UNPO: Mapuche: Successful Demonstration and Conference in The Hague

Mapuche: Successful Demonstration and Conference in The Hague

On 5 May 2015, UNPO and the Mapuche Coordination in Europe co-hosted the ‘’International Conference on the Observance of the Mapuche Treaties Concluded with the Chilean State’’ in The Hague, the Netherlands. The aim of the conference was to call for the State of Chile to show equal respect and compliance with the numerous treaties entered between the Mapuche people and itself, as the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is currently reviewing the jurisdiction over maritime claims submitted by the State of Bolivia against the State of Chile (Bolivia v. Chile). In addition to the conference, the Mapuche Coordination in Europe successfully held a demonstration in front of the Peace Palace. UNPO was present to support the Mapuche.

On 5 May 2015, UNPO and the Mapuche Coordination in Europe co-hosted the ‘’International Conference on the Observance of the Mapuche Treaties Concluded with the Chilean State’’. UNPO representative Ms Geeske Sibrijns opened the conference in co-operation with Ms Sandra Sofia Englund, who translated the speech to Spanish. A brief introduction about the aims of UNPO and the long history of cooperation between UNPO and the Mapuche were given, and UNPO showed its support and solidarity for the Mapuche in the case of the maritime claims (Bolivia v. Chile).

After the opening of the conference by UNPO, all participants of the conference introduced themselves. Participants were Mapuche or persons interested in promoting and protecting the rights of the Mapuche from all over Europe. This was followed by a speech by the representative of the Mapuche in Chile given from Chile through a skype conversation.

On 4 May 2015 from 14:00 until 15:00, the Mapuche Coordination in Europe and UNPO demonstrated in front of the Peace Palace. The Mapuche women were dressed in traditional clothes, and all of them were holding flags and banners.

Although the Chilean officials did not come out of the Peace Palace to receive the petition, the demonstration was very successful. The Mapuche received a lot of media attention, as press from all over the world was present. The Mapuche gave several interviews, and their voice was heard by the media.