textfiles/politics/SPUNK/sp000948.txt

       anarchist activity in Brazil

       FREEDOM INTERNATIONAL SECTION 84B, WHITECHAPEL HIGH ST.
       LONDON E1

       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.