English Version

Neste sábado pela manhã houve mais uma ação da Guarda Municipal na tentativa de remover xs ocupantes. Essa foi a terceira tentativa da Guarda de fazer a remoção que agiu com truculência levando de forma irregular todo o material e pertences da ocupação.

O material foi forçosamente retirado pelos guardas e jogados em uma cabine sem nenhum tipo de documentação ou informação por parte da GM. Entre o material retirado irregularmente encontravam-se cartazes, panos, cobertores, toldo, cadeiras, alimentos entre outros.

Devido à ameaça feita pelos Guardas de atuarem pela noite, onde a visibilidade é menor, em mais uma tentativa de remoção, xs ocupantes convocaram uma vigília para a noite seguinte. Cerca de 30 manifestantes passaram essa madrugada em solidariedade à ocupação.

Nenhuma ação truculenta aconteceu nessa noite, mas um carro cinza (ver foto) com vidro preto e um amassado na lateral chegou junto com uma caminhonete da guarda e ficou por alguns instantes parado. Depois de poucos minutos xs ativistas decidiram ir em direção ao carro para fotografar e filmar a placa, mas ao perceber a movimentação o carro saiu antes que desse tempo dos manifestantes se aproximarem o suficiente.

Alguns dos cartazes afixados ao redor da ocupação diziam “buzine p/ reserva”, o que fazia que carros passassem buzinando o tempo todo. Muitos outros paravam e ofereciam ajuda e doações de comida e outros suprimentos, ou mesmo em dinheiro. Um deles doou 2 sacos de gelo. Outrxs colaboradores preferiram pedir para que pizzarias fizessem a entrega de pizzas e refrigerantes direto à ocupação.

O Coletivo Projetação também esteve presente e utilizou as paredes do Cidade das Artes para projetar imagens e textos em repúdio ao impacto ambiental e às irregularidades das obras do Parque Olímpico de Golfe na Reserva Marapendi.

A ocupação política tem por objetivo chamar a atenção para as irregularidades que envolvem a construção do campo de golfe que seria usado para os Jogos Olímpicos de 2016. A área de 1.180.000m², tamanho equivalente ao bairro do Leblon, faz parte do antigo Parque Natural Municipal Marapendi. No entanto, o Prefeito Eduardo Paes, por decisão pessoal através da Lei Complementar 125/2013, tenta excluir tal área dos limites do Parque N. M. Marapendi, conforme o artigo 4º desta lei complementar transcrito abaixo:

“Art. 4º Fica excluída dos limites do Parque Natural Municipal de Marapendi a área de recuo doada ao Município do Rio de Janeiro no PAL nº 31.421, conforme descrição e mapa ilustrativo constantes no Anexo III desta Lei Complementar.”
	Fonte: Site da Câmara Municipal do Rio de Janeiro – visto em 21/12/2014

O Ministério Público tem tentado embargar a construção do parque olímpico devido a tomada irregular da área do Parque e que há vícios de ilegalidade e inconstitucionalidade na lei e que a remoção dessa área do Parque Natural Minicipal Marapendi foi feita sem estudos técnicos necessários sobre o impacto. Contudo, as obras continuam livremente e toda a tentativa de fotografar e filmar a área é censurada por seguranças.

Dentro dos mais de um milhão de metros quadrados estão 58.000m² de mata atlântica nativa situada à margem da Lagoa de Marapendi, avaliada em torno de 300 milhões de reais. Como se pode ver pelas fotos abaixo, parte da área tomada da reserva será também utilizada pela iniciativa privada para a construção de um condomínio com 22 prédios de luxo para alimentar a especulação imobiliária, proporcionando um lucro estimado de 1 bilhão de reais à RJZ Cyerala (clique para ver o projeto), além dos lucros da Construtora Fiori responsável pela construção do Parque Olímpico que, inclusive, recebeu uma isenção de quase 2 milhões de reais em isenções fiscais.

Não é a primeira vez que áreas da região foram tomadas de forma irregular para satisfazer os altos lucros da especulação, entre os muitos casos estão a centenária Vila Harmonia, onde inclusive viviam remanescentes Quilombolas e a Vila recreio II. Centenas de famílias moravam nessas comunidades que possuíam comércio próprio e uma cultura de gerações.

ENGLISH VERSION

Occupation in defense of Municipal Natural Park Marapendi - #OcuppyGolfe

The Occupy Golf is the name given for a temporary autonomous zone (TAZ) held in the defense of the Municipal Natural Park of Marapendi that is part of a complex coastal flood plain comprised of shrubs, sand dunes and mangroves connected by a system of lagoons. Located at the west zone of the city of Rio de Janeiro, this ecosystem is known as the Rio de Janeiro´s Pantanal, because its abundance of caimans, capybaras and birds.

Known by the names Golfe Para Quem? and Ocupa Golfe: this two groups, with the help of several other collectives, independent medias, individuals and also popular assemblies, are responsible for the maintenance, divulgation, negotiation and protest to embargo the construction of the Olympic golf course and a associated condominium of 22 buildings on a land and ecosystem that is protected by federal law.

The occupy start at December, 01 and doesn’t have a date to finish (unless the embargo occurs). While most of the activists had participated in a specific diurnal or nocturnal activity, there is a group of about 20 activists that are staying there continuously. The Occupy was set up with the minimum necessities to stay at the side of the construction site. Several posters, flags and signs are set in order the turn the requirements of the Occupy visible to every car that passes by.

