Paraguay: ENVIRONMENTAL NGOS DENOUNCE VIOLENCE TRIGGERED BY SOY EXPANSION

SOBREVIVENCIA, Friends of the Earth-Paraguay and the Global Forest Coalition denounce the increasing situation of environmental degradation, violence and impunity that is triggered by the expansion of large-scale soy cultivation and the use of pesticides in Paraguay. On June 2, during the session of the National Natural Resources Defence Commission (CONADERNA), SOBREVIVENCIA/Friends of the Earth-Paraguay presented an open letter to the President of CONADERNA, Dr. Cándido Vera Bejarano, to the Minister of the Environment, Ing. Alfredo Molinas and to the State Public Prosecutor, Rubén Candia Amarilla, in which it expressed its grave concern about cases of intoxication, failure of compliance with the law and absence of sanctions concerning activities that clearly affect human health, human rights, and the environment.

The NGOs point out that, while the country is fighting actively against impunity, threats have been reiterated against the very victims of pesticide intoxication, as reported by the members of the family of Silvino Talavera, a boy who died by intoxication and whose case became paradigmatic. This case has succeeded to set a very important precedent in terms of punishing the large soybean producers that break the laws. It has also demonstrated the common risk faced by communities that are being sprayed over with pesticides and obliged to sell their lands if they do not want to die poisoned.

But the family members of Silvino were threatened, and there is a strong suspicion that the threats were executed. SERAPIO VILLASBOA CABRERA (brother of Silvino's mother, Petrona Villasboa), disappeared on 28 April, which is the day he was last seen alive. On 8 May, in a forest about 400 meters from his home, his corpse was found. The autopsy concluded that Serapio Villasboa was brutally murdered on the day he went missing, stabbed 11 times with a knife, which was left buried in his body.

The Villasboa family, supported by the Paraguayan Peasants' Movement, has denounced the lack of interest of the local authorities to investigate the case and to find those responsible of Villasboa's assassination. A few days after the body was found, the public prosecutor quickly released the suspects who were in custody of the local authorities.

"The people of our country are sick, and we are all tired of being faced with so much negligence, so many failures, so much impunity", says attorney Beatriz Silvero, who presented the letter on behalf of SOBREVIVENCIA during the session of CONANERNA.

"The implementation of this exploitative and agroexport-oriented development model benefits a few businessmen, but generates poverty (due to the use of inappropriate technologies that substitute human labor), social exclusion, massive deforestation, the contamination of soil, air and water, the destruction of biodiversity, and, as a consequence, the violation of economic, social, cultural and environmental rights of indigenous and peasant communities", adds Miguel Lovera, coordinator of the Global Forest Coalition, an international network of NGOs and Indigenous Peoples' Organizations which has an office in Asunción.

In its letter, SOBREVIVENCIA proposes the creation of a new management model for the country, which promotes sustainability and which uses the opportunities that the characteristics of the national territory present for the production of goods that are really competitive. This management model must include the environmental planning of the territory, it should promote and provide incentives for sustainable agriculture, it should discourage unhealthy production methods by adequate public policies and set aside PESTICIDE FREE AREAS.

Moreover, the two organizations demand full respect for fundamental human rights, as well as security for those who fight for social and environmental rights, and a full clarification of cases of life threats on and murder of these people.

For more information:
Beatriz Silvero de Céspedes, Coordinator of the Legal Department, SOBREVIVENCIA, Amigos de la Tierra Paraguay. Tel.(+595) -021-480182 o (+595)- 0981-921850

Pablo Valenzuela, Chief of Communication, SOBREVIVENCIA, Amigos de la Tierra Paraguay. Tel.(+595) -021-480182

Miguel Lovera, coordinator, Global Forest Coalition. Tel.: (+595)-021-663654 or (+595) - 0971-201957