Foro de Londres (The London Forum) highlights the need to create a Secretary of State for Immigrants
30 Aug, 2013
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By Simone Pereira
Photos by Sabrina Thompson
Political representatives and Brazilian communities take part in the London event, which took place on the last weekend of August.
Wigmore Hall, known for its chamber music concerts and based in central London, staged a different type of event on 24th-25th August. The theatre welcomed the British Brazilian community to the event Foro de Londres.
The meeting was organised by the sociologist Edmar da Rocha. It discussed ways to mobilise the Brazilian government about the need for political representation in Parliament for Brazilians living abroad. Representation which is fundamental to defending their needs and rights.
Edmar da Rocha did the events inaugural speech and emphasised that the forum was due to the efforts of man
y people from the Brazilian community. The sociologist also reminded those present that the creation of a Secretary of State for Emigrants will not annul the work of consulates, much less the Citizen’s Council and the Council of Brazilian Representatives Abroad (CRBE in Portuguese), which are spokespeople for the Brazilian community. “The Italian-Brazilian deputy, Renata Bueno, is proof that what we want is possible”, he added.
Another issued highlighted was the need to create a project by its own merit and without criticising other working projects, such as activities that are currently being taken up by Brazilian associations. The presidents of the Brazilian Association in the United Kingdom (ABRAS) and of Casa do Brasil, Láercio da Silva and Carlos Mellinger respectively, are former CRBE councillors in the UK and they participated in the debate in support of Foro de Londres. Also present was the former CRBE doctor Ticiane de Noronha, from Belgium, who reminded everybody of how important it is for Brazilians living abroad to be represented by a majority vote. “We may be immigrants in this country, but first and foremost we are all Brazilians and human beings” said Iris Griffiths from Across Lingo.
Marcelo Aguiar Cerri, the project manager for the Secretary of Strategic Matters for the President of the Republic, began his speech at the event by showing his admiration for Brazilians who have the courage to start a new life in another country. “Making public policy is not the Consulate’s job, associations end up doing work which the Government should be doing, for instance, taking care of Brazilians who live abroad”. He said that he will bring research to the Brazilian government to further discuss the matter. “This work you are all doing inspires me to do my work with even more determination when I return to Brazil.”
Por Sabrina Thompson
Deputies defend Brazilians living abroad legitimate right to political representation.
The federal deputy Otávio Leite (PSDB/RJ) showed confidence in the immigrant movement, as according to him, “There really is a gap in relation to the political representation of Brazilians living abroad” Otávio Leite defended the right for Brazilians living abroad to be represented politically in national parliament, drawing attention to cultural and economic factors.
From an economic point of view, he noted that the Brazilian trade deficit, which today reaches 54 billion dollars (according to data from the Central Bank) would be even bigger if it was not possible to include the 5 million dollars (data from the World Bank) that Brazilians send from abroad to the country every year. From a cultural point of view, he emphasised that “Preserving the link with Brazil is decisive for the country’s future and has a very important strategic value”.
For her part, the Italian-Brazilian deputy, Renata Bueno, recounted her experience as a political representative for Italians in Brazil as part of the Italian Parliament. She stated that amongst 630 Italian parliamentarians, 12 are for Italians outside of Italy. Renata Bueno said that for the same right to be valuable for Brazilians abroad, it would be necessary to create a Brazilian constituency, or rather, the formation of a new Brazilian state. She proposes to do further research on the Italian experience and raise everything to a legal basis so that a similar proposal can brought forward in the Brazilian Congress. The two deputies agreed about the need to make Brazilian politicians aware of this right.
As the forum came to an end, both parliamentarians defended the following proposals: to carry out a public hearing in Congress, in Brasilia, as soon as possible with the forum’s leaders present. These leaders would include representatives from associations that help Brazilians abroad. At the same time, the deputy Otávio Leite, based on what Renata Bueno has said earlier, proposed to investigate the possibility of presenting a Proposal for Constitutional Amendment (PEC in Portugese), creating a 28th Brazilian state, which in this case would correspond to a constituency abroad. For this to happen, he intends to formally consult the TSE.
Although in his opinion, the creation of this 28th state can only become a reality if political support from the president of the Republic is achieved. He has promised to defend the proposal for a constituency abroad, which members of parliament, senators, governors, as well as the president will vote on. This will happen on the day of his speech in the Chamber of Deputies at the National Congress on September 29th. At also suggested that the forum drafts a document to be presented by the movement to all of the candidates for the Presidency of the Republic, for the 2014 election.
Renata Bueno, reemphasised the importance of a campaign that clarifies and raises awareness, so that it achieves total support from all those present. The sociologist Edmar da Rocha, organizer of Foro de Londres, accompanied the discussions afterwards and promised to follow the decisions of consensus made by the participants.
