Out with the old,in with the new - or so Brazillian Goverment seem to think

Brazils poorest residents at indefinite risk of losing livelihood  in preparation for Rio 2016 

Thousands of Rio’s poorest residents are living in fear of losing their homes to forced evictions that are destroying their communities. 170,000 Brazilians are at risk of losing—or have already lost—their homes in forced evictions tied to preparations for the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016. Forced evictions happen primarily in highly valued areas of cities, resulting in the expulsion of the poorest people to the outskirts, where there is no access to basic public services.  

 Humans rights group WITNESS have made a short documentary about the evictions highlighting just how the people of Brazil’s shanty towns are currently suffering.  WITNESS partner ANCOP is organizing several events around the Rio+20 Conference to send a message that development that violates human rights is NOT development, and Brazilian government must commit to upholding the law and international human rights obligations by putting an end to forced evictions tied to mega events. 

More than 3,000 troops launched a pre-dawn assault on Brazil's largest shantytown , driving heavily-armed gang members from Rio's Rocinha favela as part of an continuing effort to clean up the 2016 Olympic city. At around 4.06am armoured personnel carriers clattered into the slum.  Residents had hung banners asking for peace from their balconies and windows but special forces met no resistance as they piled into the slum's alleys past shuttered shops, stray dogs and heaps of rubbish.

        

Susanna Lira a Brazilian born film maker said ‘’ I have witnessed how the city is changing, and changing fast, as a result. Huge infrastructure projects have been launched to prepare the city for these events. In order to make way for new highways and transport infrastructure many families have lost their homes.’’

So who are listening to the voices of the vulnerable?    
            

According to the City of Rio, 140,000 people from the most vulnerable areas will be able to benefit from the ‘’Alliance for Sport and Development’’ which aims to better the lives of many children. This initiative has brought together key partners FC Barcelona Foundation, NBA and Inter-American Development Bank who say this WILL improve the lives of underprivileged children and youth in Rio de Janeiro.

‘’The project will contribute to the legacy of the World Cup and the Olympics and to an enduring development impact in Rio and in Brazil,” said IDB President Luis Alberto Moreno. “The IDB has helped train thousands of youths in our sports for development programs and we´ve seen how sports can help a community develop in an integral way.”

With that being said many of the tenants that have lost their homes without warning still haven’t been given any compensation or answers. With many of them planning to protest you really get the feeling that these people are seen as disposable.

With similarities to Beijing 2008 Olympics where 1.5 million residents going through the same scenario ,  the clear up will continue indefinably with or without protest.

“Hosting the Olympics should be a cause for celebration not fear,” says Yvette J. Alberdingk Thijm, Executive Director of WITNESS, a human rights group that did a short documentary about the evictions. “Forced evictions undermine the mission and spirit of the games.  We call on government officials to immediately put a stop to the practice of forced evictions.”

The 2016 Olympics coupled with the 2014 FIFA World Cup has brought a lot of human traffic to the financial capital of Brazil. However, the forced eviction is tempering the nerve of the people who are either affected by it or are indirectly involved in the labour chain.

        

Mega event clean ups like Beijing & Rio are seen as acceptable but London 2012 didn’t have a mega clean up and I’m sure if that was the British nations voices would have been heard . So why is it acceptable in countries where the vulnerable and less fortunate doesn’t get heard. 

It seems that the idea is for Rio to become a more ecstatically pleasing capital where the original culture of slums and shanty towns will be wiped out for a more higher classed lifestyle. 

Among many companies capitalizing on a  new look Rio, Donald Trump has announced plans for the largest office complex in Brazil as part of the controversial redevelopment . 

With the redevelopment being obviously money motivated the hope for residents over the next few years is bleak. With the mind-set of the authorities thinking progress is demolishing  community’s just so they can host the Olympics for a few weeks , many of the residents know that the peoples country has become nothing but a cooperate foundation for offshore investments with a  ‘’your with us or against us ‘’ attitude.

Will the IOC  will pick a more established country for Olympics 2020 ?  Or will it be  more  communities being forced from their homes to make way for profitable arenas and international investments .