Mapuche Activist Starts Hunger Strike from Prison
Mapuche rights activist and alleged leader of the Coordinadora Arauco-Malleco (CAM) Emilio Berkhoff is on a hunger strike, demanding to be recognized as a Mapuche political prisoner. ANGOL – At noon on Monday, 26-year-old Emilio Berkhoff began an indefinite hunger strike in Angol Prison. Berkhoff, who was sentenced earlier this month to two months in [...]
Presumed Mapuche Terrorist Arrested
Emilio Berkhoff has been accused by Minister of the Interior Andrés Chadwick of being responsible for the Mapuche terrorist attacks in La Araucanía. TEMUCO — Anthropologist Emilio Berkhoff was arrested on Friday, after a police control, for illegal carrying of firearms. Also accused of “violence against policemen resulting to serious injuries” in Temuco, he was condemned [...]
Three Bills to Address the Mapuche Conflict
The government has initiated three bills in order to bring peace to La Araucanía: a Council for Indigenous people, the Araucania Law, and formal mechanisms of consultation. TEMUCO — President Sebastián Piñera has decided to put in place three legislative initiatives in order to resolve the conflict in the La Araucanía region, according to Minister [...]
Arica’s Colorful ‘Sun Fiesta’ Opens South America’s Carnaval Season
Starting Friday, the city of eternal springs will turn into one big Carnaval party. For three days, the streets of Arica will be full of dance, music and celebration. ARICA – More than five thousand dancers and musicians have been practicing for months. This weekend, one of the most colorful celebrations of Chile’s great northern [...]
Government to Prioritize Constitutional Recognition of Indigenous
After the various Mapuche summits, President Piñera announced that the constitutional recognition of indigenous peoples would be a new priority of the government. SANTIAGO — President Sebastián Piñera recently announced the reactivation of the project for a constitutional recognition of Chile’s indigenous peoples, as well as the creation of a council representing the different ethnic [...]
Piñera Rejects Autonomy Proposal; Mapuche React in Protest
On Thursday night, around 200 people gathered at Los Heroes metro station to march in support of the Mapuche cause after Piñera rejected their bid for self-governance. SANTIAGO CENTRO — At 6:30 p.m Thursday, around 200 people gathered near Los Heroes metro. The crowd made their way through the heart of the city, heading down Paseo [...]
Authorities Strive to Open Dialog in Mapuche Conflict
Despite efforts on both sides to reach an agreement, the Mapuche conflict is far from a resolution. TEMUCO — The District Attorney’s Office in Araucanía has recently highlighted the urgency to solve the Mapuche conflict. According to government officials, the number of investigations resulting from this conflict increased by 77 percent in 2012. More than 300 [...]
My Two Cents: How to Solve the Mapuche Conflict
Violence due to discontent is often a vicious cycle. After at least eight arson attacks in the La Araucanía region, the Mapuche conflict is once again awake, perhaps for good. One government mistake is to consider these attacks common terrorism, that must be resolved by responding with similar violence- by the militarization of the area, [...]
Bishops Denounce Militarization of La Araucania
The Catholic Church has sent a message to the Executive, about the measures announced after the recent terrorist attacks in La Auracania. The statement asks the government to demilitarize the area. SANTIAGO — Through a public declaration signed by the president of the Conferencia Episcopal (Episcopal Conference), Archbishop of Santiago Ricardo Ezzati, the Chilean Catholic [...]
