- Brazil: Highway is blocked against expansion of eucalyptus plantations

On 8 March, a major mobilization took place on Route BR-101 North in the Brazilian State of Espirito Santo, in the locality of São Mateus. Coinciding with International Women’s Day, and with numerous women participants, close on 600 Tupinikim and Guarani indigenous people, representatives of the Quilombos (Afro-Brazilian communities) and members of the Landless Rural Workers Movement (the well-known MST) and of the Small Farmers’ Movement (MPA, a member of the Via Campesina), occupied the highway and halted traffic.

The choice of this highway was not random. Every hour some 39 lorries pass along it, transporting eucalyptus logs to the Aracruz Cellulose company factories, as well as pulp from the Bahia Sul company.

The demonstrators are members of the Alert against the Green Desert Movement, struggling against large-scale monoculture tree plantations in the country. The main objective of this demonstration was to protest against the Federal Government’s National Forestry Plan, which shortly intends to extend the area of tree plantations by 2 million more hectares (from the present 5 to 7 million hectares).

One of the companies benefiting from this extension will be Aracruz Cellulose. This company, which was established with Federal Government resources during the military dictatorship, presently has 220,000 hectares of eucalyptus plantations in the State of Espirito Santo. A large part of these lands belonged to the Quilombo and Indigenous communities and were taken by force by the company, or purchased at prices much below their value. Evicted from their lands, the Afro-descendent and Indigenous peoples joined the belt around the city of San Mateus, and it is calculated that 60 of its surrounding neighbourhoods are basically formed by people evicted from their lands by Aracruz Cellulose. It was also denounced that in the municipality of Conceição da Barra, 47% of the land is devoted to monoculture eucalyptus plantations.

Vast amounts of agro-toxic chemicals are used in eucalyptus plantations that destroy biodiversity and contaminate people, water and soil. It is thus that good agricultural land is lost and not used to produce food but pulp to be exported to Europe and the United States, where it is mainly turned into toilet paper. Those benefiting from this model are a small sector in Brazil and in particular, European industry producing the machinery and technology for the pulp and paper sector.

Last year the company’s environmental crimes were denounced before the Federal Government, but so far no measures have been adopted to halt the abuse. For this reason, with the highway demonstration, the participants expressed their protest against the Federal Government and the State Government’s omission regarding the complaints, in addition to seeking community support in their struggle for land.

Tens of placards made it clear that the demonstrators want an agrarian reform, the production of healthy food and the devolution of Indigenous and Quilombo lands, today occupied by the mega-company Aracruz Cellulose. Some of the slogans read: “Aracruz Cellulose: invader of Indigenous and Quilombo lands,” “MST and MPA are taking action against eucalyptus trees and sugar cane monoculture plantations.”

The demonstrators announced that if their claims are not addressed, there will be further demonstrations. They consider that this struggle should be the priority of a people’s government and that it is unacceptable that President Lula’s government is giving privileges to the small sector of large-scale eucalyptus plantations and production of pulp for export, with a production chain consuming vast sums of public money but generating very few jobs. For example the construction of Veracel Cellulose’s new pulp mill in the State of Bahia, will cost over 1,000 million dollars and will only generate some 400 permanent jobs. Those who suffer most from this type of “development” are women, who lose their lands and with them, their means of survival.

Article based on information from: “Índios, quilombolas, sem terra e pequenos produtores param carretas da Aracruz e Bahia Sul Celulose em protesto contra a política do Governo Federal de apoio à expansão do plantio de eucalipto”, Vitória, 8 March 2004, statement by MPA, MST, FASE/ES; “Manifestação pára carretas da Aracruz Celulose na BR-101” and “Polícia Rodoviária tenta liberar carretas da Aracruz Celulose na BR-101”, Ubervalter Coimbra e Apoena, seculodiario.com - 08/03/2004, material sent by FASE, e-mail: geise.fase@terra.com.br

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- Ecuador: The Nature Conservancy conspires with the United States Embassy and USAID for the adoption of the Biodiversity Bill

Tracing back the background of United States pressure on Ecuadorian politics could take us very far back in time and consume many pages. However, in order to analyze recent events, we should mention the FTAA (Free Trade Area of the Americas) ministerial summit meeting held in Miami in November 2002, where the United States lost power and had to accept the Brazilian proposal for a “more flexible FTAA.” Also decisive was the establishment of the Group of 22 (under the initiative of Brazil, China and India, demanding the elimination of the strong Northern agricultural subsidies) during the World Trade Organization ministerial conference in Cancun.

Faced by the obstacles to their interests of trade expansion, the United States has sought a strategy involving the signing of bilateral agreements, strongly promoted by the Bush administration. With these they manage to maintain barriers protecting some industrial sectors and to introduce additional tariffs.

