The Milton Santos Settlement in Brazil is threatened with eviction after a struggle of more than 10 years for acquiring and maintaning their land. At this point, the struggle for land reform, one of the most meaningful social movements in Brazil, is seriously in danger and in urgent need of solidarity. We are all Milton Santos!
Solidarity’s appeal for Milton Santos settlement families
The Milton Santos settlment community lives in an urgent and extremely delicate situation .
The Milton Santos settlment is a 7 years community built by 68 families that battled in the struggle for agrarian reform and built their houses homes and their lifes working in the land and food production at Americana’s region, São Paulo, Brazil. However, since july 2012, the Milton Santos settlers are suffering pression to leave the land where they were legally seated by president Lula and Incra, in 23 december 2005.
In the middle of last year, Incra (National Institute for Colonization and Agrarian Reform) was subpoenaed to obey a property reintegration submited by the Abdalla family, the old owner from whom the terrain was partly confiscated in the 70′s because they had debts with Brazil government. Ignoring the long and painful community building process – which includes the support of several governamentals programs – the judge Luiz Stefanini authorized the eviction order.
Since then, many alternatives were tried to find a solution. Meetings with governement leaders and protests were realized, but none of them brought the warranty that the families needed to come back to their lifes and continue to work.
In the beginning of this year, january 9, Incra was oficially notified by the judge decision, starting a 15 days delay until the eviction. The document says that at 24 january, the eviction order can happen with the use of police support. And, in the region’s historical context, it’s possible that the police action will be very violent.
The settlers don’t have any alternative, so they promisse to fight til the last consequence so they can stay living peaceful in their houses, with their plantations, in the 7 year community in which they worked. Thence, they reclaim that the Brazilian president, Dilma Roussef, subscribe the expropriation for social interest, the only way that would permanently resolve the problem.
The situation in the local is extremely tense. It’s urgent to spread news of what is happening with Milton Santos settlement and support the farmers struggle, because the eviction can happen after the day 24 of this month. We appeal to all supporters, journalists and human rights watchers to pay attention to this case and not let that violence happens again, like the Pinheirinho’s (2012) eviction.
Read and share about the case:
www.assentamentomiltonsantos.com.br
http://www.facebook.com/AssentamentoMiltonSantos
Contact: [email protected]
Coletivo de Comunicação do Assentamento Milton Santos
Communication Colletive of the Milton Santos Settlement
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