The president of the National Council for the Rights of Children and Adolescents (Conanda), the sociologist and representative of the São João Bosco Salesianos Province, Miriam Maria José dos Santos, last week accompanied the steps taken by the CPI of the Federal Chamber, which is investigating three cases of crimes of sexual exploitation of girls in Amazonas: the pedophilia network led by the imprisoned mayor Adail Pinheiro (PRP), the grooming of girls by politicians and businessmen indicted by Operation Stockholm and the abuse against indigenous people by traders in São Gabriel da Cachoeira (at 860 kilometers from Manaus), on the border with Colombia.
At the head of Conanda, a body linked to the Human Rights Secretariat of the Presidency of the Republic, for the second term (the first in 2012), Miriam dos Santos said in an interview with Real Amazon the violation of the rights of children and adolescents by mayors, businessmen, politicians, foreigners, public servants, allegedly involved in a pedophilia network in Amazonas, is “tragic”. The number of victims can exceed 46 people. For Miriam Santos, these numbers represent “a failure in the process between forwarding the complaint, investigation and accountability of those involved”.
She said that the cases in Amazonas can be reported to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the United Nations (UN) Committee on the Rights of the Child. Established in 1991, the National Council for the Rights of Children and Adolescents (conanda ) is provided for in the Children and Adolescents Statute (Law No. 8069, of July 13, 1990) as one of the guidelines of the service policy.
President of Conanda, Miriam dos Santos
Amazônia Real – How do you assess the situation of sexual exploitation against children and adolescents in the Amazon in light of the witnesses’ revelations?
Miriam dos Santos It is tragic to know that mayors, businessmen, politicians, foreigners, public servants are part of or benefit from a network of pedophilia and sexual exploitation of children and adolescents. In the case of Coari, everything points to the fact that, even in prison, the Mayor continues to order his servants to coerce and threaten witnesses. Only after numerous complaints, steps taken by the CPI on pedophilia, the Justice System has streamlined the proceedings against those involved. And we count on those involved to be exemplarily punished, this is important so that these types of crimes do not continue to occur. But there is still delay on the part of some sectors, we are waiting for the president of the State Legislative Assembly to install the CPI on Pedophilia. Amazonian society also needs to react and be indignant, denouncing violators and creating a safety net for their children and adolescents.
Amazônia Real – Has the State of Amazonas defended the Rights of Children and Adolescents as required by the Statute of Children and Adolescents?
Miriam Santos – There are sectors committed to this defense, Guardianship Councils, assistance institutions, Rights Councils, sectors of the press, citizens. But there is still a lot of violation of rights.
Dial 100, from SDH/PR, registered in 2013, in the State of Amazonas, 1,604 reports of mistreatment, 736 of sexual abuse, 211 of sexual exploitation and 8 of child pornography, among others, accounting for 3,742 complaints of violation of rights/ year.
These numbers demonstrate that people are having the courage to denounce, but also that the violation of rights still persists in the State. Only articulated work between the various segments of society will do (I found that word strange). Some segments have more responsibility than others. Executives offering quality public services to the population, families protecting their children and adolescents, society denouncing violations and demanding that the authorities carry out their functions with transparency, zeal and speed, a justice system that investigates, indicts and punishes violators of rights, legislation that create laws that protect children and adolescents and that approve budgets that give priority to this public.
Amazônia Real – According to the survey we have, at least 32 girls were abused in the cases of Manaus and São Gabriel da Cachoeira. Do you have information on how many girls were abused in Coari?
Miriam dos Santos No
Amazônia Real – How do you evaluate these numbers?
Miriam dos Santos If we compare the numbers of complaints recorded by dial 100 and these 46 raised, we conclude that there is a flaw in the process between forwarding the complaint, investigation and accountability of those involved. It’s a very big numerical difference. And this is a dangerous situation because the people who denounce can give up doing so when they see that nothing happens with the denouncements, on the contrary this can expose them to threats and even death, like Coari. As long as there is a case of denunciation, the investigation needs to be rigorous and the punishment exemplary.
Amazônia Real – How do you evaluate the assistance provided to families and adolescents by the State of Amazonas?
Miriam dos Santos Public services must be available to the community and especially to victims. Families and especially teenagers need monitoring by the Guardianship Council, assistance from the health system, the Social Assistance Reference Centers, the Justice System (Police Offices, Public Ministry and Justice). They also need school and to feel protected in the local community where they live. They were offered the victim protection program, but many did not accept it because joining the program forces them to leave their loved ones and their community, and many do not want this distance, even if staying, costs them their lives. If the Rights Guarantee System worked quickly enough, families would remain protected in their circle of coexistence, as the violator would be the one who would be removed from the community.
Amazônia Real – Does Conanda expect the accused to be held accountable?
Miriam dos Santos Absolutely. The powers, Judiciary, Executive and Legislative, need to set an example to the country that in the State of Amazonas those who violate the rights of children and adolescents are exemplarily punished.
Amazônia Real – Can the cases of Amazonas be reported to any international human rights organization?
Miriam dos Santos Yes, they can, to the Inter-American Court or the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child. In fact, who will be denounced is the Brazilian State. A complaint can be made when there is no one to turn to in Brazil or when violations of rights are recurrent. By submitting a Petition to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, it is possible to obtain help. The Commission investigates violations committed by government authorities and makes recommendations to the responsible government so that the facts are not repeated, that they are investigated and that compensation be paid to the victims. Any person, on behalf of themselves or on behalf of third parties, other than Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) may file a petition with the Commission to denounce a violation of human rights.
Amazônia Real – You were in Coari. Did she feel the sense of impunity in the city? What was her impression?
Miriam dos Santos I was very shocked by what I saw and felt: people being threatened, not knowing who to count on to defend the most precious asset they have, which is life, not only their own but also that of their children, wives, husbands, parents, siblings. People who defend the mayor say: “he is a pedophile, but he worked for the city”.
People who trade their girls for public services. Services that should be freely accessible to all. A silence of complicity as if the sexual abuse of children and adolescents was something normal in society.
But there are those who rebel against this false normality, who denounce and cry out for justice, with great courage and dedication. We are grateful to these people, they are the guardian angels of children and adolescents in Coari.
Amazônia Real – According to the Attorney General, Francisco Cruz, delegate Linda Glaucia de Moraes, holder of the Specialized Delegate for Child and Adolescent Protection (DEPCA) and investigating the crimes of Operation Stockholm, is under death threat. So far, the government of Amazonas has not announced measures to protect it. What do you have to say about the delegate’s situation?
Miriam dos Santos Many speak, but few have the courage. The delegate acted against a network of pedophilia and sexual exploiters, with courage and determination, now she needs the governor, in fulfillment of his position given to him by the population, to put the delegate safe from those who want to take her life. The governor does not require courage, only that he obeys the law and protects those whose lives are threatened by bandits who use their positions and functions to violate the rights of children and adolescents and tarnish the history and culture of the Amazonian people.
*A report from Amazônia Real sought out the governor of Amazonas, Omar Aziz (PSD), the attorney general of Justice, Francisco Cruz, and the Civil Police of Amazonas to comment on the statements of the president of Conanda, Miriam dos Santos. The Civil Police Chief of Staff, Josué Rocha, was the only official who answered the questions, but only about the threats against delegate Linda Glaucia de Moraes. Rocha said that the delegate receives security from four investigators.
