Reuters AlertNet Lite - Brazil landless disrupt CVRD railroad shipments

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Brazil landless disrupt CVRD railroad shipments

17 Oct 2007 15:55:14 GMT
Source: Reuters

RIO DE JANEIRO, Oct 17 (Reuters) - Brazilian miner CVRD on Wednesday suspended traffic on its major Carajas railroad after a group of militant landless peasants invaded the tracks and threw stones at a passing train.

The railroad transports 250,000 metric tonnes of iron ore and other cargo like pellets and fuel per day, said a spokesman for Companhia Vale do Rio Doce (CVRD) <VALE5.SA><RIO.N> -- the world's biggest iron ore miner. Carajas is one of its main iron ore mines.

CVRD said some 200 members of the radical leftist Movement of Landless Rural Workers were blocking the tracks near the town of Parauapebas in northern Para state.

Ten days ago, when the same group first threatened to block the railroad, CVRD obtained a restraining order from a local court banning any such attempts. The order established fines in case of a blockage and authorized the use of police.

CVRD said in a statement it requested that the justice system reinstate order with the help of police if necessary, and expected that the protesters would be removed from the area "as soon as possible."

It said the protest had nothing to do with the company as its slogan was "in defense of agrarian reform and against imperialism."

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Last updated:Wed Oct 17 15:54:20 2007