Chile: Mapuche Prisoners Continue Hunger Strike

From Weekly News Update on the Americas #847, 4/23/06

Mapuche rights activists Juan Patricio Marileo Saravia, Florencio
Jaime Marileo Saravia, Juan Carlos Huenulao Lienmil and Patricia
Troncoso Robles (known as "La Chepa") have been on hunger strike
since Mar. 13 in prison in Angol, in Chile's Region IX, demanding
a review of their cases. The strikers were accused of setting a
fire in December 2001 that burned 100 hectares of pine
plantations belonging to the Forestal Mininco S.A. company on the
Poluco Pidenco estate in Ercilla. The court characterized the
arson as a terrorist act and invoked a special anti-terrorism
law; the four activists were sentenced to 10 years in prison and
ordered to pay the company restitution of 423 million pesos
($822,717). [Adital (Brazil) 4/13/06; Mapuche International Link
4/20/06]

On Apr. 18, Socialist Party senator Alejandro Navarro expressed
support for the hunger strikers, calling their protest "just."
Navarro urged the government of President Michelle Bachelet, also
of the Socialist Party, to support an amnesty law to cover the
hunger strikers and five other Mapuche activists sentenced under
the anti-terrorism law. "The sentences must be annulled, because
they violate international human rights law," he said.

In a November 2004 report, Rodolfo Stavenhagen, UN Special
Rapporteur on the Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of
Indigenous Peoples, recommended that Chile pardon Mapuche
prisoners sentenced under the anti-terrorism law.
[http://www.presospoliticosmapuche.org 4/18/06] The International Human
Rights Federation (FIDH) also recently issued a report
questioning the use of the anti-terrorism law in the Mapuche
cases.

Last year the Mapuche activists at Angol prison went on hunger
strike from Mar. 7 to Apr. 1. They ended that hunger strike after
accepting promises that their incarceration would be reviewed--
something that never happened, according to Jose Araya of the
Corporation for Promotion and Defense of the Rights of the People
(CODEPU). [Adital 4/13/06]

This past Apr. 3, after a nine-day trial, the Angol criminal
court freed Mapuche lonkos (community leaders) Jose Cariqueo
Saravia and Juan Antonio Colihuinca Ancaluan after accquitting
them of charges in the Poluco Pidenco "terrorist fire" case. The
two had been convicted in three previous trials on the case and
sentenced to 10 years in prison and a 425 million peso fine.
Cariqueo and Colihuinca were also on hunger strike since Mar. 13,
but ended their fast when they were freed. [FIDH 4/12/06; Adital
4/7/06]

According to the organization Meli Wixan Mapu (Four Points of
Land) the four remaining hunger strikers "are showing serious
physical deterioration." [Television Nacional de Chile "24 Horas"
(http://www.24horas.cl) 4/21/06] Solidarity demonstrations have been
called for Apr. 26; for info see http://www.presospoliticosmapuche.org.
[Prensa Rodriguista del Sur 4/20/06 via Colombia Indymedia]

On Apr. 21, agents of the militarized Carabineros police used
violence to break up a peaceful demonstration in Valparaiso in
support of the Mapuche prisoners. About 10 people were arrested.
[http://www.presospoliticosmapuche.org 4/22/06]

Also on Apr. 21, indigenous activists protested inside the
Bolivian consulate in Santiago in support of the Mapuche hunger
strikers. "This is a peaceful occupation, to support our
political prisoners," said indigenous leader Manuel Calfiu. "We
are carrying out this action in the diplomatic headquarters of
this brother country, because we believe its government will
understand our call," explained Calfiu. Bolivian consul Roberto
Finot said he had spoken with the activists; "we have no problem"
with them staying at the consulate, he said. "The doors of the
consulate are open for whoever wants to visit us," Finot said.
[Television Nacional de Chile "24 Horas" (http://www.24horas.cl)
4/21/06]

Mapuche leader Ramon Llanquileo was arrested on an outstanding
warrant for illegal weapons possession at a police checkpoint in
Cuya, Arica. Llanquileo was released with a summons to appear May
2 at the Traiguen court on the arms charge and another summons to
appear Apr. 19 at the court in Canete on charges of violating the
State Security Law. [Resumen Latinoamericano 4/19/06 from La
Tercera]

Also in issue #847

--MEXICO: 2 Workers Killed in Steel Strike
--Brazil: Landless Mark Massacre
--Uruguay: Officers Extradited to Chile
--Venezuela: Andean Trade Bloc Collapsing?
--Haiti: Runoff Vote Held

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