Chilean 'Socialist' Authorities use force 2 transfer the Mapuche Prisoners
luna | 07.05.2006 17:31 | Repression | Social Struggles | World
After 55 days on hunger strike and 2 weeks of unfruitful negotiations with the central authorities, the hunger-strikers were transferred to the Regional Hospital by the Special Forces.
Not surprising. The "peoples" government of Bachelet, is stone deaf to calls to put right the abuses perpetrated by her predecessor, Ricardo Lagos ( chilean right wing 'socialist' president
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricardo_Lagos ). He sponsored the application of the Antiterrorist Law against tens of mapuche lonkos and communards in territorial conflicts with the powerful forestry companies in the south of Chile, who have strong links with the economic powers that control the country.
The application of this antiterrorist legislation to the conflict mapuche-forestry companies-state has allowed the use of anonymous witnesses (!!) to convict the accused, payed millions to these protected witnesses () and run retrials where the accused had been acquitted, thanks to the pressures exerted by the forestry companies (paper, wood and soon carbon sinks) and Juan Agustín Figueroa [ ex--minister of Aylwin ( another right wing 'socialis' president ) and big land owner], who declared in the Mercurio newspaper that "the lonkos ( chiefs ) must pay for the sins of the communards", alluding to the implicit innocence of the arrested chiefs).
the irrational increase of the sentences (from 60 days to 5 years in jail in the case of the lonkos condemned of " threat of terrorist fire "[!!]). In addition strong contradictions between witnesses and facts exist.
Meanwhile the government has recognised before the Organisation of American States (OEA) that in Chile is no terrorism and at the same time the Home Secretary, also a 'Socialist', Correa Sutil, said that they had asked for the special application of Pinochet's antiterrorist law in these cases thanks to the "procedural advantages that it grants (us)". (!).
All these anomalies have motivated different international organizations, including the UN's Special Envoy for Indigenous People's, Rodolfo Stavenhagen, to call the chilean government to stop the criminalization of the legitimate demands of the Mapuche Peoples.
The "solution" to the conflict for the new authorities ( another world is possible - other dead indians are possible ) has been to feed force the hunger strikers, taking them by force, to the Regional Hospital.
There is a call out for Monday 8th of May to demonstrate in support of the comuneros meeting at the Hospital Square.
International alert for solidarity is still on. more to follow
1 falls. 1000s rise
MARICI WEU!
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The application of this antiterrorist legislation to the conflict mapuche-forestry companies-state has allowed the use of anonymous witnesses (!!) to convict the accused, payed millions to these protected witnesses () and run retrials where the accused had been acquitted, thanks to the pressures exerted by the forestry companies (paper, wood and soon carbon sinks) and Juan Agustín Figueroa [ ex--minister of Aylwin ( another right wing 'socialis' president ) and big land owner], who declared in the Mercurio newspaper that "the lonkos ( chiefs ) must pay for the sins of the communards", alluding to the implicit innocence of the arrested chiefs).
the irrational increase of the sentences (from 60 days to 5 years in jail in the case of the lonkos condemned of " threat of terrorist fire "[!!]). In addition strong contradictions between witnesses and facts exist.
Meanwhile the government has recognised before the Organisation of American States (OEA) that in Chile is no terrorism and at the same time the Home Secretary, also a 'Socialist', Correa Sutil, said that they had asked for the special application of Pinochet's antiterrorist law in these cases thanks to the "procedural advantages that it grants (us)". (!).
All these anomalies have motivated different international organizations, including the UN's Special Envoy for Indigenous People's, Rodolfo Stavenhagen, to call the chilean government to stop the criminalization of the legitimate demands of the Mapuche Peoples.
The "solution" to the conflict for the new authorities ( another world is possible - other dead indians are possible ) has been to feed force the hunger strikers, taking them by force, to the Regional Hospital.
There is a call out for Monday 8th of May to demonstrate in support of the comuneros meeting at the Hospital Square.
International alert for solidarity is still on. more to follow
1 falls. 1000s rise
MARICI WEU!
luna
e-mail:
zap06@riseup.net
Comments
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Chile's Visits Europe
09.05.2006 06:38
To all the Mapuche political prisoners solidarity groups in Europe, pls note that the President of Chile, Michelle Bachelet, will be arriving in Europe sometime today Tuesday May 9.
I hope you can organise actions against her visit in circumstances where 4 Mapuche political prisoners are in a life threatening condition, after spending 56 days on a hunger strike.
Please post this message widely.
Regards
Solidarity groups in Australia
Marlene
e-mail:
mlobeid@hotmail.com