[CHAMBER] Fact-Finding Mission to Bahia Bill

[Smyg]

In the lawless lands of the north-east, members of the BLOC are spotted crossing the caatinga. They attempt to infiltrate the large properties owned by the powerful Coronels in order to continue their quest of spreading Marxism to the poor and miserable of the brazilian sertão. In secret meetings under the moonlight, they hold seminars and meetings, teaching the peasants (most of them illiterates) about Marx, Lenin and the Communist ideal, attempting to in any way or form give them some sort of hope for the bleak future that most of them are destined to have. While managing to stir some sort of peasants support, most are unable to stay long, for they are mercilessly persecuted by the Coronels and their Jagunços, who after getting their hands on them, torture them, beat them and in the end, kill them, in the most horrible ways imaginable. A large number of BLOC agents stop reporting back, yet a good amount of them remain undercover, preaching the revolutions for the masses.

His men, aided by the Police force, would also keep a tight watch on the workers, kicking out suspected communists and labour agitators from the railway construction workforce.

Alongside his personal development projects, Horacio keeps a tight watch within his territory. During the last months, many BLOC operatives and suspected Bolshevik sympathizers are arrested and thrown in jail, kept under vigilance of the Patriotic battalion members and the local Police force at all times.

Worrying reports are surfacing from the estates of the honourable gentleman Mr. Horace de Queirós Matos in the State of Bahia. We are highly concerned with said reports, which indicate that members of the BLOC --- who are represented in this august body --- and others are being illegally detained for attempting to exercise their legal rights. Therefore, we'd like to request that a congressional fact-finding mission be assembled.

Of course, there are other extremely worrying reports from the region in prior months, but due to the incredibly brutal nature of said allegations, we profoundly hope that the Federal Police are already dealing with them independently.

Fact-Finding Mission to Bahia Bill

Whereas members of legal trade unions, allegedly simply seeking to exercise their legal rights, reportedly have been violently evicted from several workplaces in the Chapada Diamantina region of the State of Bahia, by a private paramilitary working alongside local legal authorities,

Whereas members of legal political parties and legal trade unions, doing the same, have reportedly been possibly illegally apprehended and put in detention by said private paramilitary and local legal authorities,

Whereas the local criminal elements are already being valiantly pursued by an entire presidentially deployed army battalion, allowing focus on other regional matters as well,

Whereas it is in the interest of the entire Republic of the United States of Brazil to defuse political tensions and to avoid future inflammatory events which risk provoking unnecessary violence,

• Section 1. Each political party represented in the 34th Congress of the Republic of the United States of Brazil shall appoint a representative from its congressional ranks to a temporary committee, which shall launch an immediate fact-finding mission to the Chapada Diamantina region of the State of Bahia, to investigate the legality of the detentions of members of the Bloco Operário e Camponês and other trade unionists, as well as the activities of the "Lavras Diamantinas Patriotic Battalion" and local law enforcement detachments.

• Section 2. The findings of this mission shall be presented by the committee to the National Congress of Brazil, which shall evaluate the possible necessity of further political and legal action, to ensure that the legal and national rights held by all Brazilian citizens remain intact.

• Section 3. This bill shall go into effect immediately after passage.

[Flamelord]

The Federal Union Party does not believe that a fact finding mission is necessary at this time. The situation has doubtlessly been exaggerated by elements sympathetic to the bandits currently operating in the Sertao, as they seem to share some ideological beliefs with the ones supposedly being persecuted in these reports. This body has more important things to focus on at the moment, and we suggest keeping our attention fixed there

[Snacks]

Gentlemen, nearly every man belonging to the BLOC and its affiliate unions that has gone to the Chapada Diamantina and not returned is a man whom I have met personally. Several have been close friends. For every single man disappeared or known to be dead I have tasked myself with visiting his family, of being confronted by their grieving wives and fatherless children. I have sworn to each that I will not and cannot rest until I have seen some form of justice done, or die having done all that could be done.

I challenge the men of this chamber to take the testimony of the wives these lost men have left behind- to look upon the few bodies recovered with your own eyes and see what was done to them. I dare you to be confronted with the truth of what happens in that region and the suffering of those peasants these men were killed for trying to help, the truth that Washington Luis and his cronies willingly turn a blind eye to so that they may grow fat on it's profits without an equally heavy conscience.

That men have been abducted, and that a large number of these men are certainly dead, is fact- not exaggeration. That this has transpired and no real investigation has taken place by local or state authorities is reason enough this body should act, and a party that supposedly fights for law and order would not shy from action or deflect the unpleasant truth that the president and congress do not maintain any sort of control over that region- it is the landowners, who are known to do as they please and murder without consequence. If there has ever been any exaggeration on the part of the demonstrably impoverished residents of the area, it is borne out of the fear they have suffered for generations.

