The 1,000th victim of Rio de Janeiro’s undeclared war won’t be the last, says gibby zobel |
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It was a small notice in a Brazilian regional newspaper: "Carla Alessandra, 29, was shot in the leg by a stray bullet in Duque de Caixas. She was caught in a crossfire between military police and an assailant. The 'bandit' was also shot and taken to hospital but he did not recover from his injuries."
And with that, the unnamed 'bandit' became the 1,000th death in the undeclared war in Rio de Janeiro documented on the riobodycount website since it went live just four months ago. Carla Alessandra features in the 656 injured in the same period.
Each death and injury is detailed in a grisly list culled from media reports, recording the victims of a never-ending turf war between drug gangs and the police. "What is worse is that we know we are only counting about 70 per cent of the violence," says Andre Dahmer, one of the residents who set up the register. |
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| Dr Drauzio Varella, Brazil’s respected face of medicine, has called for the legalisation of drugs |
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How will this cycle of violence end? Just putting more troops on the streets will not solve anything. But inroads could be made through tackling drugs, jails and corruption.
Dr Drauzio Varella (left), Brazil's respected face of medicine, has called for the legalisation of drugs. "You know how much it costs for a stone of crack? One-sixth of an American dollar. It is so cheap that it is almost legalised," he says. Take away the dealers' profits, you take away their power.
Human rights camaigners point to the conditions in Brazilian Jails, where drug gang-leaders continue to operate from behind bars with impunity, directing violence from their smuggled mobile phones.
"The tragedy is the result of a deficit of 130 prisons which have not been built in Brazil. Two-thirds of the prisoners live in shameful conditions," says José Reinaldo Guimareas, an expert on organised crime.
Finally, Brazil's endemic corruption exacerbates the problem. A properly-paid police would avoid the need for kickbacks from traffickers, who in turn receive guns. 
FIRST POSTED JUNE 4, 2007
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