The Landless Movement (Movimento dos Sem Terra--MST) began at the end of the 1970's. It rose from isolated struggles for land in southern Brazil, and through support from social action groups within the Catholic and Lutheran churches and other similar progressive combative groups, grew and unified into the single, large organization it is at the present.

Today MST is nationwide, and is organized in a total of 23 Brazilian states. Through the support of various organizations and its ongoing struggle, the MST has acquired land for nearly 250 thousand families in 2,600 settlements. This is impressive in a society where 4.8 million families are landless and a highly concentrated 2% of landowners own 48% of the land.

In addition, the MST does much more than simply fight for land; it achieves surprising success in diverse areas, as shown in the following areas:

1. In Production

The settlements have nearly 400 associations of production, commercialism and services, including 49 Fish and Agriculture Cooperatives (CPA) involving 2,299 associated families, 32 Varied Services Cooperatives with 11,174 direct partners, 2 Regional Commercialization Cooperatives, and 2 Credit Cooperatives with 6,113 associates.

We've developed 96 small to medium agricultural industries which produce fruits and vegetables, dairy products, grains, coffee, meat products and sweets.

MST's economic ventures are generating employment, profits and taxes that indirectly benefit nearly 700 small municipalities in the interior of Brazil. To develop a system of production, the MST created the SCA (Cooperative Community System), which articulates and coordinates the demands of each sector of production. The economic viability of these ventures lies in the simultaneous creation of the cooperatives, education of the technicians and studies of the market.

2. In Education

75 thousand children from 1st to 4th grade study in the settlements' public schools, and the Education Department of the MST hires 2,800 teachers who are paid by the municipalities and trained in a methodology (pedagogy) specific to schools located in rural areas.

In the area of Education, the movement is working toward four main goals: (I) Childcare (nurseries in some settlements), (II) Basic Fundamental Education (1st to 4th grade), (III) Young Adult Education (there are 8 thousand young people learning to read with the help of 600 instructors), and (IV) Teacher Training (professorships and educative methodology in partnership with the state universities).

There are actually more than 50 universities that support the education of MST members through exchange programs, research projects and active participation.

The First National Conference of Basic Rural Education took place in July of 1998.

At the present there is an Educational Methodology Course being offered in Rio Grande do Sul, with 55 teachers in the settlements from 17 Brazilian states, giving special preference to teachers from the MST.

Also in Rio Grande do Sul, a Boarding School was created for the first time to accompany the children from nomadic camps which are constantly on the move because of the frequent clearing out of such camps. The school is truly a success for the children, because it gives the child a place to be.

3. Women

In the middle of particularly sexist rural areas, prejudices and stereotypes are repeated in movements and organizations, as a reflection of society in general. The MST began to discuss these issues, and to pressure women to be courageous and actively participate in the movement. Women have the fundamental role of occupation in the first stage of the MST's development. Prior to that time, women in the settlements "had the tendency to go back" to their domestic roles of care-taking of the house, children, pets, etc.

Reflecting on that, women began to perceive that they could take on different roles in the struggle for Land Reform within the MST. Today there are 6 women for every 15 men fulfilling crucial roles in the MST. For example, the president of the Center of Community Cooperatives in São Paulo is a woman.

Impending Changes:

• Increases in the number of women with decision-making positions.

• When there are women are present in small ventures such as cooperatives and associations, they tend to focus on means to better the quality of life within the home such as electric power, laundry facilities, communal dining areas and childcare. Men on the other hand tend to focus on investments "outside the home" such as the construction of tool sheds, new vehicles, and remodeling or additions to the structures of the cooperatives.

• Discussion of Gender Issues in general, and about women in particular, in all classes and meetings of the MST.

• Childcare (Nurseries) is made available at all classes and national conferences to allow women to participate.

• The feminine struggle for land is brought into MST discussions. What new methods need to be implemented so that women can participate with MST's basic work, direction and organization?

4. Communication

The Landless Journal is one of the longest standing publications of any popular movement. It has been in existence for 15 years, uninterrupted. The MST maintains the journal and trains dozens of "popular reporters" to investigate, document and write the news for publication.

