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The murder of three labour inspectors and their driver in Brazil
on 28 January is a harsh blow to the fight against slavery in the
country.
Even though the inspectors were on a routine inspection and not
specifically investigating slave labour, these murders will have
a direct impact on future inspections and the way the Government's
forced labour task force: the mobile inspection groups operate when
investigating slavery.
This is the first murder of government inspectors, but in 2003,
those working against slavery -- local judges in Amazonia, prosecutors
and members of such non-governmental organisations as the Pastoral
Land Commission (CPT) -- faced increase threats.
Thousands of Brazilians are trafficked into forced labour from
impoverished parts of the country to distant estates in Amazonia,
lured by promises of good work and pay. Once there, they are told
they owe money for their transport, accommodation, food and tools
and are forced to work to pay this back.
Since President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's announcement of extensive
new measures to fight slavery in March 2003, and efforts to enforce
them, death threats against activists and officials increased in
areas of Amazonia -- Para and Tocantins -- where forced labour is
a significant problem.
"It is vital the Government provides adequate protection to
labour inspectors, particularly members of the mobile inspection unit.
The ambush against the Labour Ministry's inspectors signals a worrying
move. Routine inspections in rural areas are extremely important to
prevent slave labour from occurring in the first place. If these are
stopped or become less regular, abuses against rural workers, including
slave labour, will increase all over the country", Mary Cunneen
Director of Anti-Slavery International, the world's oldest international
human rights organisation, said. |
