Murder in the Amazon forests means of production and distribu- rion of forest commoditics, along with the provision of commercial middie men. They also called for of a socialists cology - the only These are the concrete clements out, the proposals of the rubber tappers and the Forest People's Alliance (with the indians), are "In other words, they called credits to producers rather than judice and legal protection of Amazon and its inhabitants," for popular control over the their rights to land and life. strategy that can save the very radical. REVIEWS some extractive reserves. Legisla- has not shown the least will even to impose this limited legislation. Livelihood depends on its preser against all those who live in and vation, have forced concessions out of the government, winning destructive exploitation of it by tion has heen passed to defend the forest. Yet the government defenders of the forest, whose big ranchers, land speculators. valves a murderous cumpaign presence is an obstacle to the from the forest, and whose and big business interests. These people, the real Reviewed by Sam Stacey Much has been written on the deforestation of the Amazon, the solutions are to be found reality both the causes and been touted, including its and its relationship to the number of solutions have "greenhouse' effect. Any Fate of the Forest "interalisation", But in Susannah Hecht and Alexander Cockbum Penguin
should demand the unions raise a This book provides a salutory projects which have been so cru- country which has a key place in reminder of the need to develop which will have a major role in solidarity with the workers and bers of the 'green' movements oppressed peoples of Brazil: a America Socialists and men- cial to strengthening their or- fund to support the struggles determining the Fate of the the class struggle in Latin ganisation. Forest. that benevolent ecologists and en- Workers Party, committed to the largest economy in the world, in with utmost poverty and destitu Hecht and Cockbum debunk tion. Rarely is it mentioned that lightened international opinion the naive and patronising iden which fantastic riches co exist struggle for the destruction of forest is intimately connected Mendes was a member of the with that for social justice in Brazilian society, the eighth The struggle to save the Brazilian capitalism. to drive the forest peoples off the As Hecht and Cockbun point punity by the hired guns who as- Brazilian workers in urban areas. sassinate union leaders and seek pendent union federation. Chico Mendes was a memher of its na- These laws are ignored with im The future of the forest will largely he determined by these The rubber tappers union is af- social struggles, connected as filiated to the CUT, the inde: bey are with those of the tional commillee. land. place in the Amazon between the rich, and the poor who live in the does not only destroy trees. It in in the dynamics of Brazilian Hecht and Cockburn in their gathering Brazil nuts and other For decades now there has forest: the indigenous indians those who live off fishing and excellent book, Fate of the been a bloody struggle taking forest products. Deforestation society, as is explained by war), the rubber tappers, and (who have faced a genocidal Forest.
challenge to the screws, cops and I defy anyone to read Gerry's account of his last mecting with Home Office venmin around his well you something of working Buy these books, They will