"There shouldn't have been dialogue before," says Rio governor regarding occupations in Jacarezinho.
Residents reported shootings and curfews imposed by the police this Friday (21), two days after the occupation by the Military Police.
247 - After criticism for not listening to residents of the communities occupied this week by state police, the governor of Rio de Janeiro, Cláudio Castro, said that occupation cannot be done through dialogue.
“I never saw dialogue before occupying. There wasn’t even supposed to be dialogue, I understand the criticism, but I don’t agree,” he said at a press conference this Saturday (22), three days after the occupation. He said it was the 'Integrated City' project., social occupation without violence.
This Friday, two days after police occupied the Jacarezinho community, residents reported shootings and curfews ordered by the military police. On the day of the occupation, they also described home invasions.
A committee formed by community leaders, project coordinators, and representatives from the Human Rights Commission of the Legislative Assembly of Rio de Janeiro (Alerj) expressed their views in a letter to the governor. Read the text published on the Favelas Portal below:
*Letter from the Jacarezinho Commission*
The commission formed by community leaders, Project Coordinators and Representatives of the Human Rights Commission of ALERJ (Legislative Assembly of the State of Rio de Janeiro), publicly expresses its dissatisfaction with the way in which the State Government has proposed its intention to implement the project called Integrated City.
Once again, the local community woke up to a major operation by the Public Security forces in our favela complex here in Jacarezinho. We believe that any intention to improve this impoverished territory, so in need of social transformation, should involve local leaders and institutions to develop a proposal that addresses the reality of the more than 80 residents who live here in Jacarezinho.
We understand that the absence of this dialogue in the project's development means the community's voice is not heard in this action. We reiterate the need to strengthen existing public facilities in the area, bringing citizenship, education, sports, culture, leisure, health, work, and income. This involves supporting community leaders and strengthening existing social projects in the area.
We are not against the work of the State; quite the contrary, we understand that a civilized society needs active institutions, acting within the limits of the law.
Given the dramatic situation of total social abandonment in which we live in Jacarezinho (within the worst HDI indices in the State), it becomes fundamental to remind the authorities that good people live here, taxpayers, and that they deserve to be treated with dignity. We demand that all government security intervention be preceded by social intervention.
The community continues to believe that dialogue will always be the best way forward.
SIGNED BY THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE FOLLOWING ENTITIES
Center for Relationship, Innovation and Networking
Jacarezinho Cultural Center
Jackfruit on Stage
Women's Rights Commission
MNU Favelas
Favelas Portal
National Network of Black Psychologists
Community activists
Psicointegra Favela Collective
Psychoanalysts United for Democracy
NGO Viva Jacarezinho
GRES Unidos do Jacarezinho
Long live Rio
Rio de Janeiro, January 20, 2022