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23 January, 2002The CNM-CUT asks all IMF affiliates to put pressure on the government to adopt measures which will bring an end to the state of violence in this country.
BRAZIL: The CNM-CUT has informed the IMF of the worsening situation of violence affecting Brazil.
The Brazilian people, and especially the trade union CUT and members of Brazil's Workers' Party, were deeply shocked to learn of the kidnapping and assassination at the end of last week of Celso Daniel, a member of the Workers' Party and mayor of Santo André, one of the largest cities in the state of Sao Paulo. Daniel was serving his third term as mayor and enjoyed the largest support among mayors in the whole of Brazil. This assassination follows on that of another mayor, Toninho, in the city of Campinas - also in the state of Sao Paulo - which occurred in September 2001. Toninho, too, was a member of the Workers' Party.
Other mayors belonging to the Workers' Party and CUT trade unionists are receiving an untold amount of threatening phone calls and letters nearly every day.
The CNM-CUT says that "we are living in a situation of terror in this country" which has been brought on by those who try to eliminate those who are fighting to defend the rights of the poorest in society and the workers. In Brazil, today, more than 40,000 people are being assassinated every year. 53 million Brazilians are excluded from society because they are living in a state of absolute poverty.
For all these reasons, the problem of violence in this country cannot only be a concern for the police, but must involve the politicians. The union says that the government is not implementing policies to invest in education, culture, and social issues.
The CNM-CUT has asked the IMF to inform all metalworkers worldwide as well as international institutions about the extremely serious situation in Brazil and requests protest letters be sent to the Brazilian government to adopt measures to put an end to this state of violence.
The Brazilian people, and especially the trade union CUT and members of Brazil's Workers' Party, were deeply shocked to learn of the kidnapping and assassination at the end of last week of Celso Daniel, a member of the Workers' Party and mayor of Santo André, one of the largest cities in the state of Sao Paulo. Daniel was serving his third term as mayor and enjoyed the largest support among mayors in the whole of Brazil. This assassination follows on that of another mayor, Toninho, in the city of Campinas - also in the state of Sao Paulo - which occurred in September 2001. Toninho, too, was a member of the Workers' Party.
Other mayors belonging to the Workers' Party and CUT trade unionists are receiving an untold amount of threatening phone calls and letters nearly every day.
The CNM-CUT says that "we are living in a situation of terror in this country" which has been brought on by those who try to eliminate those who are fighting to defend the rights of the poorest in society and the workers. In Brazil, today, more than 40,000 people are being assassinated every year. 53 million Brazilians are excluded from society because they are living in a state of absolute poverty.
For all these reasons, the problem of violence in this country cannot only be a concern for the police, but must involve the politicians. The union says that the government is not implementing policies to invest in education, culture, and social issues.
The CNM-CUT has asked the IMF to inform all metalworkers worldwide as well as international institutions about the extremely serious situation in Brazil and requests protest letters be sent to the Brazilian government to adopt measures to put an end to this state of violence.