Early in the morning on September 26, 2005, 120 families of the Landless Rural Workers' Movement (MST) carried out the occupation of the AGRIL farm at Vila do Riacho, municipality of Aracruz. It was the largest estate occupied in 20 years of existence of the MST in the State of Espírito Santo. The area comprises 8,695 hectares of lands, 3,600 of which are confirmed to be public lands. In spite of belonging to the State, the company Aracruz Celulose claims to be the actual owner of such lands and is using them for the plantation of eucalyptus and as protected area because of the fact that vast portions of the same flood and become unfit for the plantation of such species.

The activity was part of the National Week of Struggle for the Agrarian Reform articulated in the whole country, with occupations of other large estates and of 23 offices of the Agrarian Reform and Colonization Institute (INCRA). It was intended as protest and pressure against the slowness in the compliance with the Agrarian Reform National Plan by the federal government, that continues to foster agribusiness only, to the detriment of family and peasant agriculture. Within the goal of the settlement of 400,000 rural workers, promised during the election campaign in 2002 and reaffirmed in such year in Brasilia in the meeting with the MST after the March of Landless People, only 117,000 were achieved up to date. Only 20,000 of them belong to the MST.

Immediately one day after the action, the Judge of the 2nd Civil Jurisdiction of Aracruz, Camilo José D'Ávila Couto, rapidly accepted the request for the return of the possession to Aracruz Celulose, establishing a term of 5 days to vacate the area. "Curiously", immediately after, the judge applied for holidays. Even though, the 120 families who were present there decided to continue the struggle.

On October 20, in a meeting at the State Ministry of Agriculture (SEAG), the INCRA, together with the Institute of Agricultural and Forest Defence of Espírito Santo (IDAF) bound themselves to inspect the area of the AGRIL farm, in order to identify the public and unproductive lands, fit for the Agrarian Reform. In such conversation, the government also bound itself to transfer the lands, identified as theirs, to the INCRA, so that it used them for the agrarian reform. A term of 30 days was established for the field works.

Last week, another Judge of the 2nd Civil Jurisdiction of Aracruz, Alexandre Farina Lopes, issued a second preliminary order that authorized, in a completely illegal manner, the largest landowner of the State of Espírito Santo to use the force of its private guards (Visel) to carry out the eviction order.

Almost one month after the resistance, on October 24, 2005 in the morning, a bus of the assault battalion of the Military Police appeared at the farm to evict the families of the MST. In order to avoid the conflict and firm in their aim to maintain the camp, the leadership of the movement decided to move to a nearby area, given by the Municipal Government of Aracruz. Even without water and without electric power, the families only accepted the proposal due to the commitment of the INCRA, together with the IDAF to, within the maximum term of 30 days, perform the inspection of the area, which gives a favourable expectation that in short they may return to the lands and use them a in a more just and productive way.

We thus conclude this letter requiring that:

- the INCRA performs the inspection, together with the IDAF, of all the area, in compliance with the term of 30 days established during the meeting at the Seag on October 20, 2005;

- the Administration of Governor Paulo Hartung recovers the public lands, illegally invaded by Aracruz Celulose and returns them to the capixaba people, so that they may fulfil its social role again, thus guaranteeing a better future for landless families. At present such lands are used to enrich the major landowner of the State, Aracruz Celulose S/A;

We request that you all urgently send letters to the Superintendent of the INCRA, the Director of the IDAF, the State Minister of Agriculture and the Governor of Espírito Santo, copied to the MST in Espírito Santo (e-mail: mst-es@uol.com.br) We enclose the sample letter.

Vitória, October 25, 2005 Rede Alerta contra o Deserto Verde - Espírito Santo/Brazil

***************** SAMPLE LETTER *****************

Exmo. Sr. José Gerônimo Brumatti -Superintendente do INCRA-ES Fax: + 55 27 3388-9102 Fax: +55 27 3326-4037 Email: josé.brumatti@vta.incra.gov.br

Ilmo. Sr. Ricardo Ferraço - Secretário da Agricultura do estado do ES Telephone: 55 27 3132-1433 Fax: +55 27 3132-1431 Email: secretario@seag.es.gov.br

Ilmo. Sr. Paulo Sérgio de Azevedo - Diretor do IDAF-ES Telephone: + 55 27 3132-1514 Fax: +55 27 3321-3613 Email: idafdp.vix@terra.com.br

Exmo. Sr. Paulo Hartung - Governador do Estado do ES Telephone: +55 27 3321-3650 Fax: +55 27 33213613 Email: governador@es.gov.br

Dear Sir,

On September 26, the AGRIL farm, of 8,695 hectares, located in the Minicipality of Aracruz-ES, up to such date in the possession of the company Aracruz Celulose, was occupied by 120 families of landless rural workers of the MST. It is estimated that 3,600 hectares of such area are public lands. In spite of the fact that they belong to the State, Aracruz Celulose claims to be their owner and is using them to plant eucalyptus.

We fully support the claims of the MST so that the state government expropriates the area, thus enabling that these lands fulfil their social role and guarantee a future for landless families, who are the victims of the policy of concentration of lands in the hands of agribusiness companies such as Aracruz Celulose.

Therefore, we require from the INCRA and the Government of the State of Espírito Santo that: - the INCRA performs the inspection, together with the IDAF, of all the area, in compliance with the term of 30 days established during the meeting at the SEAG on October 20, 2005; - the Administration of Governor Paulo Hartung recovers the public lands, illegally invaded by Aracruz Celulose and returns them to the capixaba people, so that they may fulfil its social role again, thus guaranteeing a better future for landless families. At present such lands are used to enrich the major landowner of the State, Aracruz Celulose S/A;

Sincerely,

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