Community Radio and Radio Programs: In the middle of rural Brazil radios are the single most important media for communication. The MST runs and operates nearly 30 Community Radio Stations and has 5 radio programs through which they spread the news, messages, information and public opinion about the movement.

Home Page: The MST is also present in the world of information with its own Home Page: www.mst.org.br providing information about their struggle and movement.

5. Culture

The MST affirmed their cultural identity as "Landless" and worked together, united behind their red flag and symbols of occupational tools. Today all landless people and militants who participate in the organization show their pride by calling themselves "Landless".

Focus on culture specifically within the movement is relatively new, however it is always present in struggles for land. Among the MST members there are hundreds of poets, musicians, singers and artists who bring music, poetry and dance to demonstrations, marches, prison sit-ins and land conquest victory celebrations.

Sebastião Salgado's exhibition "TERRA" ("LAND" or EARTH) traveled the world. Through its tour of nearly 800 cities, the exhibition exposed the struggle of the MST through art, and showed that culture is a form of identity affirmation and solidarity with the fight.

Recently the MST released its first CD. In collaboration with musicians from popular Brazilian music (MBP), MST artists sing about their struggle for land, their joys and their sorrows.

A second CD is forthcoming, and contains the 16 best songs from the First National Festival of Land Reform Music, which took place in Palmeira a das Missões in southern Brazil in February of 1999. The festival was a great success, as nearly 4 thousand people came together each night to hear the presentations of the artists from all parts of Brazil.

6. Human Rights

A Human Rights Department of the MST was established to support the movement through the frequent clearings of their camps, imprisonment, and human rights violations which they are regularly subjected to. The Human Rights Department is coordinated by a lawyer (son of a family settled in Paraná) and includes a net of over 40 volunteer lawyers involved in other organizations that support the MST during the most difficult times of repression, prison sentences, torture incidents and deaths.

In meetings and various MST classes, the Human Rights Department works on development of and education about the essential and basic rights of Brazilian citizens, as well as about general and specific legislation regarding agricultural issues.

The MST organizes accusations at the international level in conjunction with other international organizations.

7. International Relations

Through trips by invitation and for special conferences, the MST brings their experiences to various countries. However, the movement's relationship to Latin America is particularly important due to the solidarity present there with other massive, popular and progressive movements and organizations.

The Coordination of Rural Latin American Organizations (CLOC) helps define the MST as a rural movement by promoting its diverse exchanges of experience and training.

On the international stage, the MST participates in the Rural Way, an organization that unifies rural organizations from various continents fighting for land, Land Reform and sufficient political support for small-scale agrarian production.

Recently the MST traveled to Africa and worked on an exchange program for education and cooperativism projects. We understand the need to expand southern hemisphere alliances, especially between popular fighting movements that seek to transform the current Neo-Liberal system.

8. Youth

Youth participate in the MST organizing conferences and festive gatherings, as well as forming an organized sub-group within the movement. There are millions of active youth in the movement who assume responsibilities, participate in activities and train themselves in the struggle. In fact, the majority of the most militant part of the MST are youth.

Training and educating the youth is of primary importance to the MST because they will become the next generation of MST leaders. In addition, rural society offers few roles to young people, so their participation in information sessions and classes offers them both opportunity and responsibility.

9. The Environment

The Environment has become much more of a concern for the MST in recent years. Specific experiences within the settlements are diverse; however, all seem to be lacking a systematic approach to environmental issues.

One particular case is the production of agro-ecologic, or organic, seeds. These fruit and vegetable seeds do not use ANY chemicals or other toxic materials in their production. In 1998, the MST launched a brand of these organic seeds called BioNatur in São Paulo, Rio Grande do Sul and Rio de Janeiro.

Other ongoing agro-ecology projects include: coffee production without pesticides or toxins, and nurseries for seedlings of native vegetables and fruit trees for specific markets. By the end of 1999 we plan to create a document to systemize important sustainability and ecologically important activities in the settlements to prove that Land Reform can be achieved in an environmentally sustainable way.