Brazil: Democrats come together in solidarity with the peasants of the Area Gedeon José Duque
Hereby we publish a unofficial translation of an article of the Newspaper A Nova Democracia from Brazil.
Responding to the call of the Brazilian Center of Solidarity of the People (CEBRASPO) and the Brazilian People’s Association (ABRAPO), their representatives, the Support Committee to A Nova Democracia, the professors of the Federal University of Rondonia and the Federal Institute of Rondonia, representatives of the Central Directory of Students of the UNIR (DCI/UNIR), the Academic Centers of English Letters and Geography, the National Executives and Executives of Rondonia of Students of Pedagogy (ExNEPe and ExROEPe), members of research groups HISTEDBR/UNIR and of the Research Group of Agrarian Territory and Geography Bureau of Amazonia (GTGA), the Revolutionary People’s Student Movement (MEPR) and the People’ s Woman Movement (MF) participated on the days 12th and 13th of April, in mission of solidarity to the revolutionary area of Gedeon José Duque, that’s being lead by Poor Peasants League, listening to reports and expressing support to the peasant’s struggle.
The objective of the mission was listening to the peasants of the area Gedeon José Duque, who been targeted in an attack of goons the last days; they wanted to get an impression of the emotional and physical conditions of the families, collect testimonies and statements of the incidents and see the peasants areas Valdiro Chagas, Gonzalo, and the surroundings. On the base of collected information, it came to a production of a circumstantial report, on the base of collected information that eventually will identify committed crimes by the goons (guaxebas), big landlords, agents of the repressive forces, other state organs, and states negligence. The report when it will be finished, will be sent by the collective to regional, national and international entities of defense of human rights, as well as to entities of the class and social movement.
On their arrival the participants of the mission were received with aplause by the meeting of the peasants in the center of AR Valdiro Chargas. Then they visited the peasants of the Revolutionary Areas Valdiro Chagas, Gonzalo 1&2 and Vila Amigos do Campo, inviting them ti participate in a People’s Assembly end in a celebration of the Brazilian People’s Heroes Day that took place a day after. Side by side the peasants highlighted the importance of the participation and unity of the peasants for the defense of Área Revolucionária Gedeon.
During the mobilizations there could be heard the reports of families affected by the criminal action of the “Invasão Zero”’ movement’s goons directed by their chef Gesulino Cesar Travagine
Castro supported by the Military Police. A peasant reported to the local correspondent of AND that “the police said that they in favor of the locals but resulted that they protected the pistoleros”. Other families denounced that the goons burned down barracks, crops and killed pigs and dogs in addition to the death threats against the peasants. According to the peasant’s reports the pistoleros acted in coordination with the PM with a car, nine Pickups and a bulldozer.
The whole day was full of active unity expressed in collective work and solidarity. Peasants, students and professors organized themselves for the necessary work for the organization of the People’s Assembly, decorated by LCP flags and banners. During that day a medic, a representative of CEBRASPO realized basic medical healthcare of the families.
Solidarity and combativness are mark the second day of the mission
Students, professors got together with the peasants to prepare the collective breakfast of al present. From the harvest of Jam root to the preparation of the food, all participated together, strengthening the collective work. At the same time they did together the decoration of the place where the People’s Assembly was celebrated.
On the People’s Assembly of the 13th of April, all came together to commemorate the heroes of the Brazilian People. Peasants, students and professors sang the songs of combat and the Hymn of the Poor Peasants League, “Conquistar a Terra”, the songs “Bella Ciao” and “O risco”. They gave their Salute to the Poor Peasants League and the Agrarian Revolution in an exuberant way.
More then 130 persons participated in this activity, where peasant leaders could denunciate the Big Landlord’s crimes, at the same time defending the justified self-defense of the masses, shouting for unity of coordinated action of all families in the areas to protect their land and families. At the end of the activity, a big part of the participants took part in a collective reading of a manifesto, meanwhile others been singing intensively the songs of combat and words of the resistance like, The land for those who work it! Long live the Agrarian Revolution now! Death to the Big Landlords and the Bourgeoisie! Long live the worker’s and peasant’s power!, in front of the place where the local took place.
Additionally there was paid homage to personalities of the peasants’ and people’s movement in Brazil, like the comrades Renato Nathan, Gedeon José Duque, Valdiro Chagas and to our beloved general director, the great professor Fausto Arruda with the words, Fausto Arruda, present in the Fight!
Peasants don’t give up the struggle
The mission of solidarity gave new powers to the peasants’ mood and disposition for their fight for land. Also facing the repression of the goons lead by the Big Landowners and with support of the police forces the peasants gathered new forces in their combativeness exclaiming that despite the attack of the “Invasão Zero” movement, they won’t stop fighting till they conquer the land of Área Gedeon José Duque.
“We are not a group without land, cause we got the land that is there, it is only necessary to take it back and the Big landlord won’t.” said one of the peasants
