Eliseu and I went to see "They Killed Sister Dorothy," an HBO film which was recently released in Brazil. It is a must-see for those who want to understand Brazil and how things work there. It's also important for those involved in the Goldman case to see, though I can't say it is at all encouraging.
The documentary tells the story of Dorothy Stang, a Catholic missionary from Ohio who moved to Brazil in the 1970s and ended up not only staying for over thirty years, but also naturalizing as a Brazilian citizen. Though technically a nun, she devoted her life to serving the impoverished people of the region in Para state, rather than strictly proselytizing. She set up schools, cooperatives, and an ambitious sustainable development program sponsored by the Brazilian government, intended to grant small plots of land to peasants that helped them make a living and to protect the rainforest.
However, Dorothy's projects didn't go over so well with the powerful ranchers in the area, who not only illegally destroy the forest at an enormous profit, but also illegally buy and sell land that belongs to the Brazilian government. Dorothy's sustainable development project was on a plot of land they wanted their hands on. Two powerful ranchers, known as Bida and Galvao, are accused of ordering Dorothy's murder. On February 12, 2005, she was shot by two hired gunmen. She was unarmed, but they shot her six times and left her to bleed to death in the mud.
The film focuses on the court trials of the gunmen and ranchers, which I must warn you are both shocking and nauseating. The gunmen, poor men offered a mere R$50 to murder Dorthy, were instantly convicted and sent to jail. You'll have to watch the movie to see the fate of the ranchers, the real masterminds behind Dorothy's death.
In English, the film is narrated by Martin Sheen, and in Portuguese, by the wonderful Wagner Moura. Check out the official website, and order the movie on Netflix.
Coming next week: my exclusive interview with David Stang, Dorothy's younger brother featured in the film.
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