The Free

Wuppertal. Germany. Speech by people from the evicted Osterholz forest at the demonstration: “Justice for Georgios and for all other victims of state violence!” (January 29, 2022).

Originally published by Jeder Baum Zählt. (Every Tree Counts). Translated by Riot Turtle. shared with thanks!

It’s great that you stand here in solidarity with us.

We are the gang from the trees, the annoying ones from the ground.

I don’t think I need to tell anyone what was going on this week at the Osterholz forest in Wuppertal, but the first thing we want to mention is that we are very grateful for all the support we received. Thanks to the great people of the Danni EA (legal team, translator).

The supporters for the central prisoners holding facility (GeSa, Translator) were there out of nowhere, within one day, despite the absolute chaos, the people we needed were there – solidarity is not a one-way street. What we would like to say about the citizens’ initiative Osterholz bleibt: On the first occupation day in August 2019, when we were hanging in metal beds in the trees without warning and were suddenly there, you came and brought us coffee, tea, rolls and above all power.

“In an agenda without discussion with the leaders, they are introducing a project that releases poison, poisons that are prohibited in the countries of origin,” said the president of the Chamber, Arthur Lira.

The project known as the “poison package” achieved 301 votes in favor and only 150 against.

The Brazilian Chamber of Deputies approved this Wednesday the project on the liberalization of the use of agrochemicals, an initiative that is known as the “poison package” by environmental defenders.

Said project was approved by the majority of deputies with 301 to 150 votes, which is cataloged by environmentalists as an unprecedented setback in the South American giant.

The controversial project that was presented before the Legislative instance by President Jair Bolsonaro makes it possible to relax the regulations on the adoption of pesticides, at the same time, opening the pesticide market and centralizing the inspection and analysis of said products for the country’s agricultural sector .

Since Bolsonaro presented the project to liberalize the use of agrochemicals, environmentalists assert that many of these products have been prohibited in the European Union for 20 years, in addition, they denounced that the Government has released 1,257 of which 160 are classified as biologically active.

Likewise, the member of Abrasco’s Health and Environment Thematic Group and Fiocruz toxicologist, Karen Friedrich, warned that the Government and the Legislature persecute environmentalists and do not care about the health of Brazilians.