Brazil - Land Disputes

During 1995 and 1996, 1.3 million people were involved in 1304 violent incidents over land disputes in Brazil, 750 in 1996 alone. That's the highest number since 1985. More than 112 people have been killed since 1995, and 976 died between 1985 and 1996. More recently, there's been quite a bit of fighting between Indians and settlers in Brazil's northern state of Roraima in 1998 and 1999. The battle is over border demarcations in a 4.12 million acre area reserved for natives. Eco-trekkers beware-these guys aren't chucking spears and throwing beer bottles at one another. They are quite well armed. And the Landless Workers Movement (MST) invaded and seized 244 property sites in the first four months of 1999, a 40 percent jump over the same period in 1998. Fully one-third of the occupations have been working ranches, which are usually razed and the cattle destroyed. When the cops show up, things turn nasty. This isn't difficult to imagine in a country where one-fifth of the population owns 90 percent of the land.