MST and MAB occupy irregular farm in Rio Grande do Sul

In the early hours of Monday (14), International Day of Action Against Dams, 500 members of the Movement of People Affected by Dams (MAB) and the Movement of Landless Rural Workers (MST) occupied the Gazola farm in northeastern of Rio Grande do Sul.

The area of 500 hectares is two kilometers far of the city of Lagoa Vermelha. With this occupation the families denounce the fraud of this farm and therefore demand its expropriation to destine to agrarian reform. The people encamped in the farm are from the region, most of them are land-less evicted from their places due to the construction of dams in the notheaste of Rio Grande do Sul.

“Dams is a industry of making people land-less: thousands of people have losts their places and in consequence their work, livelihood and dignity. And we are now in the fight to recover this.” explains Trierveiler, saying also that if this farm will me destinated to agrarian reform their goal is to end with the mono-cultive genetic modified soy and they will produce healthy food.

Why we want this land:

– To generate Generate income, work and dignity for many families: the old farm has no family living on it. This land where no one lives on it can peacefully house 30 families producing food, generating jobs and income.

The construction of a settlement in this area will bring a lot of investments in the construction of houses, roads, installation of energy/water, construction of community improvements and agriculture. There will be more production of food (beans, meat, milk, eggs, corn, vegetables, fruits,) and more people buying and selling in the town trade.

– Produce healthy foods:
From the occupation we will grow healthy food. Brazil is currently the champion in the use of toxics in agriculture. On average each person consumes 7.5 liters of agro-toxics per year in Brazil. This poisons the soil, air and water. Poisons those who produce and those who consume. We intend to produce a bit of everything and what really goes to the table of the population (beans, rice, vegetables, fruits, meat, eggs, cheese,).

For this, whenever is created an agrarian reform settlement we fight with INCRA to count with the support of a Technical Assistance. 

– Helping to improve education structures and municipal health care:
With the implementation of a settlement it’s a priority to put on the agenda of discussion with federal and state organs the construction of a new school of “Education in rural areas” as well as a health center in the settlement. These structures would benefit many other families living in the communities and nearby neighborhoods.

– Bring new investment to the region:
Along with the settlements we will fight to come investments, community bakeries, …