BY ERNIE MAILHOT
MIAMI - Almost 400 landless peasants led by the Movement of Landless Rural Workers of Brazil (MST), in a show of defiance and protest against the murders of two of their leaders, reoccupied the Goia's II plantation in the state of Pará on March 29. Only days before two leaders of the MST in this Amazon basin state were murdered. Onalicio Araujo Barros, the founder of the MST in Pará, and Valentim de Silva Serra were gunned down in the same area where two years ago 19 members of the MST were killed in the Eldorado dos Caraja's massacre. Several others were injured in the latest attack, including the wife of Araujo Barros.

The original occupation of Goia's II began on March 14 when 550 families moved onto this land. After daily harassment and threats from the military police, the peasants decided to retreat March 26. After having left the plantation they were confronted by 30 armed thugs led by landowners in the region, including Carlos Antonio da Costa from Goia's II.

When the peasants stopped to set up camp, two of the landowners, Costa and Donizete, backed up by the gun thugs and military police, shot both of the MST leaders.

The Associated Press reported that 11 policemen have been charged in the murders. Ten of these were also among 153 state troopers accused in the Eldorado dos Caraja's massacre. They are not expected to be tried until the year 2000.

The seven plantation owners who took part in the attack and murders are being held in preventive detention. They are accused only of being part of an association constituted to confront the MST.

In a recent statement, the MST said the latest killings "confirm the politics of the state government and its collaboration with the crimes of the large estates, and the politics of the federal government which gives incentive to the use of violence to solve deep social problems, notably agrarian reform." The organization has called for protests April 17.

Ernie Mailhot is a member of International Association of Machinists Local 1126.  
 
 
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