Mapuche Political Prisoners
Posted on October 03, 2012 by Akashma Online News
Chile: Mapuche Political Prisoners Continue Hunger Strike After 30 Days – Spokesperson Arrested
Spokesperson of the Wente Winkul Mapu Community Arrested
September 25th, 2012A group of Police arrested the spokesperson of the Wente Winkul Mapu community and the Mapuche Political Prisoners on Hunger Strike, Daniel Melinao. Up till now, there is no known cause for the aggression. The arrest took place at around 4pm in the area of Ercilla; there is no information about his current state at this time.
Initially, the detention was understood as a repressive move on behalf of the government for the demonstrations against the health Minister that is visiting the area.
This is a new attack against the Lof Chequenco Community, where four of its members are currently undergoing a hunger strike in Angol Prison, without any type of justification by Chilean officials.
Mapuche Political Prisoners reach 30 Days on Hunger Strike: “The chains that we carry do not intimidate us!”
September 24th, 2012
This Monday, the four Mapuche Political Prisoners of Chequenco have reached one month on hunger strike, demanding their freedom. They have dropped an average of 9 kg of weight and are beginning to suffer from tachycardia. Despite this, they refuse to end their actions.
Communiqué:
The Mapuche Political Prisoners of the Wente Winkul Mapu Community of the Chekenco Lof, Paulino Levipan Coyan, Daniel Levinao Montoya, Rodrigo Montoya Melinao, and their spokesperson Eric Montoya wish to communicate the following to national and international opinion:
On this day, September 23rd we reiterate that we have risen with our voice full of strength. We have struggled for the reclamation of our land that has been stolen in order to be dignified children of this People that with bravery and blood has defended throughout history.
Despite the discrimination and being treated as “ignorant Indians,” we must say that before they came, we were here. Our culture, our language, our way of life existed, which did not mean the submission and exploitation of others. They call us ignorant because their greed and arrogance has impeded them from knowing and respecting a People different than theirs.
We state that despite the fact that they have us deprived of our freedom, warrior blood continues to run through our veins that they will never overcome. The chains that we carry do not intimidate us.
We reiterate that despite the pains of the hunger strike and that two of us are showing symptoms of tachycardia, we continue to defend our rights with our lives and point responsibility to the Chilean State, led by President Piñera in negating our right to a fair trial, to the presumption of innocence and respecting the international accords that were signed to protect our People.
We continue in resistance to defend our rights, as it is not solely ours alone, but that of our children and future generations of Mapuche to come and continue struggling for the land that was stolen from us.
Neither prison, nor death will stop the struggle for the freedom and territory of our Mapuche Nation.
Mapuche Political Prisoners of Wente Winkul Mapu on Hunger Strike Make their Demands Known
August 30th, 2012
Communiqué No. 2
The Mapuche Political Prisoners of the Wente Winkul Mapu Community of Lof Chequenco, Paulino Levipan Coyán, Daniel Levinao Montoya, Hector Ricardo Nahuelqueo Nahuelqueo, Rodrigo Montoya Melinao, and their spokesperson Eric Montoya Montoya, wish to communicate the following to national and international opinion:
Today, August 29th our third day on hunger strike, we strongly manifest the discontent for the recent unjust conviction of our Peñi [Brothers] Daniel Levinao and Paulino Levipan, a discriminatory, racist and political sentence, where the State’s objective is to strip away the idea of territorial reclamation and end our just struggle.
We as Mapuche Political Prisoners continue to resist and struggle against this oppressive and inhumane capitalist system, we will continue to resist against those who have usurped our territories and will go to the last consequences in order to achieve justice and truth for our struggle, thereby showing our innocence. We demand the following:
1. Annul the trial against Paulino Levipan and Daniel Levinao
2. The application of Convention No. 169 of the ILO and international accords Chile has subscribed to.
3. An end to the use of protected witnesses in Mapuche cases
4. Stop the raids in Mapuche communities and an immediate end to the political violence carried out over children, women and elders. We demand the demilitarization of Mapuche Territory.
5. Freedom for all the Mapuche Political Prisoners and the return of our territories to Mapuche Communities.
We call out to all Mapuche communities and all sister peoples, conscious persons, national/international social and human rights organizations to support our just cause.
Neither prison, nor death will detain our struggle for the liberation and territory of our Mapuche Nation.
Long live the centuries long struggle of the Mapuche People
Marrichiweu!!
Mapuche Political Prisoners of Wente Winkul Mapu
Source: País Mapuche – Distributed by:
Categories: Akashma, Awareness, Chile
chile, mapuche political prisoner, Wente Winkul Mapu Community
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