In December of 1993,
citizens of Rio de Janeiro were appalled to learn that a vigilante justice
gang opened fire on some 50 street children sleeping on the steps of Candelária
Catholic Church in the center of the city. They managed to kill eight. Soon
after, another gang of hooded men massacred 21 innocent civilians in a city
slum called Vigário Geral.
After some investigation,
local authorities revealed the hooded men with guns were members of the Military
Police of Rio de Janeiro. While off-duty the same individuals paid, trained
and equipped to protect Brazilian civilians killed in cold blood.
These two tragedies
sparked an outrage in Rio de Janeiro. Never before had Brazilian politicians
and police commanders been more embarrassed. In one stroke, they managed to
unofficially prove themselves guilty of corruption and brutality with a complete
disregard for human rights. They gave confirmation that violence in the city
was spiraling out of control. It was clear to the world and the citizens of
Rio de Janeiro that the Brazilian state was in dire need of help.
In response to these
atrocities, one prominent citizen of Rio de Janeiro, Rubem Cesar Fernandes,
founded an anti-violence non-governmental organization (NGO). Viva Rio was
founded on the 17th of December, 1993 with a mandate to motivate
individuals, businesses, associations, and government officials to construct
a more just and democratic society. It was the first of many anti-violence
NGOs founded in response to the Candelária and Vigário Geral
massacres.
Human rights, public
security, community development, education, sports, and the environment are
the five foci Viva Rio organized to develop peace campaigns and social projects
in the city of Rio de Janeiro. It maintains close ties with the Military and
Civil Police command of the state of Rio de Janeiro, and is a consultant for
the Ministry of Justice, which oversees security matters in Brazil.
The
most established series of projects fall under the public security
umbrella, administered by its disarmament team, called Desarmamento
(Disarmament). Desarmamento publishes Spanish and Portuguese
news about arms control issues on its web site www.desarme.org.
Its research branch works closely with the Ministry of Justice
to investigate, draft, publish, and distribute manuals for small
arms and light weapon identification, tracking, and stockpile
organization.
As an expert on
Brazilian gun control and public security law, and the legislation of international
firearms and landmine control norms, Desarmamento is a professional resource
for government officials, lawyers and others. An outreach program, Balcão
de Direitos (Rights Counter), offers legal council in favela communities.
Under its community
development umbrella, the Viva Favela (Long Live Shantytown) project works
specifically with education and awareness programs in a number of favelas.
Viva Cred (Live Credit) operates a micro-finance unit in impoverished and
low income communities.
"Armas Não,
Ela ou Eu" (No to Guns, the Gun or Me) is a peace campaign designed to
inform women about the dangers of the misuse of firearms. Women force their
husbands to choose between his gun and his wife. Another female awareness
campaign, Beleza (Beauty) is designed to educate women about birth control,
domestic violence, and other female issues.
The popular sports
project Luta pela Paz (Fight for Peace) heads up the sports branch. Luta pela
Paz administers a boxing club and sports facility located in the heart of
favela violence. Many of the young members trade their assault rifles
for boxing gloves. Students learn about conflict resolution while training
for boxing tournaments.
Stray-Bullet Town
Meanwhile, national awareness
campaigns such as gun destruction ceremonies and anti-violence marches, promote
peace and non violence in a town where a stray bullet kills an innocent person
every two days. The last anti-violence march attracted over 50,000 Brazilians.
Viva Rio has also worked with Brazilian media giant O Globo to insert anti-violence
rhetoric into the script of popular television programs.
The most recent addition
to Viva Rio's quiver of projects and campaigns is the Children of Organized
Armed Violence project. Its team works specifically with the armed youth who
patrol drug gang controlled areas with assault rifles. The projects' cornerstone
book, Children and Youth of Organized Armed Violence, raised international
awareness for the condition of favela youth, who have little option
but to enter organized crime to earn a living.
Viva Rio continues to
do good work in Rio de Janeiro. Nevertheless death rates continue to rise.
Police corruption is rampant. Torture is still regularly used. In these conditions,
civil society must bridge the divide between haves and have-nots.
Viva Rio, for all its
successes and failures, is a model to anti-violence NGOs in cities worldwide,
where violence threatens human security daily. The only real regret about
Viva Rio is that the social condition in Brazil's "marvelous city"
demands its existence.
It has been almost ten
years since the massacre of 28 innocent and poor Brazilians forced Viva Rio
into this world. Now thousands of impoverished individuals, who are summarily
ignored by state and federal politicians, have a voice. Each year it gets
louder. Soon it may be loud enough to reach the politicians who continue to
act like it doesn't exist.
Sam Logan is a freelance
journalist living and working in Rio de Janeiro. He is from New Orleans,
and is currently completing a Masters in International Policy Studies with
the Monterey Institute of International Studies in Monterey, California.
He speaks English, Spanish and Portuguese and has lived in Costa Rica, Mexico,
Chile, and Brazil off and on since 1998. Email for contact: slogan@contactouno.com
