Retrial of Dorothy Stang's killer starts today

In February of 2005, Dorothy Stang was was murdered in the Amazon jungle in February of 2005 by a gunman at the behest of a farmer. The farmer wanted to cut down a large section of the rainforest to plant crops, yet Stang understood that not only would this be disastrous for the environment, but disastrous for the people and animals who depended on the jungle for food and shelter.

She was a consumate fighter both for the environment and for the rights of the poor of Brazil, and gave her life fighting for what she knew was right. The retrial of the man convicted of killing her begins today.

Two men convicted in the 2005 murder of American nun and rainforest defender Dorothy Stang get new trials this week, the final phase of proceedings seen as a key test of justice in the violent Amazon region.

Brazil grants the right to retrial to anyone sentenced to over 20 years in prison, as was the case for the man convicted of shooting Ohio-born Dorothy Stang and a rancher found guilty of ordering Stang's killing.

While human rights groups say they support the Brazilian appeals process, they fear diminished international attention on the case could result in lighter sentences or even acquittals this time around.

They say the results of the retrials could set a precedent for breaking the impunity that has largely prevailed in land-related killings, which have claimed nearly 800 lives in the Amazon state of Para over the past three decades.

"The slowness of justice and paucity of police investigations of rural violence has created a pattern of impunity," said Tim Cahill, Brazil Campaigner for Amnesty International.

Stang, born in Dayton, Ohio, was a nun with the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur order and spent the last 30 years of her life working with poor settlers in the Amazon rainforest, helping them gain land and protect the environment.

Unfortunately the Brazilian court system is notoriously corrupt, and there is a very good chance that her killer could walk free after his retrial. A spotlight needs to shine on the trial, and the world needs to pay attention and pressure the courts in Brazil to do the right thing.

If you're in the United States, email your representatives and Senators today, and encourage them to make a public statement. If you're outside of the United States, get in touch with your government representatives as well. Write letters to newspapers and television stations. Email the BBC World Service and other news organizations and refocus the spotlight so that nobody forgets how this angel was murdered, but more importantly so that nobody forgets the struggle between the poor in Brazil and ranchers and farmers who will murder to steal their land.

Note:  crossposted at my blog, ecproject.org