Four Peasants Murdered and 400 Families Expelled from Macahdinho D’Oeste Camp
On November 20 an operation to evict the Macadinho D’Oeste camp in Rondônia took place, murdering four peasants and leaving more than 400 families with children without a place to live. The peasants also report that the Miltiary Police (MP) destroyed their houses and livestock pens, additionally they stole personal belongings such as clothes, mattresses and even the leg prothesis of an elderly woman.
The MP has exposed the arms which they supposedly took from the camp invasion to justify the murder of the four peasants. According to the Special Operations Battallion (BOPE), the fourth of the murdered peasants allegedly used the weapons against the police officers while while they were leaving the camp.
The blog “Terra de Rondônia” reported that the eviction was “filled with irregularities” and without an “occupational plan”, which is a legal requirement. “There was no previous technical visit, mediation, nor Plan of Action in the judicial police operation” the blog denounces. It also reports “the Agrarian Core of the Public Advocacy has asked for the suspension of the repossession of the land, but there is no news on the decision yet.”
Meanwhile, the police celebrates the eviction and states that they “responded” to the shots of the League of the Poor Peasants (LCP), who allegedly shot only when the police were leaving. They only show as proof images of old guns with some bullets. However, LCP assures that it does not participate directly in the camp itself; even though it defends, and has recently done so, the massive armed self-defense as legitimate and necessary in its areas, the movement was not directly present in the attacked area.
The MP deployed Special Operations Battalion (BOPE), Shock Battalion and Mobile Tactical Patrol (PATAMO) for this operation. In the videos spread in social media one can see armored vehicles, among them the “caveirão”, used in high-risk operations, and heavily armed officers.
Recently another campaign against the LCP was launched, the “Godos” campaign, which left one murdered and 20 detainees in one of the largest mega-operation in the area, as we have previously written about:
