Tavira Mural
This wall on Av. Dr. Mateus Teixeira de Azevedo in Tavira contains a ceramic artwork depicting Articles 1-50 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. It was created in 2005 by students and staff of Escola Secundária de Tavira working with international arts association Inscrire:
Ceramic mural in Tavira
“TO WRITE THE HUMAN RIGHT IN PORTUGAL – TO WRITE THE CHARTER OF FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS ON THE WALLS OF THE CITIES is to rethink the people’s social role and their participation to create a harmonious life between beings and the world. Through art, its purpose is to raise awareness of the rights and duties of human beings among themselves and for the earth.”
Together with European Convention on Human Rights of the Council of Europe (established in the wake of World War II to uphold human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Europe), Charter of Fundamental Rights is a cornerstone of fundamental freedoms in Europe.
“Conscious of its spiritual and moral heritage, the Union is founded on the indivisible, universal values of human dignity, freedom, equality and solidarity; it is based on the principles of democracy and the rule of law.”
Selected violations of fundamental rights at Pedras d’el Rei in 2023:
Articles 7 & 8: Freedoms
Respect for communications is purposefully violated by calculated obstruction of private correspondence and “Pedras Group” appears to hold personal data of many homeowners without legitimate reason, which it selectively uses to pursue its mysterious purposes.
Articles 10-13: Freedoms
Freedoms of thought, expression, association and creativity are all actively suppressed by “Pedras Group”, which controls information, restricts associations, imposes its will and commercially exploits common spaces of Pedras d’el Rei without any consultation.
Articles 16 & 17: Freedoms
Business of “Pedras Group” is not in accordance with Union law or national laws; it issues illegal invoices to homeowners and markets a village as a tourist resort; it has stolen private and public property from public spaces; it has used public land for construction without compensating the public purse and taken possession of vacant properties in strange circumstances.
Articles 20-25: Equality
Several individuals involved in “Pedras Group” act as if they are above the law; whilst the behaviour of some police officers (blatant discrimination based on language, even when communication was demonstrably possible) suggested complicity. Various practices of “Pedras Group” are designed for financial abuse of elders.
Articles 34-38: Solidarity
Social exclusion is actively practiced at Pedras d’el Rei to make housing unavailable. “Pedras Group” intensively maintains vast grass lawns: increasing greenhouse gasses, polluting ecosystems, wasting water and diminishing biodiversity in Ria Formosa Natural Park. It breeds exotic and invasive turtles and supplies natural gas with no regard to consumer protection.
Articles 47-49: Justice
Effective remedies for individuals and the Republic seem achievable if Portugal can acknowledge proofs of crime committed by economically and politically powerful individuals. Many people appear afraid to hold others accountable (perhaps due to a collective sense of guilt about Portugal’s national dictatorship) allowing harmful behaviours to persist at local level.
