CLASS CONFLICTS AND POLITICAL NEGLIGENCE CAUSES VIOLENCE ATMOSPHERE IN BRAZIL Ive been filming pretty much all the public protest that have happened in the Rio de Janeiro since June of 2013 as and independent media cinematographer/editor. The media outlet Im part of is called Coletivo Mariachi, which is formed by journalists, photographers, filmmakers, an IT specialist and an astrophysicist. What is happening at the moment in Brazil is an intense conflict of classes and ideology that had been hibernating for centuries and has just recently started to become very lively. The last straw that made it happen was the current negligent and corrupt government that cares only about itself, a handful of corporations (which backs up politicians elections) and the Soccer World Cup FIFA Cartel. (1) Many demonstrations have been happening since June of 2013, and the reasons are mostly for a better education system, quality public heath and transportation. Against police brutality, inequality, evictions due to the World Cup, government corruption and poor administration. But the government have been ignoring all these matters. Is important to outline that Brazilians pay one of the highest government taxes in the World. (2) Because of the government negligence to those matters, the increase of police brutality and creation of laws that criminalize public demonstrators, some protesters have been using more intense forms of protest to draw attention to important causes. There where banks and chain store windows broken, buses and police cars burned. The major TV stations and newspapers support the government and the big corporations - the same ones who pay for the political campaigns. (3) The government gives millions of Reais of tax money to the big media outlets, which are private, for them to return favors during news reports, by selecting and distorting information, accordingly to their political-economical interests. Its a triangle of power, control and alienation. (4) The big media outlets created a very distinguished way of separating violent and non violent protests. They call protesters vandals, troublemakers and criminals, even before any pronunciation is made by the police. (5) Besides distorting facts constantly, they want to criminalize demonstrators in any possible and outlawed way they can (as far as their manipulation doesnt get too explicit, which to me is already indecent and imoral). Not only the most active protesters are targeted, the ones who express any support to demonstrations are now the ones who support criminals. A significant portion of the population agrees with or believes in what they see on the TV (Government) discourse, including some of the middle and most of the higher classes individuals. Their reasons are economical-political interests, alienation or lack of information from accurate sources. Two days ago, there was an unfortunate accident. A broadcast cinematographer was hit by a firework explosion supposedly lit by a protester. The cinematographer lost an ear and had a concussion. He has been hospitalized and is in severe heath condition (TV stations in Brazil dont provide personal protection equipment to its employees to cover conflict zone episodes). On that day, the police was attacking protesters violently using tear gas cannisters, moral effect bombs (which can causes severe wounds if it falls close to someone, like has happened before) and beating anyone in their way with batons. An elderly man died after running away from the bombs thrown by the police. He was hit by a bus and had his legs crushed, unfortunately. The confrontations are not news, it has been happening since last June. But the fact of a protester being the supposed responsible of causing a severe injure on a broadcast employee is going to serve as a reason for the government to push forward all it wants, and enforce even more its violence agains protesters. To make the situation even worse, vigilants are now hurting and killing anyone on the streets who they believe committed a crime. In most cases there is no flagrant. The poor and the black are the ones being targeted. In Brazil there is a saying: A good thief is a dead thief. These words have never been more relevant in todays Brazilian class-ridden landscape, where prejudice, violence and racism run free. … Early this week, a teenage boy was beaten, stripped naked and tied to a lamp post by a group of vigilantes for allegedly mugging people in the street. (6,7) A video of a white man pre-emptively accusing a black, poorly dressed youth of intent to mug him has gone viral. (7) The nonsense to me is the fact that the same portion of the middle and higher classes who is against the protests because it can be violent is the ones who uses the saying A good thief is a dead thief and roots for the latest vigilant actions. The violence atmosphere has increase due those class and political differences. The confrontations are no longer (only) people versus authority; they have become people versus people. (6) Brazil is in need of a deep society transformation. There were generations of abuse and oppression. It takes time and real commitment to change, and security measures makeup like the ones our current government is taking will not solve the countrys problems. The population has to open their eyes. Wide open. For those who care about human rights, please share this information. This article below is also a great straight to the point analysis of the situation: theguardian/commentisfree/2014/feb/08/brazil-government-set-favelas-against-middle-classes Claudia Castello Coletivo Mariachi youtube/user/coletivomariachi https://pt-br.facebook/coletivomariachi 1 - theguardian/commentisfree/2011/may/31/fifa-governing-body-squalid-cartel independent.ie/world-news/fifa-faces-world-cup-cartel-probe-29699069.html 2- exame.abril.br/economia/noticias/so-a-argentina-para-ganhar-do-brasil-em-impostos kpmg/Global/en/IssuesAndInsights/ArticlesPublications/Documents/individual-income-tax-rate-survey-2012.pdf 3 - folhapolitica.org/2013/10/todos-os-partidos-estao-envolvidos-em.html 4- esporte.uol.br/futebol/copa-2014/ultimas-noticias/2011/07/22/globo-recebe-r-30-milhoes-de-governo-e-prefeitura-do-rio-para-organizar-festa-da-fifa.htm apatotadopitaco.blogspot/2013/04/por-que-o-governo-federal-injeta-tanto.html 5- https://youtube/watch?v=aO1ONaSSPTE (at 617 of the vídeo) 6- dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2551406/Brazilian-vigilantes-strip-naked-thief-shackle-neck-lamppost.html (7) - theguardian/commentisfree/2014/feb/08/brazil-government-set-favelas-against-middle-classes youtube/user/coletivomariachi
Posted on: Sun, 09 Feb 2014 04:10:52 +0000
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