BRAZIL: Land reform activist murdered

BRAZIL: Land reform activist murdered

Sandoval Alves de Lima, a land reform activist and one of the leaders
of a group of landless families occupying an estate in northeastern Brazil,
has been shot dead by a gunman closely linked to the owner of the estate.
Five other activists have received repeated death threats and are believed
to be on a death list.

Some 78 families are occupying the Fazenda Antas estate, in the municipality
of Sobrado, Paraiba state. Alves de Lima was shot dead in the street on
September 9 in the neighbouring municipality of Sape. The gunman, while
escaping on horseback, shouted to bystanders that he was not finished,
and that he had a death list with five more names on it. Witnesses reportedly
recognised the killer as a gunman known to work for a powerful local businessmen
with close links to the owner of the Fazenda Antas.

The Catholic Church human rights organisation Comissao Pastoral da Terra
(CPT — Pastoral Land Commission) has repeatedly urged the state authorities
to open a proper investigation into the murder. Despite the CPT providing
the authorities with a list of eyewitnesses, so far no action has been
taken.

The killer has reportedly been seen in public in local towns with his
employer, the businessman. The businessman has reportedly told people,
“This case is going nowhere ... it's just a little problem”.

The five other activists received numerous death threats before de Lima
was killed, reportedly from gunmen working for the businessman and the
landowner. Representatives of the CPT repeatedly denounced these threats
to the state authorities. No action was taken to bring those responsible
to justice or prevent the killing of de Lima.

The murder of de Lima occurred in the context of conflicts between landless
peasants and large landowners throughout rural Brazil. Landless leaders
are often threatened and attacked by gunmen in the pay of landowners. State
authorities often fail to take action to stop these crimes or bring those
responsible to justice. Military police evicting landless peasants have
often used excessive force, including extrajudicial executions and torture.

In August 1995 military police and hired gunmen killed 10 landless peasants
in Corumbiara, Rondonia state. In April 1996 they killed 19 members of
the Movimento Sem Terra (MST — Landless Rural Workers Movement) in Eldorado
de Carajas, Para state. This year a number of land activists have been
killed by hired gunmen in Mato Grosso do Sul and Ceara. Those responsible
are almost never brought to justice.

Amnesty International, while taking no position on the question of land
tenure or agrarian reform per se, has appealed for telegrams, telexes,
faxes or express/airmail letters in Portuguese or English to be sent expressing
grave concern at the killing of Sandoval Alves de Lima on September 9 and
at the death threats against the five other land reform activists.

These should be sent to: Dr Jose Targino Maranhao, Governador do Estado
da Paraiba, Palacio da Redencao, Praca Joao Pessoa, Centro 58000, Brazil.
Fax: 55 83 222 3857.

BY ELLEN STOKLAND

From GLW issue 423