Bound by Promises: Slavery in rural Brazil (Excerpts)
By: WITNESS Media Archive
Posted: Jun 11 07
Witnessed: 19977 times
Regions: Brazil
Issues: Slavery & forced labor
Tags: brasil, brazil, forced labor, labor, rights alert, slavery
Every year, more than 25,000 workers are enslaved by landowners in rural Brazil, mostly in the Amazon region. “Bound by Promises” tells the story of men who set out in search of work and are taken to isolated ranches in the Amazon, only to find that they have been lured into debt bondage. Forced to do backbreaking work and live in overcrowded shacks with no running water, armed guards remind the workers that those who try to run away may be killed. With no way out, they toil in the hope of buying back their freedom.
Despite the fact that Brazil pledged to eradicate slave labor by the end of 2006, there is still a long way to go. Current inspections barely cover half the complaints received from runaway slaves, and although 4,000 workers are released each year, no landowner has ever been imprisoned for the crime of slavery. The few criminal charges ever pressed remain at a standstill, languishing in the judicial system because of a debate over whether they should be tried in state or federal courts. Rampant impunity combined with a lack of economic opportunities continues to force tens of thousands of men to enter the cycle of slavery each year.
TAKE ACTION TO END SLAVE LABOR IN RURAL BRAZIL NOW.
The 4 minute video above contains excerpts from "Bound by Promises." Both the full-length video (17 minutes - in English and Portuguese) and the excerpts (in English and Portuguese ) are available on Google Video. To purchase a copy of "Bound by Promises" please visit the WITNESS Store.
Partner: Comissão Pastoral da Terra (CPT) & Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL)
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