The darker side of Rio... - a photo on Flickriver

...and the death of a warrior.

A week ago today, Brazilians all over the country were once again witness to the inexcusable attitudes of our police force and the failing public security that they represent, ........and that in a city chosen to host the 2016 Olympic Games.
Brazil's government needs to urgently resolve the growing violence in Rio before they rejoice their recent Olympic conquest.

The tragic killing of AfroReggae's highly respected social coordinator and Conflicts Mediator, Evandro João Silva, during an armed robbery in Rio de Janeiro last Sunday, has in itself cast a blanket of sadness and despair over the entire organisation and those who knew Evandro. But that the details of this terrible crime would be registered on three security cameras situated close to the scene of the crime, capturing not only the actions of the two bandits who attacked, robbed and gunned down Evandro, but also the shocking details of the patrolling policemen's omission to save his life, their subsequent freeing of the criminals only seconds after the crime was commited and then taking Evandro's personal belongings with them in their patrol car whilst Evandro was left to die on the sidewalk, has caused revolt throughout the country.

See what the cameras captured and then try to imagine the frustration of those who admired this humble warrior.......

Evandro had been with AfroReggae since 2001 and occupied an important position in the NGO, responsible for noteworthy social projects in favela communities and prisons, and also coordinating the group's community centre in Parada de Lucas. In december, Evandro was to have finished Pedagogy studies at University and was already planning his Masters.
See this portrait photo of Evandro

Open Letter to AfroReggae from CARF Brazil in Portuguese:

Mais uma vez a violência cala os sonhos.....

A Rede Cultural Beija-Flor (Fundação Criança em Risco), seus alunos, educadores e coordenadores, em especial eu, Gregory John Smith, seu presidente e fundador, estamos mais que tristes, ficamos decepcionados com os seres humanos que continuam a tirar vidas de outros seres humanos por motivos cada vez mais banais.

No caso de Evandro João Silva, estamos falando de alguém que acreditava em uma mudança e, principalmente, na valorização da vida. Coordenar um trabalho social é travar uma guerra muitas vezes injusta, pois acreditamos numa paz que nos leva a viver vulneráveis, pois acreditar às vezes significa enfrentar a violência, e a violência é cega, surda e insensível. Como enfrentar um inimigo assim, que não enxerga o outro, que só ouve a si mesmo e não se importa com a coisa mais valiosa que temos, a vida. Talvez nem com a própria. Como enfrentar?

Caros parceiros desta imensa e interminável luta, não desistam!
Estamos sempre perdendo nossos grandes soldados, mas com certeza, grandes soldados deixam legados inspiradores, que ajudam outros a se tornarem mais fortes e mais próximos da realização destes sonhos coletivos, como os do AfroReggae.

Taken on: April 25, 2008

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