mega 'development" project is Submerged rotting vegetation left behind, caused a prot makes living and working in nearby areas unbearable. It has also caused an epidemic of diseases iike matara. Led by the Rural Workers' Union of Tucurui, local people are demanding - yet again -relocation with full compensation to an area where they can farm. Women have played a leading role in the ocupadon Electro-Norte's offices. After August 1991, wnen the com pany obtained a court order against the ocupation, the proesters left the offices but set up camp outside the company's main gate. Around 8,000 women, men and children have vowed to stay there until Elec tro-Norte enters negotiations with them to resolve the prob Contact the Earth Summit offices on 071 930 5893 for details.
SUPPORT AND DONATIONS for the Tucurui Rural Workers' Union can be sent direct (if possible in Portugese, enclosing to: Sindicato Dos Trabalhadores Rurais de Tucurui -STR, Ao. 7 De Setembro, No. 125, Tucurui, PARA, CEP: 68460, Or you miss the showing at the Women for Socialism AGM on 29 February. able, for sale or for hire, from Oxford Film and Video Makers, The NAMED AFTER the rubber tappers' union leader assassinated in 1988, the Chico Mendes Solidarity Fund aims to support Brazilian trade unions. Many of these, particularly in rural areas, are impoverished as well as facing constant violence from land owners and big business.
The fund has already singled out aid projects and started to ink up unions. They aim to raise money to improve the unions communications (Brazil is 32 times the size of Britain) and photographic equipment to chronicle their struggles.
Contact has now been established botween British rail workers and the Transport Federation of the CUT (the Brazilian TUC), while the Sao Paulo metro workers are keen so develo links with London Underground While for many unions in rural areas the money is crucial to their struggles, the fund is also aimed at developing these direct links between sauivalent unions in the two countries. Links at shop steward and factory level have been important for building solidarity, particularly in multinational firms.
These direct inks are also important because to learn from experience of the class struggle in other counkeen to leam from our experience in Europe and we could certainly learn a great deal from them. But there are many worthy causes for financial and other forms of soldarty. Why Brazil?
First, iR is the giant of Latin America, the ern wigest econouty di did world. It has the largest, most organised, and probably most miltant working class on the continent. The success or failure of its struggles has a great bearing on the whole continent.
Second, most people are now aware of the implications of the de. rain forests for the global climate.
This is the result of rapacious Brazilian capitalism and its drive profits, as well as the impact of the multinationals. Iney are the oppressed people and exploiting natural resources, regardless of the consequences for Brazil or the global Whether or not this destruction is hated will largely depend on the outcome of the struggles of rural workers and indigenous peoples to defend the forest on which their livelhood depends.
Solidarty with the Brazilian unions links international working class solito hatt the danty with the strucae degradation of the global environment.
Contact and send donations to Chico Mendes Soldarity Fund, Brazil Network, PO Box 1325, London SW9 ORA. Affilation to the network is £10 £10 for individuaist (E5 low wagod, 62 unwaged).
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