THE WAR OF THE SILENT

The War of the Silent, originally uploaded by carf.

It’s been exactly a year now since the night slaughter of innocent street dwellers took place in the city centre of São Paulo.

Seven people who lived on the streets were finally put out of their misery, using the most disgusting means ever by their unidentified attackers. The motivations for these brutal killings have still not been identified.

At the time, the Secretary of Public Security, Saulo de Castro Abreu Filho, promised that the case would be resolved within thirty days (Hah! That was a good one!!!)
More than 110 witnesses have since been heard and the only three real suspects have already been released for lack of evidence, according to the Public Ministry’s office.

Those sordid acts against our street dwellers happened between the 19th and 22nd of August, 2004. The seven who died were all slain with heavy blows to the head, whilst another eight were seriously wounded.

The police suspected that the massacre had some connection with drug trafficking in the central region of the city and over territorial disputes, but this theory was never confirmed.

There was even strong enough evidence that the police themselves were involved, even to the stage of two of them being held prison, together with a colleague, only later to be released. In November, the Public Ministry’s office considered that the evidence was insufficient to hold them and they were subsequently released.

The Public Ministry realises that such a long delay in getting this case resolved only makes things worse for the entire investigation. "Time is always the best friend of the criminal", said District Attorney, Carlos Cardoso yesterday, representing the Human Rights Office of the Chief Procurator of Justice.

So whilst we pressure for a solution for this case, suddenly there comes to light the assasination of yet another street dweller in March this year, this time it was one of those who had witnessed the second attack on his street colleagues in August 2004.

Four policemen are being held, accused of committing this crime in March, and, according to investigations, this case has surely something to do with the massacre in August last year.

According to chief inspector, Luiz Fernando Lopes Teixeira, there have so far been six suspects identified for the attacks, who probably acted together with the policemen and a security guard. Teixeira confirms that the six suspects are all part of a group involved in drug trafficking, extortion and homicide in the city centre.

14-year old Elton (above), was not on the streets at the time, although he was in the process of leaving the streets. As with most street kids he was found a pest and a plague to some people, but I just won’t accept that was enough to justify his senseless death, shot at close range in the chest. The image of his dead body on the grass banks of the peaceful reservoir, close-by to our Hummingbird Centre, is still branded in my mind. His and all the others who have followed him during these last few years.
The above image, even though I have done my best to disguise its ugliness, is a shocking testimony of the fact that they still shoot kids in Brazil.

They still carry on murdering innocent human beings with their deranged reasons, and as long as there is no justice this image will repeat itself, time and time again!

We know who shot Elton, they know who killed the seven street dwellers in the city centre... - but do they really care?????


Please visit:
FORSAKEN BY SOCIETY TRILOGY - PEOPLE

UNITED CHILDREN OF THE WORLD