The Peasants mobilize in Brazil to Demand the Legalization of their Lands
Featured image: Great Public Assembly in Pernambuco. Source: AND
A Nova Democracia reported on the mobilization of 600 peasants in Pernambuco, in the northeast of the country, to demand the regulation of the possession of their land. These mobilizations were organized by several popular movements, among which is the League of Poor Peasants (LCP) and the Brazilian Association of Lawyers of the People – Gabriel Pimenta (ABRAPO), giving legal support.
First, a march was made in the municipality of Jaqueira, and later, the Great Public Assembly was held, where the hoarding of disused mills was denounced and they demanded from the old State the regularize their possessions. This great organization of the peasants has suddenly happened, but is the fruit of the work of “dozens of meetings, assemblies, agitations, lives, etc” that formed an Organizing Committee. After the demonstration, numerous peasant songs were sang such as Conquistar a terra or O risco, speeches to support the future clashes that will come were held and the flag of the Heroic Palestinian National Resistance was waved to show the proletarian internationalism support of the struggle of the peoples against the oppressors.
Movimento Feminino Popular (MFP) made a tribute in memory of Menino Jonatas, son of a peasant leader of the area killed by the goons of the big landlords.
Lately, the peasants expressed all their demands to the Municipality, the City Council of Jaqueira, INCRA and ITERPE, institutes related to the “agrarian reform”. They were invited by the Organizing Committee. The demands of the peasants are: the end of fraudulent auctions and leases, the extinction of eviction orders and punishment for the crimes of the big landlord Guilherme Maranhão and his goons. In addition to the legalization of all the lands of the unused Frei Caneca plant for the peasants who worked there for decades without having received their labor rights and the squatter families that live and work in these lands for at least two centuries.
After several excuses and showing data that shows that they can do something, the possession of certain lands was promised to the people by the State organization, and the Organizing Committee set the deadline on November 15th or a “Great Meeting of Peasant Struggle in the capital of Pernambuco” would be held. The Great Public Assembly had fulfilled its objectives and converted the counteroffensive of the peasants into success.
AND writes on this regard: “After years of resistance, the Pernambucan peasantry of the Da Mata Sul area began its counteroffensive in a decisive and powerful way, intensifying its struggle to conquer the sacred right to land for those who live and work on it, and for defeating the attacks of the big landlords, coordinated with the State and supported by the institutions of the old State. Thus, the representatives of the agricultural organisms were warned: if they do not fulfill their constitutional obligation to keep the big landlords away from the popular lands and their goons outside the peasant areas, they will also be shaken by the great peasant resistance. ”
