Insurgency in the Amazon forest.
International - by Robert Dwayne
Our loyal readers will remember my article last month on deforestation in the Amazon forest. The Brazilian government of Janus Bolognaro has defined as a priority the development of mining, and access to new agricultural land. His project "Direito a terra" has caused an unprecedented destruction of the Amazon forest, which flouts all international ecological agreements. President Bolognaro does not even respect the indigenous reserves that his own predecessors had established! More than 10,000 square kilometers of land have been deforested in the last decade, and this figure is set to increase fivefold in the coming decade.
However, it seems that a snag has come to interrupt the progress of the nature destroying machines. Several primitive tribes, living in the Amazonian forest since time immemorial, have gone into insurrection against the company Vale & Bra which is responsible for more than 80% of the forest clearing. Violent clashes broke out, and dozens of deaths were reported. The military presence in the region was reinforced, without much success.
Natural disasters have added to this already difficult toll. Floods, land subsidence, and mosquito infestations have hit the poor Brazilian workers so hard that most have fled the area to return to their villages. Vale & Bra is struggling to rehire, and work has come to a halt.
Various rumors are growing in the area. Gaia, the mother nature, would have woken up to punish those who sinned against her. Other new superstitions appear with each passing day: There is talk of water flying directly into the engines of machines, or of a spider man flying from tree to tree. Bolognaro's popularity in the region is in free fall.
The government has not made an official statement about this setback. However, our sources believe that the "Direito a terra" project will not be abandoned, since it is one of the three main axes of Bolognaro's political program. It remains to be seen what measures will be taken to support Vale & Bra. The necessary investment may turn out to be much more important than expected, and put a strain on the country's finances.
Despite all these difficulties and tragic deaths, it is difficult to feel empathy for those responsible for many ecological and human crimes. For years Vale & Bra has been deforesting with impunity in total disregard of all international conventions. Not to mention the multiple scandals concerning forced expropriations of primitive tribes ejected into shanty towns. They can't now expect us to feel sorry for them.
In conclusion, Vale & Bra and the Brazilian government are facing a well-deserved backlash that may make them ponder the concept of karma. Let's hope that Bolognaro will take advantage of this opportunity to change its environmental policy.
Murder of Leonard Duprat. His colleague sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Justice - by Robert Dwayne
Today marks the end of one of the most high-profile trials in recent years. After multiple hearings, the judge finally gave his verdict and sentenced Paulina Stone to 20 years imprisonment in a women's prison. Remember that Paulina Stone had killed her colleague Leonard Duprat with several stab wounds in the throat in the hospital of the city. Her act had frightened the population, and the mayor had promised that it would not go unpunished.
Despite the overwhelming evidence, Paulina Stone refused to plead guilty until the very end. She preferred to talk about an invisible man who had broken into the hospital without anyone noticing, and this incoherent testimony did not help to soften her sentence. Her lawyer tried to plead insanity, but she accused him of treason in open court, which caused a scandal.
One would have thought that the public would be happy with this verdict. However, a support committee was created to defend Paulina Stone. Several lively demonstrations were organized on the days of the trial. Among the participants we find several professors of the university, local feminist associations, political opponents of the outgoing mayor, and the own nephew of the deceased: Rafael Duprat!
We were able to obtain an exclusive interview with him just after the announcement of the verdict. Here it is transcribed:
- Rafael, you are the nephew of Leonard Duprat, why do you defend Paulina Stone?
- Because she is innocent! There is no serious evidence against her. This trial is a charade by the mayor to make himself look good for the election, nothing more. We are here to advocate for impartial justice, and against the travesty we have witnessed in the past few days.
- What do you think of this judgment?
- It's a purely political judgment. Paulina Stone had no record and no motive. Moreover, the murder weapon was not found. The judge should be ashamed for having allowed herself to be dragged into this case. They destroyed a woman's life for nothing!
- What will you do now?
- It's not over yet. We are going to appeal, and we will continue the fight as long as it takes. True justice will win in the end.
What are we to make of these statements? Was Paulina Stone really the victim of a plot? Or does Rafael Duprat have a personal relationship with this woman that affects his judgment?
All the details of the case, and much more, in our next issue.
New Project Leader for the Super Collider.
Science - by Robert Dwayne
After four years of managing international projects at the Super Collider, studying the microscopic particles that make up the primary fabric of our universe, Dr. Serge Bawberg is making way for a new project leader: Dr. Fabien Louvoie. A specialist in quantum physics, a seasoned mathematician, and a consultant for the Department of Research, Dr. Louvoie is both young and qualified. At only forty years old, he is the ideal person to take over the work of Dr. Bawberg, who has well deserved a break.
However, the old hand seems to think otherwise, and rather than retire, Dr. Bawberg has signed a research contract with the military. The details remain confidential, but there is undoubtedly a connection with the new particle that the physicist is said to have discovered last year. As there has been no announcement on this subject since the fall, we can deduce that the project has become top secret. Are we at the dawn of a new generation of super weapons?
For his part, Dr. Louvoie has resumed the normal schedule of experiments at the Collider. According to an anonymous source, he don't believe in the existence of this new particle. Dr. Bawberg would have had a hard time reaching the end of his career without having won a Nobel Prize, and would have tampered with the data of the experiment to attract attention.
I know that you are eager to discover the next episode of this real soap opera. Was it jealousy that got Dr. Louvoie talking? Or is the military in for a painful setback with their top secret project?
You can trust the Wordy Serigraph to keep a close eye on this case, and to keep you informed of all its twists and turns. We're always on the cutting edge of the news!
Archbishop appeals to judge's mercy, reprieve for priest Gregory Cordier.
Religion - by Robert Dwayne
To the relief of the Catholic community, the priest of our beloved St. Catherine's Church will only receive a suspended sentence and will not go to jail. The charges of kidnapping and assault brought against him were countered by several testimonies concerning his good character.
The town's doyenne, Lucette Dexine, one hundred and two years old, proclaimed that Gregory was a holy man blessed by heaven, and that his Christmas mass had been truly magical. Sister Marie Chasteté of the Church of the Covenant, for her part, assures us that the priest Cordier opened her to divine ecstasy. She states: "God granted him an unprecedented spiritual wealth, he's a very well-endowed man, those who talk against him are necessarily jealous or enemies of Jesus Christ".
But all this would not have been enough without the direct intervention of the archbishop of the city, Monsignor du Moulins, who met the judge in person to plead for the accused. The word of God obviously bore fruit, and proved once again to the skeptics that the Christian value of mercy still lives in our modern world, and that it is even more powerful than ever.
Gregory Cordier will unfortunately not be returning to his duties at St. Catherine's Church. The poor man has been hard hit by the accusations against him and the trial that followed. The stress is said to have triggered a dermatillomania disorder, forcing him to withdraw from public life for some time. Let us pray for him.
You can send your donations, and wishes for his recovery, to the parish, which will pass them on to our suffering man of God. A mass will be held on his honor next Sunday at St. Catherine's church, please attend.
Drug trafficking, a major absentee in the municipal election campaign.
Politics - by Robert Dwayne
The campaign for the municipal elections is in full swing, with only two weeks left before all citizens are invited to come and vote for a new mayor. Oscar Copono, the incumbent mayor, is running for a second term, and has been seen parading around all the social events, sure of his victory.
Indeed, the polls give him a ten point lead over his opponents. The relentless social progressivism of his program seems to have been a successful strategy, and to have won him many supporters. However, the opposition denounces the superficial nature of his policies, which does not address the real problems. The results of his mandate would not be as bright as he would have us believe.
Some observers linked to the police report an increase in crimes of all kinds, especially drug trafficking. In the Little Magreb neighborhood, drug gangs are out in the open, terrorizing the population. The police commissioner denounces the city's policy of reducing the budget, and the number of law enforcement officers, preventing them from acting to protect the citizens. According to him, this is a strategy to decrease the prison population in order to improve the social indicators of the city.
It is hard to question the drug problem for anyone who has been out at night in recent months. Cocaine is everywhere in the nightclub area, and it is not uncommon to see people doing drugs in the toilets, at the bar, or even on the street! It is no longer possible to have fun or to have a drink in good company without being bothered by a junkie. Assaults are also on the rise, to the point that many women no longer dare to go out alone. And the city hospital reports several dozen overdose deaths for the quarter!
Despite the constant worsening of this problem, and the omnipresence of gangs, the mayor's office has done nothing to regain control of the situation. During his press conferences, Mayor Copono has been remarkably silent on the subject, but more surprisingly, his opponents have also decided not to talk about it. At this point, one can no longer really speak of ignorance to explain this attitude. Is it a lack of courage? Is it a strategic choice to avoid being lumped together with a police force that is known to be sexist and racist? Or worse, are our politicians corrupt?
Rumors claim that several parties have made secret agreements with gangs from Little Magreb in order to benefit from the votes of the immigrant population, and especially from hidden financing. It is high time that the courts investigate these accusations.
The resounding silence of the television media shows again and again the importance of continuing to read the written press. We are the only ones who bring you quality information on the key issues affecting your daily life. Subscribe to Wordy Serigraph and you won't miss a single article.