On 18 November 2003, the United States trade representative Robert Zoellick presented a letter to United States Congress, describing the reasons for the foreign and trade policy, negotiating a free trade area with Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia.

And one thing leads to another. In order to sign a bilateral agreement with the United States and “access its market,” the country in question must undertake a series of changes. The Ambassador, Kristy Kenny declared that if Ecuador wants to reach the negotiation table for a bilateral free-trade agreement, it must make a series of legislative changes regarding the environment, biodiversity, intellectual property and labour issues, among others.

It is in this framework that pressure is being exerted in Ecuador for the adoption of a controversial Biodiversity Bill, promoting, among other things, strategic control of biodiversity-rich areas. On 15 January this year, an important meeting was held at the Quito office of the US-based organization The Nature Conservancy (TNC). The participants, in addition to the hosting NGO, were representatives of the Ecuadorian Environmental NGOs, CEDA (Ecuadorian Centre for Environmental Law), Ecociencia, the Natura Foundation, the Rumicocha Foundation – some of these are “partners” of TNC – and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The objective of the meeting was to “Establish a high level strategy for lobbying, designating the roles and tasks of TNC partner organizations, USAID and U.S. Embassy, in order to put pressure on the members of the National Congress for the adoption of the Biodiversity Bill, during its second debate.” Thus a first “low profile” stage was defined (lasting 2 months), during which work would be carried out with the members of the Health, Environmental and Ecological Protection Commissions of the National Congress towards the adoption of the Biodiversity Bill Report. Following this, strong lobbying was to be undertaken with the political party blocks to get the bill adopted at the plenary, and by the President of the Republic, approaching and lobbying the Presidential Legal Advisory Office and members of the Patriotic Society Party. The second stage would have a “high profile” with pressure exerted through a short-lasting mass campaign on radio, television and in the press, communicating and publicising the bill.

The obvious questions are: “Is this not an overt interference in the internal matters of a sovereign country? Is it acceptable that a foreign embassy openly conspires to put pressure on a freely elected parliament to get a tailor-made bill adopted? For whom is this law so important? What interests would it benefit and to whom would it cause damage?

The fact is that this bill would enable, among other things, protected areas to be privatized and collective rights to be ignored. Under its article 21, it authorizes “the participation of …non-governmental conservationist organizations and research institutions” in the planning, coordination, control and assessment of the management of the national protected areas system. Article 29 authorizes the Ministry of the Environment to enable participation by public, private or joint bodies, through concessions, delegation and other legal figures, in the goods and services of the Protected Areas Heritage. And this is where TNC comes in.

TNC is a powerful United States NGO, with a strategy for access and management of protected areas on a world level which fits perfectly into the United States strategy of controlling areas in countries – such as Ecuador – which are rich in biodiversity (see the article on Indonesia in this same Bulletin). Thus, TNC has received generous donations by the United States government for contracts or purchase of land, amounting to 174 million dollars between 1997 and 2001 and some additional 142 million dollars during the year 2000.

In its eagerness to make environmental results coincide with business, TNC works with major corporations. What is more, several of them are members of its board of directors. Among the companies with a poor environmental reputation that have contributed to TNC for the purchase of lands and other activities are: the BP oil company, General Motors, Orvis, MBNA, Centex House, Georgia Pacific Corp., 3M, Bank of America, Busch Entertainment, The Republic of Tea, the Home Depot, American Electric Power, Boeing, General Electric, Merril Lynch, Millstone Coffee.

The close links between certain environmental NGOs and United States research institutes with the private business sector should be closely followed by all those who are backing the real defence of nature, of which human beings are also part and which they are responsible for. Some peoples understood this in the past and acted consequently, but modern neo-liberal development with its econometric and technical knowledge and its tax year urgencies, is increasingly getting out of its depth regarding wisdom and even the conservation instinct.

The people of Ecuador know this, and are alert, yet again in defence of their past and their future.

Article based on information from: “Alerta urgente desde el Ecuador. The Nature Conservancy conspira con Embajada de Estados Unidos y la AID para la aprobación de Ley de Biodiversidad”, Acción Ecológica communiqué sent by Cecilia Chérrez, Acción Ecológica/Instituto de Estudios Ecologistas del Tercer Mundo, e-mail: instituto@accionecologica.org ; “El TLC bilateral Ecuador-Estados Unidos oculta demasiado”, Acción Ecológica, http://alainet.org/active/show_text.php3?key=5639 ; “Ayuda Memoria Reunión de Estrategia Ley de Biodiversidad”, 15 January 2004

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- Ecuador: Campaign to obtain the freedom of Floresmilo Villalta

Floresmilo Villalta is a 63-year old peasant, who since 1997 together with many other peasants, faces persecution, threats and aggression from the logging company, BOTROSA, for the simple reason that he demands that his lands, given illegally in concession to the company, be returned to him.

