La Via Campesina : International Peasant Movement - Sygenta represses and murders rural workers!

Sygenta represses and murders rural workers!

Thursday, 01 November 2007

Call to action for the 8th of November!

To: Organisations of Via Campesina, allies and friends
From: The International Coordinating Committee of Via Campesina (CCI)

In response to the events of the past 21st of October, where armed guards contracted by Syngenta, a Swiss transnational corporation which produces genetically modified crops and seeds, invaded the Tierra Libre campsite of the Brazilian Landless Workers Movement (MST) which is affiliated to the Via Campesina in Parana, Brazil. The armed men entered and shot dead Valmir Mota de Oliviera, also known as Keno, a leader of the MST, injured several others, and made death threats against the other land workers present in the campsite.

We call:
On all organizations and movements to organize protest actions at Syngenta offices in the countries where they are based, and to hand deliver letters to the Brazilian and Swiss embassies, with the following demands:

1.      The punishment of the material perpetrators and intellectual authors of this crime.
2.      Expropriation of Syngenta lands, to be used for the production of native seeds, and that these lands be administered by rural peasants and farm workers.
3.      The expulsion of Syngenta from Brazil.
4.      That the Brazilian government headed by President Luis Ignacio Lula da Silva adopt measures to ensure the physical integrity of the rural farm workers who are threatened by the armed men contracted by Syngenta.
5.      That all organisations back up the initiatives of Amnesty International in their call to repudiate and condemn the actions of Syngenta.
6.      That all organisations of Via Campesina in all countries organize days of action and protest in the Swiss and Brazilian Embassies, as well as at the offices of Syngenta this Thursday 8th November and on the 10th of December condemning this criminal act.
7.      To send letters of protest to the following addresses:

Governador do Estado do Paraná
Exmo Governador do Estado do Paraná
Sr. Roberto Requião de Mello e Silva
Palácio Iguaçu
Praça Nossa Senhora de Salete, s/nº, 3º andar
Centro Cívico 80.530-909
Curitiba/PR - Brasil
Fax: + 55 41 3350 2935
Saudação: Vossa Excelência/ Your Excellency

Ministro da Justiça
Exmo Ministro da Justiça
Sr. Tarso Genro
Esplanada dos Ministérios, Bloco "T"
70712-902 - Brasília/DF - Brasil
Fax:  + 55 61 3322-6817
Saudação: Vossa Excelência/ Your Excellency

Cópias para:
Secretaria Especial de Direitos Humanos
Exmo. Secretário Especial
Sr. Paulo de Tarso Vannuchi
Esplanada dos Ministérios - Bloco "T" - 4º andar
70.064-900 - Brasília/DF - Brasil
Fax: + 55 61 3226 7980
Saudação: Vossa Excelência/ Your Excellency

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