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Rafael - My Blog
Rafael - My Blog
Housing Rights in Brazil-Urgent Appeal
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This e-mail was sent to me by a Brazilian friend that I met at the 4th Annual UNESCO Chair Intergenerational Forum at the University of Connecticut. If you have time, it would be awesome if you could read her appeal:

Dear friends,

I believe you remember that in Brazil I work with an organization which fights for housing rights in slums (favelas).
I currently work with a small favela called "Vila Acaba Mundo" (End of the World Village). My essay to the UNESCO forum described how my organization and the residents of the slum are struggling in order to have their housing rights observed.
Although we have a municipal law which guarantees that the area should be used to housing the poor population of the city, the real state sector is succeeding at reducing this area dramatically.
Currently 71 families are threatened with eviction, even though they have lived at “Vila Acaba Mundo” for over 60 years. They have nowhere to go.
Last year, we presented a law bill to the city legislative branch declaring that area as one of special social interest so that we could reduce the speculation over the area. The law passed unanimously. Unfortunately the first act of our new mayor was to veto that law.
However, the mayor did not think that the citizens would react to that veto. We are pressuring, but we have the real state sector against us. The main newspaper of the city has dedicated its main section to criticize our struggle.
The mayor’s secretaries have agreed to meet us and promised to expropriate (with compensation) the lands where people are threatened with eviction. However, they are taking too long to do that and we are afraid they are waiting so that it is no longer possible for us to promote the override of his veto.
Pressure is essential at this moment: we're in the media; the Village population – 350 families - is mobilized. We can't afford to let this moment go if we want this government to respect housing rights.
That's why I ask you all to send e-mails to our mayor showing that the international community demands respect for housing rights and that it is aware of what is going on at Vila Acaba Mundo, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
We're sure that the support of your organizations can exert pressure over our mayor who is starting his mandate.

Send an e-mail to gabpref@pbh.gov.br and to smgo@pbh.gov.br

The name of the mayor is Márcio Lacerda. Make sure to mention that it is urgent for him to declare the expropriation of the area where people of Vila Acaba Mundo are threatened with eviction. If you prefer, you can sign the attached letter.
Send me a copy of your e-mails so that I can publish in the alternative media the support of the international community to our cause.

If you have any other ideas on how to pressure the mayor, please don't hesitate to contact me. I would appreciate if you could forward this message.

In the belief of a globalization of human rights movements,

Peace,

Raquel Portugal Nunes



February 10, 2009 | 9:43 AM Comments  0 comments

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