Piñera joined the Foreign Affairs Committee (AFET) meeting on 15 November 2012 to discuss various aspects of EU-Chile relations; namely, strengthening trade relations.
Though a discussion on bilateral relations formed a major aspect of this public hearing; the meeting also included various probing questions from MEPs on the current human rights situation in Chile.
Following UNPO’s recommendations on the situation of the Mapuche, Portuguese MEP, Ana Gomes, was the first to enquire about Piñera’s commitment to the cause. Other MEPs such as Spain’s, Ana Miranda and Austrian Ulrike Lunacek also questioned Pinera’s commitment to human rights – particularly the rights of the indigenous population and also women in general.
Piñera’s answers, seemingly encouraging, described the Mapuche as the soul of the nation and also acknowledged that a certain debt was owed to them as original inhabitants of the land. The President further stated that the protection of their culture and language was a priority of his administration and social plans such as ‘Plan Araucania’ (reinstated earlier this year to include a focus on indigenous rights).
However positive the response on the face of it, many have described the ‘action plans’ and constructive words as being ‘mere montages’ of the current administration’s empty efforts to improve Mapuche rights. What is more, the President’s reply did not once address the issue of anti-terror laws, nor of the Mapuche protestors who ended their 60 day hunger strike only a matter of days ago.
Piñera praised Chile’s vision, progress and economic stability. He described it as having a strong climate for foreign investment yet ignored the fact that it has come at a high cost to the Mapuche population who are now facing issues of rural poverty and displacement.
Just as Piñera’s answers failed to provide any clarity, the Chilean government is still failing to provide real solutions and answers to the Mapuche conflict and their status as an autonomous nation.
Source: UNPO, November 16th, 2012, via Gobierno de Chile