Farmers Rise Up Against Agribusiness, Face Down Riot Police in Brazil

[Joe Shlabotnik]

Thousands of farmers marched on Brazil's capital Wednesday in the face of riot police, tear gas and rubber bullets, demanding justice for the millions of landless farmers they say have suffered for years under the country's agricultural policies.

The farmers, organized by the Landless Workers Movement (MST), numbered around 16,000 in the streets of Brasília where they were confronted by riot police in the city center as they headed towards the presidential palace.

Many of the MST protesters today are angry that President Dilma Rousseff is backtracking from the policies of the past two administrations and allowing "agro-business to undercut chances of land reform."

MST is marking its 30 years of organizing, protest, and do-it-yourself land reform—decades spent demanding that the government redistribute unused land to farmers in need and occupying large tracts of land when need be.

"Since 1985," explains the Friends of MST website, "the MST has peacefully occupied unused land where they have established cooperative farms, constructed houses, schools for children and adults and clinics, promoted indigenous cultures and a healthy and sustainable environment and gender equality."

"The MST has won land titles for more than 350,000 families in 2,000 settlements as a result of MST actions, and 180,000 encamped families currently await government recognition," they state.

from http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2014/02/13-4

[dixiegrrrrl]

1. I wish them unlimited success

even knowing they might not get it.