By Emilee Gaebler
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

BRASILIA, Brazil– Preparations for hosting the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics are in full swing.  As the Brazilian government works hard to improve the infrastructures of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro thousands are being forced out of their homes.

The communities that are bearing the brunt of these “urbanization” projects are Brazil’s poorest, the favelas.  In Rio de Janeiro, those living in the favelas in the Zona Norte (North Zone) and Zona Oueste (West Zone) are being relocated to make way for new roadways and new buildings.

Berenice Maria das Neves, a resident of one of the favelas leveled in Rio de Janeiro was forced out in late May.  She received a summons in the mail to appear at City Hall and once there was told her house had been condemned.  She was given a check for 8,000 reais (US $5000) as compensation and her home was a pile of rubble before she even returned from City Hall. 

She now faces the challenge of finding a new home, which will be quite the challenge as, “[w]hat use is 8,000 reais?  I’d need at least four times as much to find a house to buy” she says.

Carlos Nuzman, the chairman for the Rio Olympics organizing committee, points to the rehousing programs to justify these forced evictions.  The three programs; “Vila Nova Chocolatão,” “Growth Acceleration Program” and “Minha Casa, Minha Vida” center on the development of housing projects for low income families in the suburbs of the cities but the projects are far from the city center.  Those who do take up residence are forced to live 30 miles or more from where they work.

Human rights groups, monitoring the forced evictions in the favelas, are concerned.  Many express worries that this process is simply a ruse; that Brazil is using the World Cup and Olympics as an excuse to push the poor out of the city centers and free-up land for developers to make profits off of. 

A local councilor, Eliomar Coelho, said, “[t]his is a clear example of how the government treats the poor.  A big opportunity has been missed.  Instead of being better off as a result of the boom, these people will end up worse off.  It’s a complete violation of their human rights.”

Also disturbing, is the growing number of reports that the militia has taken advantage of the relocation situation.  These reports indicate that the militia is forcing newly relocated families out of their low-income houses and then putting the houses up for sale.

 

For more information, please see;

Global Issues –Brazil: More Community Input Needed In Relocation of Favelas – 5 July 2011

Prospect Journal of International Affairs at UCSD – Human Rights Abuses in Brazil’s Favelas in Preparation for World Cup and Olympics: Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo – July 2011

BBC News – Rio Olympics: Favela Poor Evicted as City Spruced Up – 30 June 2011

The Rio Times – Minha Casa, Minha Vida Phase Two – 21 June 2011

The Rio Times – Favelas Moved for World Cup and Olympics – 10 May 2011

Vergara was shot three times outside of the school at which he taught.  Witnesses said that he was attacked as he stepped outside to take a phone call.  Gómez was injured by gunmen early in the morning on May 26.  He was later taken to a nearby hospital where he passed away three days later on May 29.

Núñez was shot in the head by a hired gunman as he was celebrating his 46^th birthday.  López disappeared after leaving the school he taught at.  His body was hung with barbed wire and found days later; it also showed signs of being tortured.

The four teachers were members of the teachers’ unions ADEMACOR (Asociación de Maestros de Córdoba) and SUTEV (Sindicato Único de Trabajadores de la Educación del Valle).  Their murders are the most recent in a long line of trade unionist slayings.  Since December of 2008 there have been 20 teachers murdered in the Department of Córdoba alone.

After the killing of Vergara in early May, Domingo Ayala, president of ADEMACOR,   declared that he was going to make a complaint to the International Criminal Court.  For Ayala, the continuing pattern of unionist killings shows that no deterrent has been provided by Colombia.

The International Trade Union Confederation (“ITUC”) called for immediate government action saying, “[t]he context of almost total impunity for these murders has led to an alarming humanitarian crisis in the education sector and has put teaching and trade union actions at risk, [it] clearly refutes the Colombian governments’ statements in international forums about human rights’ improvements.”

The United Steelworkers also condemned the Colombian government’s lack of action in bringing those responsible to justice.  They expressed outrage that U.S.  representatives are considering passing the Free Trade Agreement between the two countries when the Colombian government is unable to address the brutality against unionists in its own country.

For more information, please see;

Colombia Reports – 17 Murdered Unionists a Grim Record for Colombia: US Union – 30 June 2011

Teacher Solidarity – Two More Teachers Murdered in Colombia – 27 June 2011

Education International – EI Condemns the Murders of More Teachers in Colombia – 26 June 2011

CNN World – Union Group Slams Colombia Over Recent Killings of 2 Teachers – 24 June 2011

Colombia Reports – Teacher’s Murder in North Colombia Sparks Complaint to ICC – 17 May 2011

By Paula Buzzi
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

Over the past month, more than 200,000 people have participated in organized protests held on the streets of Santiago. Protest organizers claim that such mass protests are necessary to grab the government’s attention and put education reform high up on their agenda.

Education Minister Joaquin Lavin responded to the strike earlier this week by drafting the 75 million USD “Public University Education Revitalizing Fund;” an act which some believe to be a superficial solution to the education crisis. Additionally, Lavin has moved up winter break by 12 days, claiming that the shorter winter break will allow students to make up the class time they have missed while being on strike.

Some protestors, however, are not satisfied with Lavin’s response, claiming that the government’s recent action reflects its inability to solve conflicts. Many are demanding an end to for-profit education fueled by the unstable market. Jaime Gajardo, president of the College of Professors, believes educational policies must be redesigned. “We cannot continue on this path of privatization,” he tells CNN Chile.

Other groups in support of public education include: The Center Labor Federation (“CUT”), the Communist Party, and the Allende Party of Socialism (PSA).

CUT president, Arturo Martinez, defended his position to join the mobilization based on the fact that the high cost of education is being funded by working families.

For more information, please see:

Associated Press — Chile moves up school vacations as protests rage —29 June 2011

Inside Costa Rica — Chile: New National Strike against For-Profit Education — 28 June 2011

Escambray – Deeper Reforms Are Needed, Chilean Students  – 27 June 2011

El Universal — Protestan en Chile 20 mil estudiantes —24 June 2011

CNN — Chileans rally in capital to demand better education policies — 16 June 2011