The Mapuche in Chile: Indigenous Communities in Modern Latin American States
‘You have a right to develop in your own country’
Brussels, 25 March 2011 – During the ‘The Mapuche in Chile - The First European Conference Examining the State of Mapuche in Modern Latin American States’ conference convened in the European Parliament on March 24, 2011, Oriol Junqueras Vies MEP noted that ‘cooperation between indigenous representatives, MEPs and the EU is key for improving the situation’. As a response to ongoing human rights violations in Chile, inappropriate use of the antiterrorism law and the renewed hunger strike of Mapuche activists, Mapuche representatives, NGOs and European officials joined together in a discussion on the current situation facing Mapuche, and future EU-Chile cooperation.
In a statement, Marino Busdachin, UNPO General Secretary, hoped that the Chilean government would ‘include the Mapuche voices … and become an example of accommodating diversity for the region’. As the situation stands now, with no interest from Chilean officials to participate in the conference, this seems however to require ardent work from Mapuche representatives and European politicians to achieve. Furthermore, Maria Railaf (FOLIL) pointed out that ‘the Chilean government has ignored’ UN recommendations not to apply the anti-terrorism law against Mapuche defending their rights. Nicola Murray (EEAS) delivered insights into the European Commission’s relations with Chile and its emphasis on human rights, while admitting that ‘this does not enable a radical change of course’.
Lonko Juana Calfunao from the Juan Paillale community in Southern Chile, made an example of her own experiences as a Mapuche woman, having been imprisoned for defending indigenous rights and having seen her 8 year old daughter forced to seek political asylum in Switzerland. She stated that ‘you have a right to develop in your own country. I don’t want to leave, I don’t want to be a foreigner … but we are powerless … where are the rights of indigenous peoples, of my people?’
With the EU-Chile Summit 2012 approaching, Ana Miranda Paz of the EFA Bureau in the European Parliament remarked that 38 MEPs have already signed a letter of support for the Mapuche, and that they hope to gather broader support in the European Parliament in their ‘continued efforts to seek justice for the Mapuche people’.
The conference thus resulted in promises to continue efforts to raise awareness of the plights of the Mapuche, and offered important openings for an increased cooperation between the Mapuche community and European Parliament.
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Conference Programme:
Opening remarks:
Oriol Junqueras Vies MEP (Greens/EFA)
Marino Busdachin, General Secretary (UNPO)
Maria Railaf, founding member of Mapuche Foundation (FOLIL)
Panel I: The Mapuche Issue and Europe’s Relationship with Chile
The legal situation of indigenous population in Latin American: The Case of Chile.
Arauco Chihuailaf (Sorbonne University)
Eu-Chile Agreement Association: a space for focusing on indigenous peoples?
Nicola Murray (European External Action Service)
Raising European Awareness of the Mapuche Situation
Gaston Lion (Mapuche Representative to EU)
Current Challenges to the Human Dignity of the Mapuche People
Rodrigue Olavarria (France Libertés)
Panel II: Personal Insights into Mapuche Realities
The Failure of Chilean Justice: Antiterrorism Legislation and the Mapuche
Lonko Juana Calfunao (Mapuche leader)
A legal Perspective on the Juridical Procedures Faced by the Mapuche People
Jimena Reyes (FIDH)
To Be a Woman Mapuche: Violations of Indigenous Women’s Rights
Ramona Quiroga (Indigenous women rights defender)
Children’s Rights and Protecting the Mapuche Future
Nilsa Rain Huentemilla (Alianza Territorial Mapuche)
Closing remarks:
Ana Miranda, Vice-President for Latin America (EFA)
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Media Coverage
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Background documents
Save the date (EN) - 15 February 2011
Marca el Día (ES) - 15 Febrero 2011
Press release (EN) - 14 March 2011
Comunicado de Prensa (ES) - 14 Marzo 2011
Press reminder (EN) - 22 March 2011
Recordatorio (ES) - 22 Marzo 2011
Final Press Release (EN) - 25 March 2011
Comunicado de Prensa Final (ES) - 25 Marzo 2011
Biografía de los ponentes (ES)
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Organised by the Office of Oriol Junqueras Vies MEP
in collaboration with: