Suzano, a pulp and paper company, confirmed that it had six farms invaded in Maranhão, totaling 17,529 hectares, of which 9,060 hectares are legal reserve areas and 8,469 hectares are planted. The company also added that it has been suffering from irregular occupations in other regions of Brazil and reports episodes of threat and violence.
The company said in a statement that the farms were invaded by “diverse groups”, without specifying which groups these are. Local blogs attribute the invasion to “people linked to the Landless Movement” (MST).
THE CNN sought out the MST of Maranhão, which stated that it had no involvement with these occupations.
Read the note sent by Suzano below.
“The company informs that, in Maranhão, it has six farms invaded by different groups, totaling 17,529 hectares, of which 9,060 hectares are Legal Reserve area and 8,469 hectares are planted. The company also communicates that it has been suffering from irregular occupations in Brazil, in the municipalities where it operates, which has caused environmental, economic and social damage, with not a few episodes of threat and violence.”
See the full statement sent by the MST
“Good afternoon, this is Ramiro Martinez from the Executive of the Mass Front of the Landless Movement in the state of Maranhão. I send this audio to reaffirm that the accusation that we occupied seven areas of the Suzano company is not valid. In fact, these occupations took place that have been over six months since the last occupation, but we reaffirm that the MST has no involvement, no organization, no monitoring or direction of these occupations that were organized by families different from the city in the region. So, we made it explicit, right? Our indignation at these accusations because it aims to criminalize the struggle for land, criminalize the Landless Movement in this electoral period, in this historical political context that Brazil is experiencing.”
(With information from Beatriz Carneiro, from CNN Brasil)
Source: CNN Brasil
