We, as a solidarity organization with the struggle of the Mapuche People and their human rights, would like to ask you as an organisation or as a person to sign on line or collect signatures and send by post PDF version (to collect signatures Pg signatures or send a postcard. Adress: Sra. Michelle Bachelet Jeria, Presidenta de la República, Palacio de La Moneda, Santiago, Chile. Fax: (+562) 690 4958. Europe, 25 de octubre, 2007
 |
Mrs. Michelle Bachelet Jeria,
President of the Republic,
La Moneda Palace,
Santiago, Chile.
Your Excellency,
The signatories as shown below, wish to express their concern for the discrimination and abuse directed against the Mapuche communities of Chile.
From the 10th of October 2007, seven Mapuche political prisoners Jaime Marileo, Patricia Troncoso, Jose Millalen, Héctor Llaitul, Jose Huenchunao, Waikilaf Cadin Calfunao and Ivan LLanquileo, initiated an indefinite hunger strike in demand for respect of human rights.
Despite persistent calls by numerous international organisations in defence of human rights and fundamental freedoms, the Chilean government continues with its repressive policy against Mapuche political representatives, using the judiciary and police force as instruments of enforcement.
Incidents related to Mapuche protest for the restitution of their ancestral land, have led to judicial processes and sentences in the last few years where Law No 18.314 of 1984, known as “Anti terrorist Law” have been applied. The United Nations Committee of Human rights, in its final observations of March of 2007, expressed its concern for the accusations of terrorism against Mapuches “for acts of protest or social demand, related to the defence of their land”, further ‘the guarantee of due process’ in relation to judicial proceedings “are limited” under the application of the referred law.
The Declaration on Indigenous Peoples, which was endorsed by the Chilean State, requires that processes are “equitable and just” (article 40), which in the case of the seven Mapuche political leaders on hunger strike, have been disregarded. The Chilean State sentences Mapuche political leaders to prison for offences that, in compliance with the ordinary Penal Code do not normally result in incarceration; Further, they are denied their status as political prisoners.
Madame President, once again we insist that you comply with the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Indigenous people Rodolfo Stavenhaggen’s recommendations of 2004, which emphasized the continuous marginalization of the majority of the indigenous population and the lack of ratification on the part of the Chilean State of Convention 169 of the International Labour Organisation on Indigenous and Tribal people. This situation remains unfulfilled, although its solution constitutes some of the proposals produced by the Chilean ‘Historic, Truth and New Deal Commission’ in their report of October 2003.
We recognise and support the demands of the Mapuche political prisoners on hunger strike.
- The release of all Mapuche political prisoners
- The Demilitarization of the zones in conflict, in the Araucanian region
- An end to the repression of Mapuche communities.
Signatories:
if you want to sign on line
click here
