The news coming from Chile to us in the USA, speaks of 34 indigenous Mapuche activists on a hunger strike, in different prisons in the south of Chile. Thirty-two of them are nearing 65 days without food and are ready to start a no liquids phase of their demonstration.
Mr. Sebastian Piñera Echenique,President of the Chilean Republic
Palacio de la Moneda
Santiago, Chile
Dear Mr. President:
The news coming from Chile to us in the USA, speaks of 34 indigenous Mapuche activists on a hunger strike, in different prisons in the south of Chile. Thirty-two of them are nearing 65 days without food and are ready to start a no liquids phase of their demonstration. Their demands are quite simple: not that the Chilean government forgive any crimes they may have committed as activists, but only that they be subject to a fair, civilian trial.
Currently, they are being subjected to Chile’s anti-terrorist law, created to punish legitimate demonstrations of social dissatisfaction during the Pinochet dictatorship. This law is under scrutiny by different political actors in Chile today, because of irregularities that prevent a proper defense. These irregularities include the use of confessions obtained under torture, witnesses who are paid and masked during testimony, defense lawyers being denied free access to the process, and defendants confronting double jeopardy because they are judged by both a civilian court and a military court with penalties four times higher than those subjected to regular civilian law. Finally, in the case of indigenous activists who are absolved and freed after nearly two years of preventive incarceration, no compensation of any type has been granted, leaving these people in a hopeless economic situation.
We know, and we appreciate, that you sent a reform to this law to the Chilean parliament during the past days, but those reforms are only now under discussion in the political arena, and they do not resolve specifically the situation of the people on hunger strike. Apparently, and according to representatives of these people, human right organizations and some Chilean parliamentarians, the proposed reforms do not address the complaints of the hunger strikers.Because we believe that the hunger strikers’ demands are legitimate, we are asking you and your government to pay attention to their reasonable request and to cease using anti-terrorist laws against them. The lives of these activists are in danger today. Please, do something to avoid their deaths. Please, listen and speak with them now and open negotiations as several key actors of the Chilean society life are suggesting, among them the Catholic Church.
Cordially,
Jose A. Mariman, Dr. (Political Scientist)
(U.S. citizen and Mapuche born in Chile)Independent Researcher and ConsultantLittleton, Colorado, USATel.: (1-720) 984-4648 (cell)
Sigrid Huenchuñir (Ph.D., Student)
(Mapuche from Chile, USA resident)
University of Colorado at Boulder
Boulder, Colorado, USA
Tel.: (1-512) 633-5931 (cell)
CC: 1.Chilean Parliament; 2. Agrupación de Familiares de Presos Políticos Mapuche en Chile; 3. Catholic Church; 4. Azkintuwe (Mapuche Newspaper). 5. USA and Chilean Newspapers.
Denver, September 14, 2010
Sr. Sebastian Piñera Echenique,
Presidente de la República de Chile
Palacio de la Moneda
Santiago, Chile
Estimado Sr. Presidente:
Nos llegan noticias a USA sobre 34 activistas indígenas Mapuche en huelga de hambre en diferentes prisiones en el sur de Chile. 32 de ellos llevan cerca de 65 días sin ingerir alimentos y dispuestos a iniciar una huelga seca como una nueva fase de su protesta. Sus demandas son bastante simples: no piden que el gobierno de Chile olvide los presuntos delitos que pudieron haber cometido como activistas, sino que, sólo piden ser sujetos de un debido proceso en tribunales civiles,En estos momentos están siendo acusados a través de la ley antiterrorista, creada para castigar las legítimas demostraciones de disconformidad social durante el periodo dictatorial de A. Pinochet. Esta ley ha sido cuestionada por diferentes actores sociales en Chile, debido a las irregularidades que impiden una legítima defensa. Estas irregularidades incluyen el uso de confesiones obtenidas bajo tortura, el uso de testigos que son pagados y enmascarados durante los juicios, los abogados defensores no pueden acceder a la investigación de los fiscales durante el proceso y, los acusados deben afrontar dobles juicos porque son juzgados tanto por tribunales civiles, como por tribunales militares, afrontando sentencias que son 4 veces más altas que las sentencias decretadas por las leyes regulares para el mismo tipo de delitos. Finalmente, en el caso de indígenas que han sido absueltos y liberados después de cerca de 2 años de prisión preventiva, no han recibido ningún tipo de compensación, dejando a esas personas y sus familias, en precarias situaciones económicas.
Conocemos y valoramos las reformas legales que ha enviado al parlamento Chileno en los pasados días, pero esas reformas no resuelven la situación específica de las personas en huelga de hambre. De acuerdo a lo sostenido por los voceros de los huelguistas, organizaciones de derechos humanos y algunos parlamentarios chilenos, las reformas propuestas no resuelven las demandas de los prisioneros mapuches en huelga de hambre.