For years now, the peasants have been demanding governmental protection from BOTROSA aggression and guarantees for their security in accordance with the law assisting them, legally recognized by the National Congress, the Fiscal Minister and the Constitutional Tribunal, among others, which have sentenced in their favour. (See Action Alert May 2003 http://www.wrm.org.uy/alerts/may03.html)

Instead of the land being returned and the peasants compensated –as ordered by the Public Ministry- Floresmilo Villalta, together with 14 other peasants, was accused of acts of terrorism by the BOTROSA company.

At this time, Floresmilo’s life is in danger as he has been imprisoned and threatened with death in the Esmeraldas Penitentiary in Ecuador. We are requesting that messages of support be sent, making the BOTROSA logging company and the National Government responsible for his life and requesting the immediate release of the arrested peasants.

Correspondence should be addressed to the President of the Supreme Court of Esmeraldas, the lawyer Victor Guicapi, FAX (503-6) 271 1002, to the Government Minister, Raul Baca Carbo, Fax (593-2) 258 0067 / Tel. 2584914.

Here below we are attaching a copy of the letter sent by Dr. Patricio Benalcázar Alarcón, President of the Regional Foundation for Advice on Human Rights – International Human Rights Federation (Fundación Regional de Asesoría en Derechos Humanos – Federación Internacional de Derechos Humanos INREDH – FIDH) Ecuador.

Quito, March 19, 2004

Mr. Victor Guilcapi Camacho
PRESIDENT
SUPREME COURT OF ESMERALDAS

Dear Sir,

Through the present letter, we wish to denounce before you the injustice committed by the Esmeraldas attorney agent, seated in Quinindé, the Lawyer Ider Garcia Delgado, and by the Judge of the 4th Criminal Instance of Quininde, the Lawyer German Moya Mondragon, against FLORESMILO VILLALTA, a 63-year old peasant who has been facing persecution, threats and aggression by the BOTROSA logging company since 1997.

These facts have been confirmed by the Constitutional Tribunal, the People’s Defence Office, the Commission for Indigenous Affairs and the Commission for Political Control of the National Congress, the State General Accounting Office, the Ministry of the Environment, the Commission for Civil Control against Corruption. The Attorney Minister Mariana Yepez also launched a fiscal file on this matter. All these public documents point to the fact that FLORESMILO VILLALTA and other peasants from the area have been evicted from their plots and should be compensated. Furthermore, they recognize that the company is illegally occupying the lands of the State Forest Heritage in the sector in conflict with the peasants.

With this background, the process is framed in the persecution of FLORESMILO VILLALTA by the BOTROSA logging company, through its economic and political power. The victim, that the State through its institutions, has noted should be compensated, has become the "intellectual author" of terrorist acts following the sole testimony of the BOTROSA Company, through its legal representative, Pedro José Arteta.

For these reasons, we demand the immediate release of FLORESMILO VILLALTA, and that the SUPREME COURT revises the process and the conduct of the Attorney and the Judge in all the processes against FLORESMILO VILLALTA and 14 other peasants in the fourth criminal court of QUININDE. We would remind you that a complaint has already been lodged before the Legal Council by the former ombudsman, Dr. Raul Moscoso, regarding the action of this court against FLORESMILO VILLALTA and of the peasants in the sector of Las Golondrinas and the Malimpia Parrish.

As a body, we will be monitoring the illegitimate process followed against FLORESMILO VILLALTA.

Dr. Patricio Benalcazar Alarcon.
President INREDH- FIDH Ecuador
CC- Dr. Hugo Quintana, President of the Supreme Court

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- Paraguay: Forests and communities at the mercy of an unsustainable model

Paraguay, an eminently agricultural country is facing the false dilemma of choosing between technology or “to continue being backwards.”

The technology applied to agriculture over the past 40 years – as from the Green Revolution with its package of agro-toxic and now transgenic products –promised to overcome the obstacles that hinder agricultural production and to solve hunger.

Now, what is wrong with the technology that so many people are opposing? Or, what is bad about the “backwardness” that so many others complain about? Historically, agriculture has been developed for thousands of years in family plots, farms and strips of land that were no bigger than 10 hectares per family. The increase in external demand for agricultural products has encouraged groups that are able to access major lines of credit to increase the area under plantation in order to obtain greater economic benefits.

Paraguay is no exception to this temptation. From the 10 hectares of varied crops in family farms, we are now talking about farms where 1000 hectares or more are planted, with a single species. This has caused large blocks of forest, savanna or even wetlands to be transformed into company plantation areas in our country.