However, It haven’t being easy to stay there and practice their citizen and democratic role. Municipal guards have visited the Occupy almost every day. Most of times the guards acted aggressively and illegally - posters, banners and signs are constantly ripped and smashed, while occupants personal belongs are stormed without any care and concern. Using a law that was made to repress illegal street selling, the guards have taken personal belongs, beach umbrellas, sunshades, coolers, blankets, banners, signs and flags as illegal goods for sale.

Since people are just standing at the side of construction site with signs, backpacks, coolers and other stuffs that people usually have to have a picnic, the guards know that they don´t have the legal permission to do what they are doing. Due that they didn´t give any documentation saying where those personal belongs were taken by them.

Guards also have turned their authoritarian behavior into those cars that horn to show their approval. The Occupy has a sign saying “horn if you want the embargo”. They were supposedly taken number of the license plates in order to give fines on “bad use” of the horn.

In addition to city guard’s repression, activists have also documented the vigilance and treats made by ordinary cars that probably work for the big real estate developers that are gaining with the construction of the Olympic golf course.

To keep it peacefully and also try to avoid any chance for the city guards have an excuse to storm them at will, they decide to protect themselves by simply holding beach umbrellas. The place where they are doesn’t have trees to shade them up, and also have no traffic of pedestrians – it is desert part of the neighborhood (It doesn’t have a sidewalk and looks more like a doggie grassy abandon parking lot). Under the blazing hot sun of a typical Rio de Janeiro summer, this is known know as THE BEACH UMBRELLA PROTEST. These are very noticeable characteristics of the occupants – they are very creative and resilient.

Using the internet to keep activists in constant alert, anytime things get ugly – they call for help using social networks and independent Medias to back them up and also cover it.

Every time the guards try to remove them by surprise in the middle of the night or early morning – the number of activists double or triple on solidarity and will to keep the occupy. This has proven to be effective. As soon the number of people rises and the cameras are turn on, the repression is inhibited.

However, like anything else in life, the occupation is not only made by bad times. Luau parties were thrown by the activists. One very good hang out sort of a meeting with lawyers, environmentalist and independent Medias was made in very organized fashion.

The cause also has an important help from the Coletivo Projetação. They use the city walls to propagate the abuse of power, the need to protect nature and the embargo of construction of the golf course. They also provide some movies projection to make the nights more educative and fun for those that spend the nights out there. The Ocuppy replant native’s tree in order to provide future shades for the area and is also are maintaining a beautiful nursery of native plants.

According to occupants and other activists involved, the Occupy was the last democratic and legal method they had to protect an important ecosystem. The occupation aims to draw attention to the irregularities involving the construction of the golf course that is going to be used for the 2016 Olympic Games. The area of 1.180.000m² of the old Natural Park Municipal Marapendi, which is the equivalent to size of the Leblon neighborhood, will be lost, in order to build a Olympic Golg course. They occupants are aware of the discourse: “it need to be done for the Olympics. It is part of the city compromises with the I.O.C”.

The mayor says that it will be a legacy for the people. But we all know this a big erroneous belief. The golf whether public or not – will be manly used by the next door neighbor – which are the new luxury buildings that are being constructed by RJZ Cyrela under the name “Riserva golf” (click to see the project).

What cruel joke this name is. How come a reserved protected land ends up taken by two major constructions and a huge golf course? Reserved (in Portuguese is Reserva) is the name people use to call that part of the neighborhood – just because it has being for decades a preserved natural area. The occupants are emphatic in one thing “we are not against the golf, not at all! But it cannot be done here at preserved and important piece of natural land". Rio de Janeiro has the Itanhanga Golf course, which is very capable to held international competitions.

The group Golfe para quem? It is trying to dialogue with the city mayor since 2012 - when the city first gave permission to build a hotel and resident resort - by the beach and inside the same preserved natural land (the Hyatt hotels is building a resort there). They tried all kind of ways – demonstrations, letter, electronic petitions, meetings and public discussion without any successes. The Mayor and other city representatives just ignore the cause. Under the 2016 Olympic Games the mayor found a very good “excuse to do everything you want” (click to see in PT).

The same he has done to “pay back” one the biggest financial supporters of his last campaign – the money from real estate developers.

Eduardo Paes, using his power as mayor altered the Complementary Law 125/2013, by deleting that area of the Park boundaries, indicating to the legislative the Article 4 as supplementary law transcribed below:

"Art.4 excluded the limits of Marapendi Municipal Natural Park of the retreat area which was donated to the city of Rio de Janeiro in PALNo.31,421, as described and illustrative map contained in AnnexI II of this Supplementary Law."
	Source: Site of Câmara Municipal do Rio de Janeiro – seen 12/21/2014

The prosecution has tried to impound the construction of the Olympic Park by reason of the irregular removal of the Park area and that there is illegality and unconstitutionality in the C.L. 125/2013 and that that removal from this area of the Natural Park Minicipal Marapendi was made without necessary technical studies of the impact. However, the works remain freely and any attempt to photograph and film the area is censored by security guards.

Within the more than one million square meters there is 58.000m² native rainforest located on the fringes of Marapendi Lagoon, valued at around 300 million. As is possible to see by the photos below, part of irregular removal from the reservation area will also be used by the private sector for the construction of a condominium with 22 luxury buildings to feed real estate speculation, providing an estimated profit of $ 1 billion to RJZ Cyerala, beyond Fiori construction profits responsible for the construction of the Olympic Park, which even received an exemption of almost 2 million dollars in tax breaks.

It is not the first time areas of the region were taken illegally to meet the high profits of speculation, among many cases there are Centennial 'Harmonia Village', where even lived 'Quilombolas' (descendant of former slaves from Africa) remaining and the 'Recreio Village II'. Hundreds of families were living in these communities that had own trade and a culture of generations.