On this day 22 years ago, the world woke up to the sad news Chico Mendes had been killed by farmers who responded to his activism in defence of the forest and the people of Acre.
During the 80’s Chico Mendes fought tirelessly and with great courage while his companions were threatened and killed. His leadership became known worldwide and was the reason the Brazilian government began to respond by withdrawing some land from farmers and turning them into protected areas. Understanding the threat had become, Chico Mendes had made a declaration in Rio de Janeiro predicting his assassination shortly before his last trip back to Acre.
"I do not want flowers at my funeral; because I know they'll pull them out of the forest! I just want my murder will serve to end the impunity of the gunmen, under the protection of the federal police in Acre and that, since 1975, has already killed over 50 people as I do, tappers leaders who defend the Amazon rainforest and make it an example of that progress is possible without destruction. Xapuri I go to meet death. "
And that is what happened on December 22, 1988, shortly after he came home to be reunited with his family.
The seed must die to germinate. And it was this day that began a new cycle of struggle for environmental causes in Brazil and worldwide. Without a doubt, we are a movement that continues what began Chico. When we act for a sustainable world, and just happy we can be sure that Chico Mendes lives in us as a seed of hope and inspiration.
Message drawn from this post by Lou Gold.
On this day 22 years ago, Chico Mendes was killed by farmers who responded to his activism in defense of the forest and the people of Acre.
During the 80 Chico Mendes fought tirelessly and with great courage while his companions were threatened and killed. His leadership became known worldwide and why the Brazilian government began to respond by withdrawing some land from farmers and turning them into protected areas. Understanding the threat had become, Chico Mendes has a pronunciation in Rio de Janeiro predicting his assassination.
Despite the warnings and premonitions, he returned to Acre saying
"I do not want flowers at my funeral, because I know they'll pull them out of the forest! I just want my murder will serve to end the impunity of the gunmen, under the protection of the federal police in Acre and that, since 1975, already killed over 50 people as I do, tappers leaders who defend the Amazon rainforest and make it an example of that progress is possible without destruction. Xapuri I go to meet death. "
And that is what happened on December 22, 1988, shortly after he came home to reunite with his family.
The seed must die to germinate. And it was this day that began a new stage of the environmental cause in Brazil and worldwide.
This is the man largely responsible for planting the 'seed' for me to do all I can to stop deforestation of the Amazon rainforest.
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