One of the four suspects of involvement in the murder of American missionary Dorothy Stang, who is being chased by the Brazilian Justice, cattle farmer Vitalmiro Bastos de Moura, had already been fined twice by the Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama).
In an interview to Agência Brasil, the executive-manager of Ibama in the state of Pará, Marcílio Monteiro, informed that, last year, the farmer was fined twice, in the total value of US$ 1 million – for deforestation and for having put fire in an Area of Permanent Preservation (APP) located in the area of Anapu (Pará).
Suspect of being instigator of the crime against the nun, occurred on Saturday, February 12, in Anapu, Moura was fined in November 2004 for starting the fire of a thousand hectares of native forest in a preservation area. The fine was for US$ 500,000 ( 1,5 million reais).
According to Monteiro, the area was embargoed by Ibama since September last year. The measure was taken after the farmer had been fined. “Besides having disrespected the embargo, Vitalmiro burned the area to plant grass and to do pasture,” said Ibama’s official. In this case, the fine also was for 1.5 million reais (US$ 500,000).
Between August and November 2004, Ibama had apprehended in Anapu 30 chainsaws and other equipment used in the deforestation. Monteiro explains that the filings are administrative measures and affirms that the case was referred to Pará’s Public Ministry, the organ in charge of environmental crime.
According to the representative of Ibama, another farmer suspect of having participated in the death of Dorothy, Regivaldo Pereira Galvão, also was fined by inspectors of the organ last year.
Galvão was fined US$ 250,000 for starting a fire in 500 hectares of native forest. “I have the impression that there is some relationship between both suspects”, says Monteiro.
ABr