Could any man here truthfully claim that- toiling at the plow merely to live hand to mouth for men who can do whatever they wish, and do so with impunity, for they own even the police they didn't hire themselves -he might begin to despair that he has any hope to write these injustices or defend himself or his family against their wrath? That even a brave few mustered the courage to speak out about the fates of those kidnapped and killed activists speaks volumes to their bravery and the oppression under which they live. If these claims are so wild, why do their neighbors not speak out just as loudly to correct the abysmal perception of their homeland? Why do the local police not bring forth the imprisoned men? If this is all a matter of skewed perception and leftist lies, why does the PUF so hastily discredit a measure that would do so much to resolve the fear and animosity that the peasants hold for their landowners?

And though I have long since lost my own faith, I condemn you to recall the commandment against false witness, for even if you lie in these chambers as the PUF delegate so shamelessly does, the wages of sin wait for no motion of censure nor reelection vote. We applaud the efforts of the PCB to help us see justice done, and offer all our support for this bill. We furthermore call for this chamber to take testimony from the families of these missing and slain BLOC activists as well as from the peasant workers and farmers of the region.

[acecipher]

As with the other fact-finding bill, we support this initiative: There is more to be gained from this investigation than lost, which would only be a small sum of our time, while the lives and freedom of many rural and possibly exploited Brazilians are at stake. As a lawful government, we owe it to our citizens that we make sure our agents and their fellows treat them fairly and are not coercing them, so that they may carry on with their livelihoods--especially in this economically depressed time, when many jobs are needed.

[Red John]

We remain ambivalent regarding this bill. On the one hand, the actions of the coronels are extremely concerning and represent a troubled attitude towards sections of the Brazillian populace - the rumours of torture being the most concerning.

On the other hand, it is clear that this was a politically motivated stunt by BLOC members and an attempt to challenge coronels authority and can be considered seditious. While even ourselves are shocked by the reactions of the coronels to this politically charged move, ultimately we question the intent of the BLOC members - why did they try to infiltrate the coronels land, to spread what can only be considered propaganda?

We believe both sides have overstepped their boundaries, hence our ambivalence. Further input is needed for us to make a clear choice regarding this bill.

[Luc]

Sebastião do Rego Barros, President of the Chamber of Deputies

I would urge all delegates to continue debating or call this bill into vote, please.

[Snacks]

The BLOC is quite frankly appalled at the callousness of the Liberal representative, though honestly at this point I personally cannot say I am shocked. The members of BLOC in the area were there to speak with the workers, to educate them and hear from them their own opinions on the state of their country and lives. They committed no acts against the coronels, unless education of workers and encouragement of them to exercise their rights under the law to make their voice heard through the vote is suddenly a crime.

Would the Liberals have us believe that the Bahia is the sovereign domain of the coronels, a place where none may come or go without their permission, and where any unwanted presence- even one that has committed no trespass or crime -is 'infiltration'? The Bahia is as much part of Brazil as Acre or Sao Paolo or Rio, and its people deserve just as much legal protection. Its ills warrant just as much scrutiny.

That the government is so ineffective that rule of law means nothing in the Bahia and the wealthy are allowed to kidnap, torture, and murder with impunity is a national embarrassment. But for the supposed progressives and the party of the president who speaks so highly of law and order to not only declare that there is no problem but to blame victims of torture and murdered men for the crimes committed against them- that is the most disgusting low to which the largest parties have sunk to date. Perhaps the party of the current president would rather keep its focus on gunning down military officers in the streets and calling it 'investigation'. We urge anyone with even a scrap of decency in them to vote for an investigation and to hear the testimony we have proposed.

[Smyg]

The BLOC is quite frankly appalled at the callousness of the Liberal representative, though honestly at this point I personally cannot say I am shocked. The members of BLOC in the area were there to speak with the workers, to educate them and hear from them their own opinions on the state of their country and lives. They committed no acts against the coronels, unless education of workers and encouragement of them to exercise their rights under the law to make their voice heard through the vote is suddenly a crime.

Would the Liberals have us believe that the Bahia is the sovereign domain of the coronels, a place where none may come or go without their permission, and where any unwanted presence- even one that has committed no trespass or crime -is 'infiltration'? The Bahia is as much part of Brazil as Acre or Sao Paolo or Rio, and its people deserve just as much legal protection. Its ills warrant just as much scrutiny.

That the government is so ineffective that rule of law means nothing in the Bahia and the wealthy are allowed to kidnap, torture, and murder with impunity is a national embarrassment. But for the supposed progressives and the party of the president who speaks so highly of law and order to not only declare that there is no problem but to blame victims of torture and murdered men for the crimes committed against them- that is the most disgusting low to which the largest parties have sunk to date. Perhaps the party of the current president would rather keep its focus on gunning down military officers in the streets and calling it 'investigation'. We urge anyone with even a scrap of decency in them to vote for an investigation and to hear the testimony we have proposed.

Wholly agreed.

[Luc]

Sebastião do Rego Barros, President of the Chamber of Deputies

If there is no more debate to be had on this bill, I would encourage this house to move into voting procedures.

[Flamelord]

The Federal Union Party (93) votes No on this bill

[Snacks]

The BLOC (2) votes yes

[Flaming Bolshevik]

AIB (3) abstains.

[Westar]

National Liberal Alliance (70) votes in favour of the current bill.

[acecipher]

The SDP (27) votes Yes on this bill.