Brazil displacing poor ahead of World Cup, Olympics: UN official
April 27th, 2011 - 12:06 pm ICT by IANSGeneva, April 27 (IANS/EFE) A UN human rights expert complained Tuesday that authorities in Brazilian cities that are to host the 2014 soccer World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics are displacing poor people in operations that could constitute human rights violations.
“I am particularly worried about what seems to be a pattern of lack of transparency, consultation, dialogue, fair negotiation, and participation of the affected communities in processes concerning evictions undertaken or planned in connection with the World Cup and Olympics,” said Raquel Rolnik, UN special rapporteur on the right to adequate housing.
She said the cases denounced so far have occurred in San Pablo, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, Curitiba, Porto Alegre, Recife, Natal and Fortaleza.
The authorities have been carrying out numerous such relocation operations without giving the affected families time to think about or discuss alternatives, Rolnik said.
“Insufficient attention is being given to access to infrastructure, services and means of subsistence in relocation sites,” the rapporteur said in a statement.
She also expressed concern about the scanty compensation offered to the affected communities.
“With the current lack of dialogue, negotiation and genuine participation in the design and implementation of World Cup and Olympics projects, the authorities at all levels should put a stop to planned evictions until dialogue and negotiation can be ensured,” Rolnik said.
Brazil, she said, “should adopt a ‘Legacy Plan’ to ensure the holding of the World Cup and Olympic Games has a positive social and environmental impact and avoids violations of human rights, including the right to adequate housing”.
–IANS/EFE
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Tags: 2016 summer olympics, belo horizonte, brazilian cities, curitiba, environmental impact, genuine participation, human rights expert, human rights violations, infrastructure services, insufficient attention, negotiation, olympic games, porto alegre, rio de janeiro, san pablo, soccer world cup, subsistence, summer olympics, un special rapporteur, violations of human rights