Log-book, January 1998


The prisoner's guidebook Peasants Deprived Of Land resistance in Brazil

Double-penalty Open churches

Bibliography Archives

Partenia: some figures

 





PARTENIA

Letters

Topical



A year ago



send email

The prisoner's guidebook

 

December 10th, 1997: In a highly symbolical step on the World Day for Human Rights, eleven delegations went to the jails around Paris in order to give detainees the prisoner's guidebook. Fifteen thousand prisoners have received 200 copies of a booklet which tells them how to make the most of their rights.

The International Observatory of Prisons organized this day with the help of the Young Barristers' Union for Paris and the judges' trade union.

I was among one of these delegations with, among other people, a lady barrister and an actor. We were able to personally give the "prisoner's guide" to detainees in the jail library. The prisoners were very touched by our enterprise, which will help them have access to their rights.

Unfortunately, the penitentiary headquarters had forbidden the staff to let the media in with the delegations, contrary to what had been promised previously.

The journalists showed their disappointment in this change of plans. Words uttered meaninglessly often have difficulty finding their way into reality.

By not keeping its commitment, the penitentiary governing body has shown that it is still under much pressure by the supervisors' trade union.

 

 

 

Write to Partenia: jgaillot@partenia.org


PARTENIA

Letters

Topical



A year ago



send email

Peasants Deprived Of Land resistance in Brazil

 

I spent an evening with Jose Raihna who had just arrived from Brazil.

He is the leader of Brazil's Peasants Deprived Of Land movement (MST) which has convened about 50,000 families living in 244 camps. The MST is the main opposition group to government agricultural policy. It was for me a pleasure to meet that man who is so committed to his cause that he cannot put up with injustice. He is also very popular with the peasants.

On June 3rd, 1989, one hundred families of rural workers without land settled quietly on a derelict farm. On June 5th, the landowner and a police officer arrived. The two men started shooting at the peasants who shot back. Several peasants were injured and both the landowner and police officer died. Immediately police forces started to besiege the farm.

Several peasants were arrested and tortured in jail.

On June 10th, 1997, Jose Raihna was sentenced to 26 and a half years imprisonment. He was convicted of the two murders. People everywhere were indignant because there was no proof that he was actually present at the shoot out. To the contrary, there is evidence that he was 2000 kilometers away when the incident occurred. It was a political trial, an "unjust trial," according to Amnesty International.

My only crime, Jose explained, is to fight for a piece of land, a piece of bread, so that our sons do not turn into brigands. If this is outlawed, I will remain an outlaw. Raihna has been condemned because he is an MST leader and is deeply involved in agrarian reform.

When someone is sentenced to more than 20 years imprisonment in Brazil, the right to appeal is automatic. The trial will probably be this spring. Jose tells me adamantly, "What is most important is the agrarian reform and the renewal of the Brazilian society."

We stand at Jose Raihna's side to claim his rights to a just trial.

 

Write to Partenia: jgaillot@partenia.org

 

 

PARTENIA

Letters

Topical



A year ago



send email

Double-penalty

 

Seven people are on a hunger strike in Lyons. I go and visit them at their request. Though they are desperate and very weak, we spent together a pleasant moment of brotherhood. Who are they? Either they were born in France or were very young when they came to France. They have families.

Together with their wives they raise their children. Both their wives and children are French. Their own parents have been in France for 30, sometimes 40, years.

Those people, condemned to the double-penalty, have committed an offense, sometimes a long time ago. They have been sentenced to prison and, once they complete their sentence, they are condemned to be deported from France, far from their relatives, their children, their friends and the country in which they have been born and where they have grown up.

The double-penalty means jail plus deportation. But in France people cannot be condemned twice for the same offense! The double-penalty has not been abolished for the past twenty years though strong protests have been raised. Unfortunately it will not be abolished with the Prime Minister's new law. I find it outrageous.

 

 

 

 

 

Write to Partenia: jgaillot@partenia.org


 

PARTENIA

Letters

Topical



A year ago



send email

Open churches

 

I went to St. Gall, Switzerland, and then on to London. I was invited to talk in churches which are meant to be places of freedom, crossroads where people meet for both religious and cultural activities. Those churches are under collegiate and ecumenical management and many people meet in them from morning until evening.

The churches are very much in use. I felt as if the church, from the floor up, was being born anew. Ecumenism was a reality and it made people happy.

Nobody felt like a stranger; every one was welcome. One was taken into consideration and listened to regardless of his or her background or position in life. Those open churches are a success.

This new way of becoming church is good news.

 

Jacques Gaillot

 

 

Write to Partenia: jgaillot@partenia.org

 

 

 

 

 



PARTENIA

Letters

Topical



A year ago



send email

Archives :



 





PS: Partenia some figures

Files on the website: 115

Requests for cumulated pages: 205'000

Hits for the year: around 70'000

Per month: around 5'000

E-mails received by Jacques Gaillot
for the first year: 3237

Websites which have a link to Partenia: around 300