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This article recently appeared in FREEDOM (anarchist
fortnightly)
FREEDOM carries at least a page in every issue of international
news of interest to the anarchist movement around the world.
For a free trial edition write to:
FREEDOM PRESS
IN ANGEL ALLEY
84B WHITECHAPEL HIGH STREET
LONDON E1 7QX
anarchist activity in Brazil
Antimilitarists from eight countries in Latin America came together
for the Latin American Conference of Conscientious Objectors from
the 8th to 14th May in Paraguay. Brazil was represented by SERPAJ.
The meeting allowed participants to exchange information and share
experiences of the realities in each country. It also allowed for
the planning of joint activities and concrete actions relating to
the two major themes of antimilitarism and conscientious objection.
During the five days various themes related to that of conscientious
objection were also discussed including freedom, civil disobedience,
social justice and solidarity.
Since June 94 the Brazilian Anarchist Movement has organised a
national campaign for the liberation and against the execution of the
anarchist Katsuhisa Omori who has been condemned to death by the
Japanese state. Omori has been in jail for 18 years now for a crime
he did not commit. During the first week of August letters, telegrams
and a petition with more than 4,000 signatures calling for Omori's
liberation were sent to the Japanese embassy in Brazil. In addition
some cities saw public demonstrations against Japanese state
terrorism.
As the Brazilian elections came up various parts of the country
saw activities against politicians and the elections in general. In
Campinas (central Sao Paulo) some anarchists burnt their ballot
forms on the public square protesting against the electoral farce
and the system of compulsory voting.
From the 8th to the 17th July the Festival of Art and Culture
without Frontiers and Libertarian Education was held in Florianopolis.
Lectures, exhibitions, performances, films and a workshop on
computer networking were some of the attractions at this important
event which brought together comrades from Portugal, Spain and
Brazil. In addition to this the second southern conference of
anarchist groups and individuals was held. The comrades who
attended this conference decided to come together for propaganda
purposes relating to common struggles and with the future objective
of forming an anarchist federation.
To mark the 49th anniversary of the American bombing of Hiroshima
anarchist groups in Sao Paulo, Curitiba, Londrina and Salvador came
out onto the streets to protest against military expenditure, war
and the militarization of society.
The historian, film director and anarchist Valencio Xavier recently
produced his latest short film: Pao Negro - Um Episodio da Colonia
Cecilia. It was 40 minutes of emotion, passion and anarchy. The
film deals with the testimony of descendants of the colony and the
story of Rossi and two colonies that were bought as pieces of land in
Palmeira. A book will soon also be published about Valencio and the
history of this anarchist experiment in Brazil.
The University of Ceara saw anacho-punks from the north and
north-east come together for a conference (15th/17th July) The
meeting brought together individuals and groups from five separate
states to discuss various themes.
The anarcha-feminist group in Sao Paulo (CAF) organised an anti
homophobia event in Espaco Vadiagem on 30th July. 10 anarcho-punk
groups performed to young audiences. The event was marred by the
infiltration of Nazi Skinheads who were exposed and removed by some
young libertarians. Since that time some members of CAF have been the
target of intimidation by these troublemakers.
At the university of Campinas - UNICAMP organised from 24th to 26th
August a seminar: 20 years of the Archives of Edgar Leuenroth - one
of the best libertarian archives in Latin America. Workshops were
organised on the history of the left, the workers movement,
industrialisation, human rights, culture and politics. There was also
an international workshop discussing archives and social history.
This was accompanied by a photographic exhibition. The conference
closed with a talk by Professor Rudolf de Jong of the International
Institute of Social History in Amsterdam with the title: The Spanish
Civil War and the Anarchist Revolution. Professor Martha Ackelsberg
also gave a talk on the women's liberation movement and the anarchist
movement in Spain.
'The Adventures of Joao Pao an Abandoned Youth' is the title of the
latest book by the anarchist writer Roberto Freire, published on 25th
August by Casa da Soma in Sao Paulo. The book is a fictional account
for young people about the adventures of street children in Brazil.
It is all written from an anarchist perspective.