SAO PAULO, April 17 (UPI) -- Brazil endured 1,700 protests last year by its leading agrarian reform group known as the MST, news sources reported Saturday.
According to the Catholic Church´s land Pastoral Commission, it is the largest number of actions by the MST -- Brazil's Landless Workers Movement -- since the church began keeping track of them in 1985. Some 73 people were killed during MST activities last year, almost doubling the amount from 2002.
This month -- dubbed by one MST leader "Red April" -- has been particularly active for the group, as they have occupied several dozen farms and land tracks throughout the country and blocked roads in some states.
The MST invade private and public lands to bring attention to their land reform agenda.
According to a recent survey, some 90 percent of Brazil's private property is in the hands of 20 of the population, while the poorest 40 percent own around 1 percent.
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva entered office in 2003 promising to make land reform a priority for his administration, although he has done little in that direction during his 15 months in office.
The MST is calling for Lula to resettle 400,000 in the next three years
