Solidarity with MOCASE against the violence and detentions : Argentina Indymedia (( i ))

URGENT: For the liberty of the comrades from the Movement of Small Farmers of Santiago del Estero (MOCASE- Movimiento de Campesinos de Santiago del Estero).

Send signatures to: alibre@rcc.com.ar AND sachaioj@uolsinectis.com.ar

We demand the immediate liberty of these people from MOCASE from the National Government of Argentina and the Government of the Province of Santiago del Estero, among whom is a leader, Angel Strapazzón, detained after months of judicial persecution for defending the land of Original small farming communities. We further demand that all persecution cease of those struggling for their land, work, and dignity.

MOCASE Communiqué

(21-10-04) Today the police of Santiago del Estero leveled land belonging to the Movement of Small Farmers of Santiago del Estero (MOCAS). MOCASE’s lawyer, Dr. Hernán Prego, still does not know Judge Romero’s reasons. This morning, using every means, they leveled MOCASE’s Community Center at Quimili (eastern Santiago del Estero) and gave detention orders for other members of the Movement. Until this moment, these authorities had not given orders for these detentions. The conflict is outlined in nine consecutive events over the past month. The other eight are described below:

1. September 14th: In Villa Maria, seven people burned a field of 6,000 hectares (~13,200 acres), incinerating cattle and goats and putting the lives of the farmers at risk.

2. September 24th: In the same place, Villa Maria, personnel in civilian dress arrived to threaten the farmers, told the farmers that they should leave their homes, and shot at them with large-caliber guns in the presence of children. All these actions were formally denounced before the Judge of Crimes and Corrections of the Fourth Nomination, Dr Julio Alberto Lludgar, of the Courts of Santiago del Estero.

3. September 28th: A commission of the provincial police came to Villa Maria with civilian personnel, demanding that the community comply with a judicial order from Judge Lludgar, but they didn’t have any judicial order.

4. September 29th: In Villa Maria, six new civilian personnel threatened to burn the farmers alive if they did not leave their land and possessions. They said they wanted the heads of Roque Acuña of the Simona, Fabian de Bueno of Tintina, and of Angel Strapazzon of Quimilí. With nine photographs for proof, Judge Lludgar received a formal denunciation.

5. October 7th: Four civilians, later identified from the photograph, stopped Mabel Gerez, a young farmer. She was told that “There’s a lot of money in this game, and we’re not going to lose it.”

6. October 15th: All violent actions against the farmers were denounced, and the attacks on their ancestral land, before Alberto Barbuto, Under Secretary of Production, Natural Resources, before Judge Lludgar, and before the Major Commander Atencio and before Commissioner Ibarra of the D-5 Police Headquarters. These last two were committed to personally heading the detention of the people denounced by the farmers.

7. October 18th: In Tintina, Section 44 police personnel and unknown civilian personnel burst into the farmer’s possessions and, with the oversight of the police, began to construct a ranch house, with the objective of possessing the land. Among them was Walter Romero, known to have acted in other “irregular procedures” with the landlords.

8. October 20th: Again, and this time in a decided fashion, armed civilian personnel entered a field located 50 kilometers south of Quimili. The farmers resisted the aggression. From here, the new judicial persecution against MOCASE started.

A Movement spokesperson affirmed: “They crossed the line. In these moments we are suffering violations of the rights of small farming communities equal or greater to those we suffered during the Juarista regime. (The last governor of Santiago del Estero). We ask for the help and solidarity of everyone to stop this blood soaked machine. “

Contact MOCASE:
Dr. Hernán Prego, lawyer
From the USA: dial 011-54-15-5131-9371