Brazil: Protests escalate over indigenous communities and land reform

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva took a break from burying the hatchet with Hugo Chavez in order to promise helping indigenous people and landless Brazilians who have increased their protests against the government.

Approximately 1500 indigenous Brazilians camped out in front of the Congress building in Brasilia in order to protests against infrastructure projects that they feel are hurting them. “How would you feel about a gas pipeline or a road through your back yard,” said one indigenous leader against the government’s policy.

Meanwhile, hundreds of activists clamoring for land reform invaded the National Agrarian Reform Institute building while others took over farms in several Brazilian provinces. According to a statement from the Landless Rural Workers' Movement:

“The movement demands the federal government meet its obligation to settle 150,000 families living under plastic sheets throughout the country in the name of the struggle for agrarian reform.”

Links- Reuters AlertNet, Guardian UK, UPI, International Herald Tribune, Monsters & Critics

Image- BBC News