housing deficit and millions of people across the country live in irregular settlements.

Under international law, including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural rights (ICESCR), Brazil is prohibited from carrying out forced evictions, and must protect people from forced evictions.


This work forms part of Amnesty International’s Demand Dignity campaign, which focuses on human rights violations that drive and deepen poverty. Under the campaign, Amnesty International is focusing on human rights violations against people living in informal settlements and slums.

4 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. Please help stop another massacre, and human violations in Brazil, against the native tribe Guarani Kaiowa, from Laranjeira Nhanderu, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. About 170 members of the community, including 100 children and 30 elderly, are agonizing about an eviction order to leave in 15 days. Eviction FROM THEIR traditional land, without have been giving a place to go. These are the news written by Tonico Guarani Kaiowa:
    "SINCE the BEGINNING of the YEAR 2012 WE'RE ALL IN DESPAIR HERE IN THE STATE OF Mato Grosso.
    In fact, the current situation of our people of Guarani-kaiowá each day gets worse and is in final process of decimation, so all we are in total despair THERE is no HOPE to KEEP ALIVE our life and our culture without our land. Harmful actions against our lives and cultures come from two instances, i.e. when it is not the gunmen and farmers, the justice themselves generate injustices, SO UNFORTUNATELY the INJUSTICES are a REALITY in MS.
    We just received news that PF is gearing up to dump by force the community of Orange Ñanderu-Rio Brillante-MS.
    In this country of Brazil, it appears that there is no justice for the people of Guarani-Kaiowá.
    I will be sending you the news."
    TONICO GUARANI KAIOWÁ
    ------------------------------------------------
    JUSTICE ORDERS THE SUSPENSION OF THE DEMARCATIONS OF NATIVE LANDS AND ORDERS THE EXPULSION OF THE GUARANI KAIOWÁ BECAUSE THEIR LANDS ARE NOT DEMARCATED. CAN THIS BE?
    UOL has published the story below which provides additional information on the situation.
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    "The Justice gave a period of 15 days for a group of Indians guarani-kaiowá from the laranjeira Nhanderu land, in Mato Grosso do Sul, to abandon the area, which is claimed by farmers. The rationale, according to information from the Cimi (CCME) in the region, was that the Nacional Fundation do Índio (Funai) did not provide the identification of land report. India Luciene Almeida, daughter of the local leader, said that federal politicians were in the village this Friday the 27th, to give the order of repossession and communicate that the Indians would have 15 days to leave the land. In the village live 170 Indians, being 100 children and 30 elderly.

    "We have no where to go. We have been here four years and we already have had to stand on the roadside twice, "said Luciene, referring to two other evictions orders that the tribe had to fulfill.
    http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=220728708020398

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  3. I just saw your comment! I'm so sorry! Should I still repost this! Please let me know and when you want me to post something, please e-mail me at sofiasmith@hotmail.ca! I will see things more quickly that way and will be able to respond quicker!!!!

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  4. I have posted the content you provided as a blog post today! hope it helps at least a little!

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