MST

Frei Betto is a writer, author of “Calendário do Poder” (Calendar of Power) (Rocco).

Agrofuels

*João Pedro Stedile*

*October 20, 2007*

João Pedro Stedile is one of the leaders of the Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra (MST), Brazil’s Landless Movement. In its recent conference in Brasilia, attended by 18,000 activists, the MST spoke out strongly against the damage being caused by agrofuel monoculture (www.mst.org.br).

Isabella Kenfield is a CENSA Associate and journalist based in Curitiba, Brazil, writing about the social movements, agribusiness, agrarian conflicts and rural development.

We, 17,500 Landless rural workers from 24 states in Brazil, 181 international delegates representing 21 peasant organizations from and friends from several movements and organizations, met in Brazilia from June 10th to 15th, 2007, for the 5th MST National Congress too discuss and analyze the problems in our society to find alternative solutions.

Assessoria de Imprensa do MST

Tel/fax: (11) 3361-3866

Correio - imprensa@mst.org.br

Página - http://www.mst.org.br

The agrarian reform must be a public and governmental program that should apply the principles of the constitution to fight the concentration of land property. Through the expropriation and indemnification of the owners it organizes settlements, distribute land to the worker’s families and, by doing so, democratize the access to the land, which is a natural good and must be at the service of the whole population, and not only of a minority.