New acts of social repression have taken place against popular elements in General San Martin, province of Jujuy. Groups of people in need occupied lands belonging to the Ledesma Sugar Refinery, an enterprise pertaining to the Blaquier, landowners who were complicit in the military dictatorship and who control most of the territory in the region.

According to the inhabitants, they were negotiating with the authorities and the enterprise for the expropriation of a few hectares of land in order to build houses, since there are no publicly owned lands in the region. The judge, without waiting for the results of negotiations, or because of a lack of information, ordered the expulsion of these people by police and the cavalry. This resulted in four deaths and a number of wounded and others detained by the authorities.

The reaction of the inhabitants to resist the police with sticks and stones was immediate, and according to some versions, some of the occupants were armed. At the moment the situation is confusing, there have been some reports that even families of the police were involved in the land occupations.

The serious situation involving repression of social protest has been repeated in various part of the country. against the Qom community in the province of Formosa, ordered by the provincial government, resulting in two fatalities, the burning of houses and the arrests of women and children. To these facts one must add the violence in the Indo-American Park, in Buenos Aires, in the provinces of Rio Negro and Catamarca.

The provincial governments have become feudal property; neoliberal policies are not only maintained but strengthened, which has led to an increase in poverty and the marginalization of large sectors of the population.

The concentration of lands, the expulsion of native peoples and small farmers, the lack of clear and coherent policies to limit the expansion of latifundios and the destruction of forests and of biodiversity, have all produced irreparable damage: monoculture and toxic chemicals, the destruction of natural goods and resources, the mining industry.

The country faces social and structural violence from provincial governments and the absence of the national government because the provincial governments are political allies. We could say that these are allies in terror and that they provide no benefits for the government, the province, or the country. There is a need for political ethics which at the moment are almost nonexistent.

We should not forget that the country is in the midst of an electoral campaign until October and what we see is an increase in tension, social conflict, aggravated by political interests who act like birds o prey together with the mass media. As in the "perinola” anything goes and the word is empty of meaning.

It is necessary to reflect and to discuss policies and projects for the good of the people, establish limits on the concentration of wealth, reach a more just and equitable redistribution, resolve serious problems in housing, health, education, integral development projects to overcome poverty and hunger, and to promote the values of democracy and the rights of the people.

It is urgent that we "disarm armed consciousness" through dialogue and a call for reflection on the part of the people, and of candidates who seek to govern the country, and this at every level.

Violence does not resolve social and structural problems of the country, and in particular, in the poorest sectors. The death of the inhabitants of Ledesma, in General San Martin, the repression, the death of indigenous brothers, children who are victims of hunger and avoidable disease in our country, all these things are an offence to the life of our people and of humanity.

We must work in solidarity together with our people to achieve rights and equality for everyone, not only for some. The judge who gave the order to repress should not be allowed to intervene in the determination of the facts concerning the violence in General San Martin, in Ledesma. He should be removed from the case.

The interim minister of government, recently appointed, cannot claim that the deaths were not the result of police action. He should undertake a serious investigation with ballistic expertise to determine who are responsible.

The problem is structural, it cannot be resolved with palliatives and intentional forgetfulness, that time will attempt to dissolve in forgetting the deaths and the violence against the inhabitants, in General San Martin, as in other parts of the country.

The serious situation at the moment is due to a lack of political will on the part of those who govern. The people must keep alive the memory of these events and the demand for truth and justice in face of social and structural violence, and seek ways to live together in respect for the rights of persons and of the people.

Adolfo Pérez Esquivel was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1980.

02/08/2011