Porque creemos que las demandas de los huelguistas son legítimas, le solicitamos a Ud. y su gobierno poner atención a sus requerimientos y el cese del uso de la ley antiterrorista contra ellos. Hoy la vida de estos activistas está en peligro. Por favor haga algo para evitar sus muertes. Por favor escúchelos y dialogue con ellos ahora y abra una mesa de diálogo como muchos actores relevantes de la sociedad civil chilena están sugiriendo, entre ellos, la Iglesia Católica.
Cordialmente,
Jose A. Mariman, Dr. (Political Scientist)
(U.S. citizen and Mapuche born in Chile)Independent Researcher and ConsultantLittleton, Colorado, USATel.: (1-720) 984-4648 (cell)
Sigrid Huenchuñir (Ph.D., Student)
(Mapuche from Chile, USA resident)
University of Colorado at Boulder
Boulder, Colorado, USA
Tel.: (1-512) 633-5931 (cell)
CC: 1.Parlamento chileno; 2. Agrupación de Familiares de Presos Políticos Mapuche en Chile; 3. Iglesia Católica; 4. Azkintuwe (periódico Mapuche). 5. Periódicos chilenos y de USA.
In support:
USA
01. Joe Bryan, PhD, Assistant Professor
Department of Geography
University of Colorado at BoulderBoulder, Colorado 80309-0260 USA
02. Elizabeth L. Parmelee, PhD.
Littleton, Colorado, USA
03. Patricia Richards, PhD. Associate Professor
Sociology & Women's Studies
University of Georgia, Georgia, USA
04. Scott Drago, PhD.
Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
05. Joseph de Rivera, PhD
Professor of Psychology
Director, Peace Studies program
Clark University, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
President, Society for the Study of Peace. Conflict, and Violence
Division 48 of the American Psychological Association
06. Mary Finley-Brook, PhD
Richmond, Virginia, USA
07. Dr. Douglas Herman
Washington, D.C. USA
08. Joseph Nevins, Associate Professor
Department of Earth Science and Geography
Vassar College
Poughkeepsie, New York, USA
09. Ron J Smith, PhD Candidate
University of Washington
Department of Geography
Seattle, Washington, USA
10. Steven J. Rainey, Ph.D.
McNeese State University
Lake Charles, Louisiana, USA
11. Rachel Brahinsky
Department of Geography
University of California, Berkeley, USA
12. Gleen T. Morris. JD, Assistant Professor
University of Colorado at Denver
Director
Fourth World Center for the Study of Indigenous Law and Politics
University of Colorado Denver
Denver, Colorado, USA
13. Daniel Klooster,
Professor and Director of the Latin American Studies Program
University of Redlands
Redlands, California, USA
14. Greg A Cummings
San Francisco, California, USA
15. Julianne Hazlewood, Doctoral (c) in Geography
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky, USA
16. Diane Haughney, Ph.D.
Washinton, D.C. USA
17. Denielle M. Perry, MS
Reno, Nevada, USA
18. Steve McFarland, PhD, Student,
City University of New York
Brooklyn, New York, USA
19. Nicholas L. Padilla (PhD., Student)
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Milwaukee, Wisconsin USA
20. Jennifer Casolo, PhD, Candidate
University of California at Berkeley, USA
21. Mariela Infante E.
Buffalo, New York, USA
22. Kate A. Berry, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Chair
Department of Geography
University of Nevada, Reno
Reno, Nevada, USA
23. Bjorn Sletto
Program in Community and Regional Planning
School of Architecture
Sutton Hall 3.124B
The University of Texas at Austin,
Austin, Texas, USA
24. Heather Teague, Ph.D. (c)
University of Texas at Austin,
Austin, Texas, USA
25. Alicia Swords, Ph.D.,
Ithaca College,
Ithaca, New York, USA
26. Lemunantu A. Mariman, student at Mills College
Oakland, California, USA
27. Rafael Olivares MD
Lakewood, Colorado USA
28. Denielle M. Perry, MS
Reno, Nevada, USA
29. Ron J Smith. PhD (c)
University of Washington
Department of Geography
Seattle, Washington, USA
30. Dr. Kathleen McAfee
Associate Professor, International Relations
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, California USA
31. Steven J. Rainey, PhD
McNeese State University
Lake Charles, LA, USA
32. Miguel Lozano, MA (economist)
Denver, Colorado, USA
33. Serena Cosgrove, PhD, Assistant Professor
Matteo Ricci College
Seattle University
Seattle, Washington, USA
34. Laura Martin, MPAffAustin, Texas, USA
35. Claudia Huenchuleo, Psicóloga
San Francisco, California, USA
36. Lindsay Adams, MA of Arts (c)
Latin American Studies
University of Texas-Austin, USA
37. Luis E. Cárcamo-Huechante, Assistant Professor (Mapuche-Williche)
The University of Texas at Austin,Austin, Texas, USA
38. Ana Silva, MA Education
Denver, Colorado, USA
39. Maria Fernanda Glaser Danton, PhD Student
SUNY at Buffalo, USA.
