PROFESSOR JAIME CONTRERAS PUBLIC STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF THE CAUSE of the Mapuche people. PUBLIC STATEMENT
"Oh Chile, fertile province (...) the people involved is so great, so proud, gallant and warlike, who has been king ever ruled or under foreign domination," said Ercilla, the English poet, barely met the Mapuche in the sixteenth century. Then advanced the colonizer's brutal invasion, plunder without end, the cornering, the shacks burned, children shot, betrayal and annexation of the autonomous Mapuche territories under the yoke of the Chilean State.
34 children of this village in their struggle to regain autonomy and land have been detained in custody for over a year by chains of so-called anti-terrorism law, the law imposed by the dictatorship and used by the ruling coalition called "Conclusion." So they have done, and done even today one third of them, a hunger strike over 77 days.
In solidarity with them and the Mapuche people, 8 days ago I decided to start a hunger strike:
First, as a member of the Friends of the priest and social activist Michael Woodward, completed (by the Navy of Chile aboard the training ship Esmeralda) by taking a stand on behalf of all the downtrodden and oppressed, and whose example survives, inspires and encourages.
Second, in my capacity as teacher, professional worker education and as such, not only in charge of knowledge and education within the walls of the classroom, but call for commitment to the struggles of all workers, of all indigenous peoples of our America, stripped of all thing and trampled by the powerful arrogant.
Third, as a grateful admirer and lover of the Mapuche people.
The Mapuche prolonged hunger strike in the south,
- have managed, with its gesture of concern to all of Chile, and even abroad, for the Mapuche cause - land and autonomy -
- have achieved the amendment of the called "anti-terror law" (though attentive even against fundamental rights as the right to due process)
- have been put into question the role of so-called "tax" which processes have been used for protected witnesses, hooded and salary
State - have made the government , in agreement with the judiciary, a commitment to withdraw the complaints this week for violating the anti-terrorist law against Mapuche prisoners and thereby to nullify the testimony of witnesses hoods, which are part only this law, imposed by the dictatorship and used by the Coalition
- have made the government to commit to enact laws to prevent double jeopardy,
civil and military - have been able to call emphasis for reform of military justice, but unfortunately the resulting reform increases the penalties for crimes committed against the military, giving more protection to act with impunity, as they do today in the Mapuche communities.
- have made the government commits to the offenses described in the complaints for violation of the anti-terrorism law, passed in within the next 5 days, of its status as terrorists to common law offenders, ie that the Mapuche are tried under ordinary criminal law and not by anti-terrorist law.
Based on these limited achievements, two thirds of the strikers have decided to end their strike on Friday. For my part, I have decided to support even for 3 days, which expire at this time, the third of Mapuche still striking, considering that its position, whose thirst for justice is more radical, is worthy of our support and admiration.
As they say even the 14 Mapuche hunger strike, "the bottom of this hunger strike strikers Mapuche, has to do with the future of the Mapuche Nation. The various Mapuche communities continue to fight for the right to territory, will defend their right to live as Mapuche and refusing to be assimilated by the Chilean culture "and added that this struggle can not but" bring new conflicts with the Chilean justice system. "
For my part, I recognize the Mapuche people have every right to use all forms of struggle to recover what belongs to them in righteousness: to recover their ancestral lands and self-determination. The unjust force or violence of the oppressors and thieves, designed to keep this oppression, not to be confused with the right force or violence of the oppressed intended for release. O'Higgins and Rodriguez clearly had.
That every man in his mid-worker, student of philosophy, residents, professional-invent actions to support our Mapuche brothers robbed and oppressed by landlords and employers and by the apparatus of laws and powers serving these powerful, this machine of terror and organized violence that is called state. It is essential that we manage to coordinate and unite our many and varied actions. That
who are Christians, as Michael Woodward, will recognize the Mapuche brothers striking the body and the person of Christ.
If a striker dies ... Will have been well spent your life! It will be the most beautiful seed planted in the earth: the sacrifice of life and joy of oppressed brother. However
brother, peñi, win, win, licking, sister not once, but mari, ten times Marichiweu! Live
our indigenous peoples Latin America!
courage, strength, newen! Marichiweu! Jaime
Professor in Latin America.
Member of the Friends of Miguel Woodward
