Press Release
27th April 2002
On the 29th April
the Mapuche people commemorate the anniversary of the death of the Toki
Leftraru, distinguished hero of the Mapuche nation: this day of remembrance
is becoming widely accepted as "Mapuche Heroes' and Martyrs' Day".
In honour of this anniversary, Mapuche International Link today is launching
www.mapuche-nation.org.
During the last 500
years numerous Mapuche laid down their lives in defence of our national
sovereignty, firstly in countering Inca and Spanish imperial aggression,
latterly when confronted by the republics of Chile and Argentina. On this
day the Mapuche people remember and pay homage to their forebears, keeping
their memory alive, as an occasion for remembrance and pride in our past.
The actions, among many others, of the Tokis Leftraru, Kalfulikan, Kilapan,
Kalfukura and the female Toki Janequeo, symbolise the resistance and stand
as sources of inspiration for the contemporary generations in their struggle
for a dignified future, with freedom and justice for the Mapuche people.
The launch of this
website provides a forum which will fill the need for objective information
about the Mapuche situation. It will give information about Mapuche history,
their current situation and hopes for the future, expressed directly by
those concerned. It will also create a link for the Mapuche global diaspora,
being our contribution to the informative work of the already-existent
Mapuche webpages based in the Wall mapu (ancestral Mapuche land). The website
will bring together efforts to counter propaganda from traditional communication
media, mouthpieces for society's oppression which distort facts, perpetuate
stereotypes and racial prejudices against indigenous peoples, and which
are used to justify the occupation of our lands, the actions of the forestry
companies and the political repression of our people.
Environmental degradation,
which directly affects numerous Mapuche communities on both sides of the
Andes Mountain range, is a matter which merits special attention. The construction
of the Ralko dam across the river Bio-Bio leads not only to environmental
implications in an earthquake zone, but also destroys communities, including
their cultural identity, floods areas considered to be sacred, as well
as violating cemeteries. Similarly, in Argentina (Puelmapu), the Mapuche
communities of Paynemil and Kaxipayin in Loma de la Lata region have been
suffering water contamination, due to the extraction of oil by YPF (Yacimientos
Petrolificos Fiscales).
A section of the Website
will be dedicated to human rights and civil liberties issues fundamental
to indigenous peoples: during the current period of Chilean democratically
elected government thousands of Mapuche have been detained, many of whom
have reported being tortured and subjected to humiliating, inhuman and
degrading treatment. Today, among others, the Lonkos (Chiefs) Norin and
Pichun are on hunger strike in prison, protesting their innocence, accused
of unsubstantiated offences. Mapuche leaders have reported constant surveillance,
phone-tapping, being photographed and filmed: in recent days an attempt
was made by unknown individuals to abduct Sara Imilmaqui, the Pewenche
community leader.
The Chilean authorities
will guarantee neither individual nor collective security for the Mapuche,
for which reason they currently find themselves completely lacking legal
protection. The Chilean government is responsible for the criminalization
of the whole Mapuche movement, restricting people's freedom of movement
by means of a selective policy of intimidation against Mapuche leaders
as well as the disruption of peaceful demonstrations.
The
deforestation and privatization of coastal areas of the ancestral territories
of the Mapuche nation violate the rights and the freedom of development
of many communities, particularly those of the Willimapu, in that they
no longer have access to the sea and other areas where they traditionally
used to fish in order to feed themselves.
We consider this website
to be a small contribution to those who struggle daily in the Wall mapu
for their historic and inalienable rights: we put ourselves in the service
of the communities who are struggling to express their opinion freely.
Mapuche International Link
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