Zema, canalha e tiroso! All support for the families of the Campamento Quilombo Campo Grande in Minas Gerais, Brazil
Us, researchers and researchers CLACSO Working Group Latin American Critical Geographical Thinking, we stand in solidarity with the 450 MST families that make up the Quilombo Campo Grande Camp in the municipality of Campo do Meio in the State of Minas Gerais in the Brazilian Southeast. This afternoon on August 14, 2020, families complete 50 hours of resistance to the clearance decreed by the State Justice at the request of the former owner of the Ariadnópolis Power Plant and executed by the Military Police. O Brazil, apart from not doing agrarian reform, we see a policy of judicialization and criminalization of fighting on the land. In this sense, clearing orders are issued for the national territory as an instrument to guarantee large property and the historic concentration of land. This is the beginning of the Corona Virus pandemic and nothing more than the sad mark of more than 100 thousand dead people.
The families, linked to the Movimento de Trabalhadores Rurales Sem Terra – MST/Via Campesina, have occupied the former farm of the Ariadnópolis Power Plant for 22 years. In this space of time, without the support of public policies of the State, it becomes a reference in the production of organic coffee. What happened in these three days was a cruel and disproportionate repression against the Camponesian families. The area requested by the former owner of the Plant and sentenced by Judge Roberto Apolinário de Castro (TJ-MG) for the deintrusion has already been declared by the camps. The first step by the Military Police was to demolish the walls of the Community School. Depois disso, sobrevoou drones in the heads of two campers, even in children. To conclude, ateou fire in the rocks and in the surroundings of the camp. We are systematically using “moral effect” bombs and tear gas not because there is still resistance.
We at GTPGCL/CLACSO repudiate these arbitrary actions of the Military Police and denounce the Government of the State of Minas Gerais. On August 12, Zema lied on social networks stating that the clearing has been suspended due to an attempt to deceive the camping families and undermine their resistance. He affirmed that his Secretary of Social Development issued an official order to the Campos Gerais Region which, in turn, did not issue or request. The Government makes its clear and ideologically defined option for repression and the interests of two large land owners of the State. Therefore, we believe that with solidarity we can help Camponesian families in their resistance and in the possibility of maintaining hope for all their dreams!
O QUILOMBO WILL RESIST! THE EDUARDO GALEANO SCHOOL WILL RESIST!
#ZEMACOVARD
#SAVEQUILOMBO
August 14th, XNUMX
CLACSO Working Group
Latin American Critical Geographic Thought
This statement expresses the position of the Working Group Latin American Critical Geographic Thought and not necessarily that of the centers and institutions that make up the CLACSO international network, its Steering Committee or its Executive Secretariat.
