“Brazil continues to be violently racist”. This is the assessment of Jurema Werneck, director of Amnesty International Brazil, in an interview with CNN Radio, in the board CNN No Plural, this Wednesday (15).
Data from a study by the Sou da Paz Institute showed that black children and adolescents up to 14 years old die 3.6 times more from firearms than white children.
The survey also reveals that 78% of fatal victims of assault with a firearm are black.
“Brazilian prejudice is supported by the color of their skin, blacks lead any death statistics, whether by everyday violence, police, or Covid-19 or any other avoidable cause, this is the data”, explained Jurema.
According to her, the Brazilian state, contemplated by governments, legislators and the system of Justice, does not act against these statistics, and “when it does, it does badly.”
Jurema Werneck believes that the “problem is complex”, but three fronts can help society to take the first step in the right direction.
The first is to save lives. “Children, teenagers and adults need to get out of sight. What needs to be done is to prevent weapons and ammunition are within reach of those who produce violence.”
Another factor is the guarantee of a decent life, avoiding hunger and guaranteeing financial assistance.
Finally, “it’s the turning point of society”: “The majority of the population is bothered by the situation of the murders, but we need to convince these people to do something and get out of their lethargy.”
Reference: CNN Brasil
