Palais des Nations, Geneva
At the Commission Agostinho Diekmann OFM began a strong campaign to raise Brazilian issues among the government and NGOs delegations to whom he distributed information packets about the struggles of the landless people.
In our statement, FI/OP stated that in Brazil, less than 3% of the population owns nearly two thirds of the country’s half billion hectares of arable land, 60% of which has never been utilized. At present, millions of Brazilians do not have a place to live. Many left their homes due to economic forces or have been forcefully evicted to make room for large farming enterprises that serve foreign interests. The struggle for land and a home is becoming more dangerous in Brazil. Organizers of the movement of the landless peoples are harassed and threatened. Recently two labor organizers were killed.
Our group supported the International Petition from the National Secretariat of the Landless Movement in Brazil. We distributed the petition to selected delegations and informed them during our contact with them that FI/OP will continue to monitor the effectiveness of the Brazilian government’s commitment to the agrarian reform. We expect to report on Brazil to the Sub Commission meeting in August 1998 and to the Commission meeting in 1999.
Summary links for the Commission 1998: Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Pakistan, Rwanda