Send a letter to President Luis Inácio Lula da
Silva. You may copy and paste this in an email to
pr@planalto.gov.br
Exmo
Sr. Luis Inácio Lula da Silva
Presidente da República
Palácio do Planalto
BRASÍLIA - DF - 70.150-900
Brazil
We
add our voice to the international clamor for the
effective abolition of slave labor in Brazil. Debt
slavery persists, a scourge to the most vulnerable
population groups in rural Brazil. In past 11 years 20
thousand slaves have been freed. They were exploited in
the deforestation of the Amazon, in the destruction of
grasslands, the production of charcoal for metallurgy,
or as laborers for modern agribusinesses. Nearly 250
cases are reported each year, involving 8 thousand
workers thus some estimate annual total of 40,000
workers. The efforts to eliminate this embarrassment
– which began in 1995 and were revitalized when
you entered office – have not had the promised
results. More than 600 rural landlords were caught with
slaves during this period, but none of them are in
prison, none have had property confiscated, and many
continue the practice (despite the implementation of
innovative financial sanctions through labor lawsuits
and the “dirty list” of farms and ranches
caught using slaves as created by your government). We
assert that the Brazilian State is not satisfactorily
complying with its written agreements neither
domestically (National Plan for the Eradication of
Slave Labor) nor internationally (ILO and UN
Conventions; Agreement for an Amicable Solution with
the OAS in the ‘Jose Pereira’ case).
Therefore,
we hope that you will join us to urgently
demand:
-
from the Legislative Body: approval
of the Constitutional amendment that foresees, to the
benefit of agrarian reform, the confiscation of
slaveholders lands. Moreover, that Congress adopt the
remaining legal reforms defined in previously signed
agreements.
-
from the Judiciary: the
Federal Supreme Court should decide who should judge
the crime of “work analogous to slavery”
– whether a Federal Court (as stated in the
Constitution) or a lower judicial body (as alleged by
an old and contested court case). The persistent lack
of decision in this regard has guaranteed impunity to
those committing this crime. In addition, the immediate
confirmation, also by the Federal Supreme Court, of the
constitutional principle of expropriation of rural
lands that fail to comply with their economic, social
or environmental function, beginning with the
emblematic case of Cabaceiras Farm (PA).
-
from your Government: your
commitment not only to achieving the above mentioned
items, but also to implementing policies for the
effective generation of decent employment, for ample
agrarian reform and support of rural agriculture,
thereby prioritizing, in addition to food security,
social inclusion and dignity in the countryside.
Together with all of society – Brazilian and
worldwide –
we will continue supporting the efforts of those
combating slavery, and at the same time, denouncing and
requiring changes, denying
our votes to slaveholders and their accomplices, and
refusing to buy merchandise produced by modern-day
slave labor.
Respectfully,
(name/date/place)
Open
your eyes and don’t be enslaved. Campaign against
Slavery in Brazil.
O
OLHO PARA NÃO VIRAR ESCRAVO! Campanha contra o Trabalho
Escravo no Brasil
Comissão
Pastoral da Terra – Cáritas – Serviço
Pastoral do Migrante - Repórter Brasil – CEJIL -
AATR, Pastoral
