Iapl Comdemns Killings Of Peasants In Rondonia

IAPL | 15 – 12 – 2009 | The International Association of People’s Lawyers (IAPL) strongly condemns the barbarian killings of the coordinators of the Brazil’s League of Poor Peasants (LCP), Élcio Machado, called Sabiá, and Gilson Gonçalves, on last December 7^th, in the region of Buritis, state of Rondonia, north-western Brazil.

At around 2 o’clock PM, Élcio and Gilson were kidnapped by gunmen in the road linking the peasant camp called Rio Alto and the city Buritis. They were tortured with refinements of cruelty, having their fingernails torn out and pieces of their skin scalped from their bodies and their ears cut off. Then they were summarily executed with shotgun gauge 12, in the necks. The bodies were found two days later.

On the same day at morning, two peasants had been persecuted in the same road.

Gilson Gonçalves had been interviewed in the end of 2008, by the international delegation held by IAPL, which was fact-finding the violence against peasants in Rondônia. In the occasion, he denounced the illegal arrests and harassments in the region and provided evidences against the landlord Dilson Caldato. The IAPL Fact-Finding Mission Report, regarding the case União Bandeirantes, published that

Gilson testified that he saw the men arrive and that he recognized one of the armed men, who is known to have worked for the landlord. He also said that he saw the three dead bodies. They were handcuffed and shot in the head.

acountability of State

In July 2008, the Police went to the Rio Alto camp with to make a warrantless search of weapons. Some days after, peasants were kidnapped and had their hands tied and were beaten. The peasants recognized several police officers that were in both Police raid and the gunmen action.

The peasants issued their complaint to the authorities in Rondonia’s capital, Porto Velho. They reported that the Agrarian Ombudsman, Márcia do Nascimento Correa, told that she wouldn’t mind if the peasants were killed by para-militaries gunmen. By this connivance, nothing was done.

In the last December 3rd, a meeting occurred in the office of the Nation Agrarian Reform Institute, with the the National Agrarian Ombudsman, Gercino José da Silva Filho, the landlord Dilson Caldato, and Militar Police commander in Buritis, Major Antônio Matias de Alcântara. They spread a document saying that the peasants should be punished for alleged illegal actions, asking the action of the Militar Police to “protect the properties” of landlords, and seemingly saying that the landlords would do nothing against the peasants.

In this same meeting, participated 4 gunmen of Dilson Caldato’s farm, that identified Élcio Machado.

The peasants’ movement have already made several complaints against the landlord Dilson Caldato, who rushes over the peasants lands, already reserved for Settlement Project, and supports para-militaries bodies that inflict serious crimes as the one reported.

They also report that policemen under the command of the mentioned police officer work in training the armed groups of landlords and receive money to escort the wood cut out by the landlords of the area.

What we demand

Considering the facts above reported, the International Association of People’s Lawyers is deeply concerned about the killings of Élcio Machado and Gilson Gonçalves, founding the these facts constitute strong evidences about the participation of Dilson Caldato as principal. The reports also show the involvement of the police and other state agents.

IAPL is also concerned about the role played by the National Comission Against Violence in the Countryside and the organs of the National Intitute of Agrarian Reform, as it appears to be organs that accuse the peasants and permit the unlawful actions of the landlords militias.

IAPL demands the Brazilian Government to investigate and punish the responsibles for this killings, as well as the crimes against peasants related to land struggles in popular movements, in general.

Finally, IAPL urges each organization, office or individual, worldwide, to spread these informations, demand response by the international instruments and call for solidarity to the peasants’ movement in Rondonia.

Signed:

Edre Olalia,

IAPL President