BY MARK FRIEDMAN
LOS ANGELES - Daniel Correia, a leader of the Movement of Landless Rural Workers (MST) in Brazil, spoke to a total of about 300 students and workers on three campuses here April 23. Meetings were held at Santa Monica Community College, University of California in Los Angeles, and California State University in Los Angeles He was accompanied by Brazilian activists from the Social Humanist Movement, members of the International Association of Machinists, and local student activists.

The MST was formed in 1985 to organize landless rural workers to defend their right to land. While the richest 20 percent of the population own 90 percent of the land in Brazil, there are 12 million landless peasants and rural workers.

Correia is a state leader of the MST from Rio Grande do Sul, and has coordinated education and agricultural training for participants in land occupations.

The programs featured a photographic display of Brazilian peasants, as well as performances by Capoeira and Samba dancers.

Correia said that "62 percent of the land is nonproductive, and the high concentration [in the hands of a few] generates a social crisis where 4.8 million families need work. Our mass strategy is to organize land occupations. We identify a big piece of land that is nonproductive and at night we occupy it. The landowners hire gunmen to try and expel the families. Often the landowners get the government to send the army or military police to expel the landless peasants." According to the Brazilian Constitution of 1988, "property should fulfill a social function" and, the "Federal government has powers to expropriate in the social interest and for the purpose of agrarian reform, rural property which is not fulfilling it's social function."

Sometimes, Correia added, the MST reaches an agreement with the government to begin expropriation procedures. In those cases the peasants suspend their occupation and set up a camp nearby. But some of these camps are now seven years old.

The MST has settled 150,000 families, and there are 75,000 more families waiting in camps in 23 Brazilian states. The MST defines its objectives as "First the struggle for land. Second, the fight for agrarian reform that through a series of measures gives the producers land and access to health and education. Third, the struggle for social change through creating alliances with workers," said Correia. "Our slogans are: Occupy, resist and produce."

The MST has faced repression from government troops and paramilitary groups, but that hasn't stopped the occupation. The organization is also carrying out a literacy campaign involving 600 educators and 7,000 students, as well as land occupations.

On April 17, 1996, 19 landless rural workers were killed and 60 wounded at Eldorado dos Caraja's, Pará state. Another nine were killed and 170 peasants hurt in Corumbiara the year before. On April 17 of last year, a commemorative march took place. Three thousand workers walked for two months and some 622 miles, from three originating cities, to join a rally of 100,000 workers and students in Brasilia. There, they demanded implementation of agrarian reform and jobs.

A video of the land occupations and the police attacks on demonstrations preceded a lively question and answer period.

Jim Dong, a student who helped organize the Santa Monica Community College, asked about the repression. Correia replied, "Violence in the cities by the military and paramilitary police is strong, including the killings of street children. Large student organizations like the National Union of Students and Brazilian Union of High School students have organized mobilizations to force the government to improve education. They have been repressed."

In response to another question about José Rainha, an MST leader facing more than 26 years in jail on trumped-up charges of killing a landowner and a cop during a 1989 land occupation, Correia said, "The Federal government is trying to criminalize our movement and turn public opinion against us. His trial has been postponed, the government is waiting until after the elections in October because they know that it will mobilize large numbers of people." Evidence presented at Rainha's first trial showed that he was in a different state at the time of the incident. There is an international campaign to demand justice for Rainha, and petitions and brochures were circulated at the meeting.

The speaker added that two more MST leaders were killed three weeks ago, and urged an international campaign of solidarity by writing the Brazilian government demanding justice and an end to the repression.

Mark Friedman is a member of the International Association of Machinists.  
 
 
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