Save Brazil's favelas

antrim | anti-capitalism | opinion/analysis Sunday October 30, 2005 22:55 by Banker

The rich, and beaurocrats of Rio de Janeiro wish to bulldoze 100 year old favelas, home to 1.1 million of Brazils poor.
20 % of the population of Rio de Janeiro live in the favelas.
The favela shantytowns were hand built 100 years ago by the poor as makeshift homes. 68year old Glorinha Rogue Ariano has lived there all her life, where she has raised her 14 children.'What will I do? sleep in the road?

14 shantytowns, the majority in what are now upper class boroughs which have sprung up around the favelas, were recently earmarked for removal.

Jose Nerson de Oliveira vice president of the favelas in Rio de janeiro said, Officials had been trying to use every and any reason for evicting the poor from their homes, stating environmental protection, land ownership disputes and concerns over safety of those living in the hilltop favelas. Jose said, 'It isn't about land or trees or anything like that. The simple fact is they don't want the poor close to them'.

Sebastiao Machado, a community activist said 'Rio's wealthy benefit from the cheap labour provided by the favela, but at the same time they don't want to live beside their poorest neighbours'.

Brazils capitalist media have spearheaded the campaign against the favelas.

Wealthy councillor Leila do Flamengo, argues the rights of taxpayers in the nearby luxury apartment blocks are more important than those of the poor in their makeshift slums.

Wealthy president of the Brazillian travel agents Carlos Alberto Ferreira is in favour of the removal, 'the favelas are blighting the landscape'.

Community activist Machado is uimpressed by claims that the favelas are being removed to protect the environment, 'Look at the mansions up there' he suggests gesturing across the hillside to clusters of new luxury developments, with thick security walls and elegant balconies. 'They destroyed the forest to build the road up there, and they destroyed the forest to build their mansions'.

As the eviction date looms on 8 November, human rights campaigner and architect Ricardo Gouvea, is supporting plans to use federal money to purchase the favela land, for its residents.

Meanwhile the favela residents remain pessimistic 'How can I start over again? With what? says favela resident Joao Carlos who was born in the favela and has grandchildern there.