Landless Worker
Protestors Block Railway
In Brazil
About 300 members of the
so-called Via Campesina,
a branch of the Landless
Workers Movement (MST),
blocked a railway line
Thursday in Brazil,
local media reports
said.
The railway, connecting
Minas Gerais State to
the ports of the coast
of Espirito Santo,
southeastern Brazil, is
operated by mining giant
Vale to transport ores
produced by Vale and
other companies.
The protestors camped on
the rails in the
countryside of
Governador Valadares,
east of Minas Gerais.
According to Vale, the
protestors have
prevented 30 trains from
passing by.
Via Campesina has been
fighting for the
re-nationalization of
Vale and a share of
local government's
revenue from mining.
Moreover, it has
requested indemnities
for the losses caused by
the construction of
hydroelectric power
plants and floods caused
by the dams that forced
many families to flee.
Via Campesina launched a
series of protests in 13
Brazilian states
Tuesday.
Vale, the world's top
iron-ore exporter,
released a statement
Thursday to criticize
the protests, which it
considered as harmful to
the security of the
communities and railway
operations.
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