[E-rundbrief] Info 1524 - Via Campesina Conference on Agrarian Reform

[Matthias Reichl]

E-Rundbrief - Info 1524 - Via Campesina International: International 
Conference on Agrarian Reform, Marabá, Pará, Brazil, 13. - 17.4.2016; 
Declaration against the criminalisation, persecution and 
judicialization of the struggle for the defence of life, rights, land, 
water, seeds and mother earth

Bad Ischl, 2.6.2016

Begegnungszentrum für aktive Gewaltlosigkeit

www.begegnungszentrum.at

================================================


Declaration against the criminalisation, persecution and 
judicialization of the struggle for the defence of life, rights, land, 
water, seeds and mother earth

Published on Wednesday, 01 June 2016 15:12

International Conference on Agrarian Reform

http://www.viacampesina.org/en/index.php/main-issues-mainmenu-27/human-rights-mainmenu-40/peasants-right-resources/2063-declaration-against-the-criminalisation-persecution-and-judicialization-of-the-struggle-for-the-defence-of-life-rights-land-water-seeds-and-mother-earth

Marabá, 15 April 2016

 From 13 to 17 April 2016, in Marabá, Pará, Brazil, more than 130 
delegates from 28 countries around the world were brought together as 
part of La Vía Campesina and allied movements, as part of the 
International Conference on Agrarian Reform, a symbol of the fight for 
freedom for men and women in the fields, the mangroves and on the sea. 
The aim of the conference was to draw up a much-needed proposal for 
Popular Agrarian Reform to override capitalist and neoliberal expansion.

At this time of struggle and resistance for peoples of the world, we 
debated thecriminalisation, persecution and judicialization of the 
struggle for the defence of life, rights, land, water, seeds and 
mother earth, promoted by capitalist interests imposing political, 
economic, military and social terrorism. This all occurs with the 
consent of State Governments by means of their lethal projects such as 
extraction-based infrastructure projects, or capitalist 'development' 
(tourism, carbon markets, mining, hydroelectricity, monoculture, 
agribusiness, industrial agriculture and mariculture), as well as the 
militarisation of our lands. Deprivation, social instability and 
repression are widespread as a result of systematic assassinations, 
massacres, forced disappearances, high rates of femicide, imprisonment 
and arbitrary detention, intimidation, harassment and threats, 
prosecution of leaders, forced migration and wars against ordinary people.

On top of this there is political instability with the purpose of 
maintaining an imbalance among populations over the world, as well as 
frequent coups on the US government's radar, a state which begins by 
creating unstable, failed states, as is the case in Honduras, 
Guatemala, El Salvador, Paraguay, Ecuador, Bolivia, South Africa, and 
the current attempted coup against the Brazilian people and the 
systematic meddling in the Venezuelan process.

We see collusion between the State, private companies, corporations 
and elites who create a culture of impunity that allows perpetrators 
to escape unpunished.

Faced with this wave of unbridled criminalisation of those of us who 
defend water, land, mangroves, sea, territory and life, we denounce 
and call for the punishment of those responsible for thousands of 
assassinations of social leaders, we denounce the legal prosecution of 
thousands of campaigners, we call for the liberation of thousands of 
political prisoners, we denounce the extreme case of the assassination 
of Berta Cáceres, one of the most symbolic leaders in the fight 
against capital plundering and a campaigner for peace in Honduras. We 
urgently need an end to the criminalisation of the fight for land, 
mangroves and sea, and the social struggle.

Today, more than ever, we reaffirm that our fight is part of the 
defence of human rights and life. For life we give everything, for 
death we give nothing.

Throughout our lifelong struggle, not one moment of silence for our dead!


-- 

Matthias Reichl, Pressesprecher/ press speaker,
Begegnungszentrum fuer aktive Gewaltlosigkeit
Center for Encounter and active Non-Violence
Wolfgangerstr. 26, A-4820 Bad Ischl, Austria,
fon: +43 6132 24590, Informationen/ informations,
Impressum in: http://www.begegnungszentrum.at
Spenden-Konto Nr. 0600-970305 (Blz. 20314) Sparkasse Salzkammergut,
Geschäftsstelle Pfandl
IBAN: AT922031400600970305 BIC: SKBIAT21XXX

--

Ausgezeichnet mit dem (österr.) "Journalismus-Preis von unten 2010"

Honoured by the (Austrian) "Journalism-Award from below 2010"