| The following statement was made by a group of 50 street children, brought together by a forum of Brasilian NGOs, in response to a special resolution passed by the Rio city authorities at the end of May this year which made provision for the compulsory removal of children and young people from the city's streets. A resolution which in fact violates the Federal Constitution and the Statute of the Child and Adolescent.
The passing of this resolution and the subsequent use of force and violence by police enacting the resolution caused an uproar not only amongst NGOs working with street children but also amongst some senior judges who spoke out in support of these NGOs and called for the city authorities to account for their actions.
Forum on Street Children and Adolescents, held on 15 June 2011 by 16 NGOs that are part of the Rio Children Network , denounce and claim:
- We, street children and adolescents denounce the forced removal operations, made in the city of Rio de Janeiro by the Rio de Janeiro City Hall, all done violently by the police who come beating, assaulting, and lead us to the police station as if we were criminals, and to shelters that do not help with anything. What difference will it make to take people off the streets and offer nothing better? Before removing them, there must be a plan to offer better living conditions for these people.
- We denounce the police who take our money and everything we have.
- We denounce the way the police enter the communities, shooting, treating everyone as a criminal. They do not respect people.
- We denounce the way they treat people who use drugs, because instead of treating us, they suppress and dope us. They are just after the “crackers” (cracudos) while there are a lot of people dying from overdose of other drugs.
- We denounce the clinic of Barra Mansa, Casa Reviva, which sedates us all day and even ties us to the bed.
- We denounce the type of treatment of the clinics that treat drug addiction, which use medicines but do not offer other activities. Treatment is important, but it’s momentary, it’s all because of the World Cup, they are just cleaning up the city.
- We denounce DEGASE (Instituto Padre Severino), because inside they hit, humiliate the adolescents, oppress the minors. And also take money from families when they come to visit. People come out worse than when they entered.
- We claim that the Crackland (Cracolândia) has to end, but people should receive dignified treatment. People should be taken where there will be something better, schools, training, professionalization.
- People who are in the streets must be respected, must receive a different alternative, not jail.
- They should be heard, and not have someone acting on their behalf; know what they want, what they need.
- There has to be listening, affection, care, and not repression.
- The police and the City Hall should select more carefully the people to work with us; they cannot employ untrained people.
- Finally, we want to be treated as people that we are, and have our rights respected.
* Organisations that are part of the network: Associação Beneficente Amar, Associação Beneficente São Martinho, Associação Brasileira Terra dos Homens – ABTH, Associação Childholpe Brasil , Associação Excola, Banco da Providência, Casa do Menor São Miguel Arcanjo, CEDECA RJ, Centro de Teatro do Oprimido – CTO, Centro Internacional de Estudos e Pesquisas sobre a Infância (CIESPI), Criança Rio, Fundação Bento Rubião, Movimento Nacional de Meninos e Meninas de Rua, Organização de Direitos Humanos Projeto Legal, REMER and Se Essa Rua Fosse Minha
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