Indigenous Mapuche activist in a street protest holding a banner that reads: "We are not terrorists! Justice and freedom for Mapuche political prisioners." Photo: IWGIA.
The Chilean government underlined its commitment to providing a substantive solution to the problems of the people who live in the southern zone.
On Tuesday, May 31, the Chamber of Deputies of Chile approved a draft resolution declaring the Coordinadora Arauco Malleco (CAM) and three other Mapuche organizations as illegal and terrorist associations.
Along with CAM, the groups Resistencia Mapuche Malleco, Resistencia Mapuche Lafkenche and Weichan Auka Mapu were also included in the category of illicit terrorist associations.
The draft resolution was adopted after the plenary session analyzed the statements made by CAM leader, Héctor Llaitul, about organizing an armed resistance in the Southern Macrozone of the country in the face of the government’s declaration of a state of emergency there.
🛑 URGENTE – La Cámara de Diputados en Chile aprobó proyecto de resolución que declara distintas organizaciones de resistencia mapuche, como asociaciones ilícitas de carácter terrorista, entre ellas, a la Coordinadora Arauco Malleco CAM @teleSURtv pic.twitter.com/8ygULhpZXo
— Pao Dragnic (@PaolaDragnic) June 1, 2022
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The lower house of the Chilean parliament also asked Chilean President Gabriel Boric for criminal prosecution of the aforementioned groups in accordance with the provisions of Law 18,314, regarding terrorist activities.
Along with the resolution, President Boric was asked to apply the anti-terrorist law against the four Mapuche organizations. “The President of the Republic is requested to criminally prosecute [the organizations] in accordance with the provisions of Law No. 18,314 on terrorism,” states the resolution, approved by 66 votes in favor, 43 against, and 13 abstentions.
Likewise, it asked the president to request the counter-terrorism offices of the US State Department and the Council of the European Union to declare the CAM, its armed wing Órganos de Resistencia Territorial, and Weichán Auka Mapu, as terrorist organizations.
🛑 URGENTE- La @Camara_cl no sólo declara org mapuche de resistencia como ilegales y terroristas, sino que además pide al Pdte Boric instruir a oficina de contraterrorismo del Depto de Estado de *Estados* *Unidos* y al Consejo de la Unión Europea haga lo mismo 👇🏻 @teleSURtv pic.twitter.com/za75TS28JI
— Pao Dragnic (@PaolaDragnic) June 1, 2022
The draft resolution, presented by the deputy of the southern region Miguel Mellado from Renovación Nacional (RN), received support from all the deputies of the region, except Deputy Ericka Ñanco who voted against it, and Deputy Jorge Saffirio, who abstained.
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The Ministers for the Interior, Izkia Siches, and for Defense, Maya Fernández, participated in the parliamentary session, representing the Executive Branch. They explained the actions that the State has taken to normalize the situation in the south of the country.
“The government and this minister are deeply committed to the fundamental solutions of the problems of the people who inhabit this territory, but we will not limit ourselves to attacking only the symptoms, rather our commitment is to address their roots,” Minister Siches said.
She added that this “undoubtedly requires the unity of all the political forces represented in this parliament… Addressing this conflict requires State policies, and there are no shortcuts. There are no easy or short solutions other than agreeing on a strategy and a plan.”
Recent polls show a sharp decrease in President Boric’s support, and many experts have remarked that a move against the Mapuche people, who have historically been under attack by Chilean oligarchs and transnational corporations to strip them of their land, will not improve his approval ratings.
(Telesur) with Orinoco Tribune content
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/DD/SC/EF
