Rio Body Count

Just found this - Rio Body Count (Não Acreditamos em Paz Vigiada, Queremos Inclusão Social - We don't believe in guarded peace, we want social inclusion) - a blog which gives up to date reports on violence in Rio de Janeiro and the number of dead (543) and injured (298) people since February 1, 2007. Sorry, but it's all in Portuguese.......so, because I find this so fucking an important, I am running today's violence reports through an online translator (sorry, no time to translate this stuff. anway, you'll get the idea of what's going on here even with just a quick glance). These reports are from TODAY and it is only 1 pm!

30/03/2007 Two boys were beaten up in this early morning by securities in the parking of home of Show Olimpo, in the Avenue Vicente of Oak, 1450, in the Crag. After they helped, were led for the Hospital Getúlio Vargas. One of them is interned in grave state and will be operated. (The GLOBE ONLINE)

30/03/2007 Two men in motorcycle murdered, last night, the merchant Landmark Fernando of the Hisses pine Tree, 46 years, that was vice president and director of patrimony of the Association of Inhabitants and Friends of the Park Two Brothers (Amap), in Curicica, Jacarepaguá. The crime occurred about the 19h30, in the Street José Eusébio, height of the number 151, to around 500 meters of the headquarters of the association. Little landmarks, as be known, to have finished leaving of the Amap when was approached by the men, that shot at least three times in the head and right away fled at high speed. (The DAY ONLINE)

30/03/2007 The bodies of two black men, pretending 20 years, were found in the night of this Thursday in the trunk of the Toyota KUM-8762, abandoned in the interior of the Alliance Town shanty town, in Bangu, in the Zone West. According to the police, the victims still done not identify, were murdered with several shots. The Toyota, second the police, was stolen in the day 3, in the area of action of the 34ª DP (Bangu), where the case was recorded. (The DAY ONLINE)

30/03/2007 A black man still done not identify dead with several shots in the early morning of this Friday in the Avenue Nazareth, corner with Street Berberibe, in Ricardo of Albuquerque, in the North Zone. Polices of the 14º BPM (Bangu) were defendants and did not find witnesses for the crime. The police investigates the motive. The record was deed in the 39ª DP (Pavuna). (The DAY ONLINE)

30/03/2007 Men armed did shots aimlessly against the Plaza Manuel Flag and shot a lady that passed. The woman still done not identify was led for the Hospital Paulino Werneck, in the same neighborhood. A patrol of the 17º BPM (Island of the Governor) was set in motion. The case will be recorded in the 37ª DP (Island of the Governor). (The DAY ONLINE)

30/03/2007 Sebastião Lopes of olive Tree, 56 years, died in the night of this Thursday in the Road of the Seven Streams, in very Saint, in the Zone West. Second information of the police, the victim was pushd by another man and died to the beating with the head in a stone. The victim was an inhabitant of the Street Senator Camará, also in the Zone West. The record was deed in the 34ª DP (Bangu). (The DAY ONLINE)

30/03/2007 Antonio Bertoldo of Souza, of 27 years, dead to shots in the end of the night of Wednesday in the orange grove Town neighborhood, in Japeri. His body was found hours afterwards in the Street 7, but alone was collected to the IML in the late of yesterday by the IML. According to accounts, Antonio be passing for the localities when was approached by the murderer and whitened in the nape. (HOUR H ONLINE)

While this is shocking, this is not meant to shock. This is meant to shed light on an otherwise little known situation that is totally commonplace here. This is meant to hopefully give a voice to those who have no voice (or who are too hoarse from crying out after being ignored for so long that nobody can hear them). AND, these are not all inclusive by any means. Many murders and injuries go unreported.

While Greg Scruggs may be right that we can't exactly go up there to Cantagalo or Vigario Geral or wherever it is and stop this from happening, we can talk about it and be aware of it - everywhere.