Rio de Janeiro state plans to wall off slums

[demdave]

The government of Rio de Janeiro state yesterday proposed to build a wall around its sprawling favelas in an effort to help control rampant crime in the picture postcard city.


"The wall won't put an end to violence but if we don't contain it, it will destroy the forest, the economy of Rio de Janeiro and the lives of the city's residents," Luiz Paulo Conde, deputy governor, said on Monday.

The proposal comes after yet another wave of violence rocked parts of the city during the Easter holidays, shutting down commerce, and killing 10 people, including civilians, police and gang members.

More than 1,200 police officials on Monday occupied Rocinha and Vidigal, two slums in southern Rio de Janeiro, only a stone's throw from the city's famous beaches. Their patrols will seek to re-establish public order

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[tlcandie]

1. So interesting that the Berlin Wall came down and now MORE go up!

Hell, let's just all build walls to stop the UGLIES from being in our face! That should show all those poor, indecent, murdering humans who take to the extreme because they are without all hope!

HONESTLY...WHAT the hell is happening?!?!

[Warpy]

2. Having created the maximum number of poor

....by grabbing all the wealth for themselves, they have suddenly discovered they're outnumbered.

It's going to happen here, too. Right now, they're walling themeselves in. Soon, they'll find a way to wall US in while saving the picturesque scenery for themselves.

[enki23]

3. talk about going backward in time

waaaaaay backward. we haven't had walled cities in a while. now they're back, along with walled neighborhoods, walled compounds, walled-off occupied territories.

it's a beautiful time to be alive, if you're into that sort of thing.

[theHandpuppet]

4. Rather than spend money on a wall....

... directing that same money towards education and jobs is the only long-term solution to the problems of a populace in poverty. Poverty not only in terms of money, but of any hope for the future.

[mourningdove92]

5. uh, isn't that what is commonly referred to as a Ghetto?

maybe they need to read about the uprising in the Warsaw Ghetto.

[Sandpiper]

6. They're just taking the "gated community" concept

And applying it on a larger scale. Wealthy elites shouldn't have to look at the rabble. Just ask them.

[daleo]

7. This won't work

Putting holes in the wall will become a sport, or a point of pride for the poor.