Freedom for imprisoned Indian civil rights workers in Chile!

The Society for Threatened Peoples (GfbV) has started a new campaign for the abolition of the so-called Anti-terrorism Law in Chile. The aim of the international human rights organisation is the ending of the criminalizing of representatives of the Indian human rights movements and the release of the imprisoned Mapuche Indians.

"Law No. 18,314 makes Mapuche Indians in Chile terrorists just because by means of civil disobedience they call for their legitimate right to the return of the land stolen from them” explains the GfbV expert Yvonne Bangert. "Mapuche human rights workers complain that it is reason enough for them to be accused of terrorism because they draw attention to the expropriation of their territory under the Pinochet dictatorship by campaigns such as non-violent protest marches or public meetings. Non-violent campaigns are also directed against racism, under which even today their people suffer considerably.” The occupation of Mapuche forest areas, which are used today as timber plantations for the cellulose industry, or the blocking of approach roads to the property of the forest companies could also lead to charges under the Anti-terrorism Law. "Terrorist arson against vehicles, machines or wood-piles are the usual charges,” says Bangert. "It is usually simple farmers fighting against the large landowners for their bare existence.”

A law of this kind, dating back to the dictatorship era 1973-1990 and tightened up in 199, is not worthy of a democracy,” criticises the GfbV in a letter which has been sent to hundreds of government officials, members of parliament, NGOs and media in Chile, the EU and other countries. "This law, which is directed against the human rights of an ethnic minority, must be abolished.” However the GfbV does in its letter pay credit to the recent constitutional reform in Chile as an important milestone in coming to terms with the past. In its campaign the GfbV calls on the Chilean government to release immediately the following Mapuche human rights workers who have been convicted and sentenced to heavy fines and high prison sentences: Patricia Troncoso Robles (36), Pascual Pichún Paillalao (52), Rafael Pichún Collonao (21), Aniceto Norin Catriman (43), Victor Ancalaf Llaupe (37), Florencio Jaime Marileo Saravia (27), José Marileo Saravia (31) und Juan Huenulao Lielmil (38). Cases which are now pending against other human rights workers in accordance with the Anti-terror Law must be dropped immediately.

Months often pass before cases against the Mapuche representatives are brought to court, while the defendants are held on remand in custody. Charges can be brought by anonymous witnesses, whose statements cannot be questioned by the defence. The fines and prison sentences are unusually high. Internationally renowned human rights experts like the UN special correspondent for indigenous peoples, Rodolfo Stavenhagen, criticised the use of such a special law in the case of comparatively harmless offences against objects, which are not aimed at harming or killing human beings.

The Mapuche are the largest indigenous people in Chile. With some 1.3 million they make up almost ten percent of the total population of Chile. They defended their land for centuries against the Inca and the Spanish conquistadors and it was not until the advent of the new Chilean state that they were subjugated at the end of the 19th century. Their land was divided up between Chile and Argentina. Many were left with such small plots, especially during the Pinochet regime, that now almost half the Mapuche have to live in the towns.