40. Megan Ybarra, Assistant Professor
Politics Department and Latin American Studies Program
Willamette University
Salem, Oregon, USA
41. Serena Cosgrove, PhD., Assistant Professor
Matteo Ricci College
Seattle University
Seattle, Washington, USA
42. Sapana Doshi, PhD (c)
Department of Geography
University of California, Berkeley, USA
43. Loring Abeyta, Ph.D., Adjunct Lecturer
Department of Political Science
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
University of Colorado Denver
44. T. Garrett Graddy, PhD Candidate
Geography, University of Kentucky, KY
Visiting Assistant Professor, Environmental Politics,
Carleton College, Minnesota, USA
45. William Forbes
Nacogdoches, Texas, USA
46. Eduardo Olivares, MA (c)
University of California, San Diego
San Diego, CA, USA
47. Richard Parmelee PhD, (engineer)
Catherine deRivera Parmelee,Julia Parmelee
Concord, Massachusetts, USA
48. Roberto Forns-Broggi, PhD., Assistant Professor
Denver, Colorado USA
49. Adam Henne, Ph.D.
International Studies, University of Wyoming
Laramie, Wyoming, USA
50. Carolijn Terwindt, LL.M. JSD, (c)
Columbia Law School,New York, New York, USA
51. Leticia Aparicio Soriano, MA (c)
Latin American Studies
Teresa Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies
University of Texas at Austin
Austin, Texas, USA
52. Tanya Mote, PhD
4725 High St.
Denver, Colorado, USA
53. Arthur Campa, PhD., Associate DeanMetropolitan State College
Denver, Colorado, USA
54. Gabriela Torres, Undergraduate
University of Texas at Austin
Austin, Texas, USA
55. Paloma Diaz, M.A
Austin, Texas
NEPAL
01. Sumitra Manandhar Gurung, PhD.
Kathmandu, NEPAL.
02. Bhim Kisan, Student
Jhapa, NEPAL.
03. Anita Manandhar, PhD.
Kathmandu, NEPAL.
04. Amanda M. Gurung,Siklis, Kaski, NEPAL
05. Mamita Thapa Magar
Okhaldhunga, NEPAL.
06. Purna Gurung
Aamp Pipal, Gorkha, NEPAL.
07. Rabindra Pachhai
Khusibun, Kathmandu, NEPAL
CANADA
01. Chantelle Richmond, PhD
University of Western Ontario,London, Ontario, CANADA
02. Magdalena Garcia, M.Sc. Candidate,
Department of Geography, Planning and Environment
Concordia University
Montreal, Quebec, CANADA, H3G 1M8
IRELAND
01. Julianne Hazlewood, Teaching and Research Fellow,
National University of Ireland,Galway, Galway City, IRELAND
UNITED KINGDOM
01. Penelope Anthias
Department of Geography
University of Cambridge, UNITED KINGDOM
02. Dr. Mo Hume,
School of Social and Political Sciences
University of Glasgow
40 Bute GardensGlasgow G12 8RT, UNITED KINGDOM
GERMANY
01. Pablo Galain Palermo
Senior Researcher
Max Planck Institute for Foreign and International Criminal Law
Freiburg i.Br. GERMANY
02. Carlos Huenchuleo Pedreros, PhD student
Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
GERMANY
NEW ZELAND
01, Nicole Gombay, PhD.
Dept. of Geography
University of Canterbury
Christchurch, NEW ZELAND
BELGIUM
01. Omar Jabary
Ghent University
Brussels, Belgium
SWITZERLAND
01. Sabina and Jacinto FitzeJupiterstrasse 1, Bern, SWITZERLAND
02. Deborah and Rodrigo La Moza
Burgerenzil 12, 3OO6, Bern,SWITZERLAND
03. Moises and Cedric Fitze
Muristrasse 75URISTRASSE, 3006 Bern, SWITZERLAND
04. Adelina and Sergio Binz
Muristrasse 65, 3006 Bern, SWITZERLAND
ECUADOR
01. Yolanda Teran, PhD, candidate
Quito, ECUADOR.
MEXICO
01. Amador Teodocio Olivares
Seccion XII, Teacher Union. Oaxaca, MEXICO
CHILE
01. Nicolas Schneider Errazuriz (13.688.449-2)
Geógrafo consultor independiente
Santiago, CHILE
02. Enzo Abbagliati Boils,Ciudadano Chileno RUT 6.371.200-0
03. Florencia García OyanedelRUT: 08.233.292-8
04. Ricardo López Muñoz
CI: 7623858-8
05. Ginnia SilvaChilena, Rut: 8.226.302-0
Puerto Montt, Chile