Has this “progress” solved the problem of suitable food for the country’s population? Today consumer agricultural products have become scarce, expensive and unhealthy for the common consumer. FAO statistics show that the levels of malnutrition and extreme poverty have risen abruptly over the past 40 years and have been further enhanced over the past 10 years.

If the technological packages supposedly increase and enhance the quality and quantity of products, why is it that there is more hunger and poverty? The reply is almost obvious: because we have been lied to and we have been sold the idea that technology would solve all the problems and bring large benefits to all. Thus, we have polluted our sources of water, cut down our forests, degraded our soils, we have evicted whole indigenous peoples from their territories which they had preserved for thousands of years, condemning them to a miserable life on the streets of our cities, we have also evicted thousands of peasant families, which continuously are added to the great mass of environmental refugees, we have taken on debts that we cannot pay, with the only objective of using the “latest” technological advances.

Are we better off than before? The answer is undoubtedly “no”. Today in Paraguay, one of every two inhabitants is poor, and one out of four compatriots is living under the extreme poverty line, particularly in rural areas. Most of them have sold their lands, giving in to the temptation or the pressure from large landowners, or have been evicted by the landowners with threats and agro-toxic chemical spraying. Others, having implemented “technological progress” on their land, have realized that today their lands are no longer productive, they have been turned into deserts due to the chemical load and bad practices imposed by such technological “progress”. Technology has made us poorer, we suffer from more malnutrition, it has impoverished our environment and is seriously compromising our future.

However, 80% of the products we consume continue to come from small family farms, while the production of the large agricultural companies only goes to satisfy the demands of the industrialized countries. This production model has been based on the eviction of communities, both Indigenous and peasant, from their lands of origin, and they have thus lost their potential for sustainable development, inherited from many generations. They have seen their culture altered and degraded, that had been developed on the conservation of their habitat.

At the same time, this large-scale production model has been based on deforestation to devote the land to agricultural exploitation. According to official figures (MAG/GTZ) in 1945, the country had 8,805,000 hectares of forests, covering 55% of the national territory. At the end of the sixties, the forests had been reduced to 7,042,000 hectares (44% of the national territory). The deforestation process grew in momentum and, in 1991, the forest area had been reduced to 2,403,000 hectares covering a scant 15% of the country. This process of destruction continues and today, the forest area barely covers 7% of the national territory.

Therefore, it is not a matter of facing the dilemma of acquiring technology or being condemned to backwardness, but of establishing a model for the management of natural goods and of sustainable community development, in which social, economic, cultural, environmental factors are taken into account, and where, above all, common welfare prevails through the active and democratic participation of all the social sectors.

By: Roberto Rolon, Programa Economía Solidaria, Sobrevivencia-Amigos de la Tierra Paraguay, e-mail: eco_nomia@sobrevivencia.org.py

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- Peru: Amazon Forestry Consortium threatens to evict an Ashaninka community

The Ashaninka indigenous peoples community of Churinashi in the Atalaya province in the Amazon region of Peru is being subject to violence and threats of forced eviction from their lands, territories and resources, over which they possess ancestral rights, recognized in the Peruvian Constitution, in conformity with the ratification by Peru of ILO Convention No. 169 on Indigenous and Tribal peoples, incorporated into national legislation in 1993, through Legislative Resolution 26253.

The Amazon Forestry Consortium (CFA), one of the largest transnational logging companies in the country, has obtained a logging concession in the Churinashi territory, in violation of the Ashaninka community rights. This has taken place with no prior consultation and by resorting to manipulation, corruption and violence to displace the community from its ancestral lands.

The zone is in a totally instable situation, due to violence and intimidation. Through a recent resolution adopted by the legal authorities of the province of Atalaya, the local indigenous organization Organización Indígena de la Región de Atalaya (OIRA) has been notified that unless the community members resettle themselves outside the area of concession, imminent use will be made of “public order forces.”

The Indigenous Amazon organization AIDESEP (the Inter-Ethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Forest) has requested all possible support for the campaign to defend the Ashaninka community and is requesting that letters be sent to President Toledo, with copy to the Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Leon, asking for support for the demands made by the representative indigenous organizations.

Some of these demands are:

* That an immediate end should be put to the present situation of violence and fear, through just recognition of the legitimate rights of the indigenous peoples;
* That the totality of the Churinashi community territory should be excluded from the concession granted to CFA;
* That all concessions to CFA should be cancelled as the Consortium is violating national and international norms and represents a serious threat to the integrity of the indigenous peoples, their communities, their lands, their territories and their resources.

You can support the above demands by sending a letter to the Peruvian government. A model letter is available at: http://www.forestpeoples.gn.apc.org/
Briefings/s_america /peru_model_let_atayala_mar04_eng.htm#model_letter

By: Emily Caruso, Forest Peoples Programme, email: emily@forestpeoples.org , http://www.forestpeoples.gn.apc.org