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Monthly Archives: August 2011
Mapuche Teens Takeover Town to End “Police Brutality”
Article submitted by Katie Manning, courtesy of MiVoz.cl.
A decades-old debate over a 150-year-old conflict is heating up as Chilean cities spend their winter under a blanket of protests. Forty teenagers, part of 700,000 Mapuche Indians out of 17 million people in Chile, staged a toma, or takeover, in Ercilla. The small forest-farming town, 600 kilometers south of Santiago, frequently hosts brawls between the police force and Mapuche. Continue reading
Court Rejects Rapa Nui Claim to Hotel Hanga Roa Land
In a decision written on Tuesday, August 16th, the Valparaíso Court of Appeals rejected the claim of the Hito clan (Rapa Nui) that they are the proper owners of the lands where the Hotel Hanga Roa sits (on Easter Island). The Court grounded its decision on the fact that the Hito clan could not provide proper documentation demonstrating that they had inherited the land from their ancestors. The Hito’s lawyer has indicated that the Court failed to take into account international rights and said the decision will be appealed. Continue reading
Human Rights Watch Director Concludes: Strong Evidence of Police Abuse Against Mapuche
On Wednesday, August 24th, the Commission for the Rights of the Mapuche held its second meeting — this time in Concepción. In attendance at this meeting was José Miguel Vivanco, the Director for Human Rights Watch in the Americas. After the meeting, Vivanco gave an interview in which he discussed the relationship between the Chilean government and the Mapuche people. Among other things, he stated: “We have conducted some studies and have concluded that there is, indeed, strong evidence of police abuse, of police brutality during raids, and of excessive and unjustified force, which has resulted in the loss of Mapuche lives during this conflict.” Continue reading
Court Modifies Mapuche Sentence, Cites ILO Convention 169
On Monday, August 22nd, the Temuco Court of Appeals decided to alter the sentencing of Joel Paillama Reiman, a Mapuche man, by invoking International Labor Convention 169 (ILO 169). As is common practice in Chile, the original sentence allowed Paillama to serve his sentence during the nights — Paillama was free to be home during the day and had to arrive at the prison each night. Paillama appealed this type of sentencing because it required him to travel more than 30 kilometers each day, the cost of which was substantial to him. Citing Article 10(1) of ILO 169, the Court of Appeals modified the sentence to adjust for Paillama’s culture and circumstances and will allow him to serve his sentence at home six out of seven days each week. Continue reading
Twenty-Five Mapuche Youth Peacefully Occupy Ercilla Government Building for Three Days
On the afternoon of Friday, August 19th, approximately twenty-five Mapuche youths began peacefully occupying the municipal building in Ercilla. The occupation has continued through the weekend and into today (August 22nd), and is a direct response to the increased violence in the area over the past few weeks. The occupation has disrupted some municipal services, but there have been no confrontations reported related to the protest. The Mapuche youths have publicly denounced the violence in their community and have stated that they will not leave until the Chilean government commits to demilitarizing the area and ending the police abuses. Continue reading
Police Hinder Media’s Reporting of Raids on Mapuche Communities
On Thursday, August 18th, the police raided sixteen Mapuche homes in search of weapons. The raids and their aftermath ended in at least three people being shot — two Mapuche individuals and a police officer. According to Radio Bio-Bio, a Chilean news source that covers many Indigenous issues, the police initially would not allow their vehicle to pass in order to view and report on the incidents as they occurred. Two other media outlets — the state-owned TVN television station, and the conservative newspaper, El Mercurio – were allowed to pass. Continue reading
Two Mapuche Individuals, One Police Officer Shot in More Violence Near Ercilla
On Thursday, August 18th, the Chilean police force (carabineros) raided the Mapuche communities of Ercilla — in the area of Pidima – searching for firearms. According to several media outlets, the raid was one of the largest in recent times and was ordered by the Collipulli courts. At least two Mapuche individuals were shot with buckshot during the raids — possibly including a juvenile. A police officer was shot in the arm as well and taken to a local hospital. The clashes also resulted in a warehouse being set on fire, resulting in approximately US$ 30,000 worth of damage. Continue reading
Court Grants Protection to Mapuche Sacred Site on Pilmaiquen River
On Tuesday, August 16th, the Valdivia Court of Appeals upheld the request for protection brought by the Mapuche communities of Rio Bueno. The communities brought the claim to protect a State-recognized sacred site that has recently been subject to logging. Additionally, there is a proposed hydroelectric project in the area that threatens to flood the site entirely. The Court granted the request for protection and informed both the owner of the land, as well as CONAF (Chile’s forestry service) of the decision. CONAF has until next week to file a response if they so choose. Continue reading
Paraguay Returns 8,700 Hectares of Land to Enxet People
On August 3, 2011 the Paraguayan government transferred 8,748 hectares (approximately 21,600 acre) of land to the Kelyenmagategma community of the Enxet people. The transfer of land was a direct response to a petition filed with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in 2004 and, in fact, the President of the Commission, Dinah Shelton, was present when the transfer took place. According to Tierraviva para los Pueblos Indígenas del Chaco, the organization that originally filed the position, the community had been fighting for their land rights for more than a decade. Continue reading
Two Years After Mapuche Man Killed, Court Rejects Police Officer’s “Justified Force” Defense
On August 12, 2009 a 24-year-old Mapuche man named Jaime Mendoza Collío was shot and killed by Miguel Patricio Jara Muñoz, a Chilean police officer (carabinero). The shooting occurred in the context of a land dispute over traditional Mapuche territory. Within a week, the officer was charged with using unnecessary force that resulted in death, and has defended himself by arguing that the force was justifiable given the circumstances. Last Thursday (August 11th), the Temuco Court of Appeals entered a final judgement that rejected the officer’s defense. Continue reading