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<h1><font size=4><b>International Campaign To Support Mapuche Political
Prisoners On Hunger Strike In Chile </b></font></h1><font size=3>August
3, 2010<br>
<b>Translated from Spanish<br>
</b></font><font size=1>
<a href="http://indigenouspeoplesissues.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6142:international-campaign-to-support-mapuche-political-prisoners-on-hunger-strike-in-chile&catid=53:south-america-indigenous-peoples&Itemid=75" eudora="autourl">
http://indigenouspeoplesissues.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6142:international-campaign-to-support-mapuche-political-prisoners-on-hunger-strike-in-chile&catid=53:south-america-indigenous-peoples&Itemid=75<br>
<br>
</a></font><font size=3>Mapuche organizations and solidarity of Europe
and North America<br><br>
As of July 12, 2010 thirty-one Mapuche are on hunger strike in prisons of
Concepcion, Valdivia, Temuco Lebu. Mapuche political prisoners on hunger
strike demanding the right to fair trials, the application of an
objective and impartial justice and in particular the repeal of the
Patriot Act.<br><br>
The fact that indigenous political prisoners are forced to drastic action
due to the fact that in the course of the last decade No.18.314 the
Terrorism Act, "enacted during the Pinochet dictatorship - applies
only against political leaders and Mapuche. The repeal of this law is
required by much of the International System of Human Rights that stands
between the Ethics Commission Against Torture, whose report was discussed
by the Committee on Elimination of Racial Discrimination United Nations
in August 2009.<br><br>
The implementation of the Patriot Act is a violation of human rights of
citizens exercising their right to protest, demanding the right of
ownership over their ancestral lands, demand respect for their way of
life and cultural identity. The Human Rights Council of the UN, several
Special Reports, has recommended the non-application of the Patriot Act
to the activities and protests and claims of the Mapuche people. These
recommendations say that implementation of this law does not guarantee a
fair trial and provide background information on where these rights are
violated. It highlights the use of faceless witnesses, keeping the
accused in custody indefinitely, and to subject the accused to trial-by
dual civilian and military justice, at the same time.<br><br>
In Chile during the decade of ethnic persecution takes alarming
proportions. At this time, 37 Mapuche political leaders are in prison in
various prisons in southern Chile. Of these 28 prisoners are indicted or
convicted by the anti-terrorism law. In total there are 60 community
members who are in prison or on parole for a sentence or injunctive
relief. Three Mapuche have had to seek political refuge in Argentina (2)
and Switzerland and five Mapuche have died as a result of the shooting
and torture by the Chilean police.<br><br>
The executive and legislative branch representatives of Chile are
required to initiate a dialogue process with political prisoners on
hunger strike. It is necessary to rectify the discriminatory policy
applied to the historic demands of the Mapuche people of Chile that the
State continues to violate. The Chilean state has an obligation to comply
with the obligations it has signed international instruments, such as ILO
Convention 169., The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
and end the repression and persecution of Mapuche leaders praise.
"<br><br>
Make the following points.<br><br>
Mapuche organizations and solidarity of Europe and North America express
our support for the Mapuche political prisoners on hunger strike. We
support their demands for justice in order to:
<ul>
<li>Term of institutionalized violence and repeal of the Patriot Act
<li>End the policy of militarization of the Mapuche areas,
<li>Ensuring respect for the guarantees of due process and freedom of the
Mapuche political prisoners currently incarcerated.
<li>Repeal of the system of "double simultaneous trials" before
military tribunals and civil courts. Guarantees of defense of the
accused.
<li>Political rights and territorial autonomy and self determination.
Rights under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous
Peoples, ratified by Chile on September 13, 2007.
<li>Reaffirm that the Mapuche nation is in the legitimate right to fight
for recovery and reconstruction of its historic territory usurped by the
Chilean State. Territories formally recognized in international treaties
by the Spanish Empire and the rule of Chile.
<li>Communicate that we continue our work of denunciation of the Chilean
State and its racist policy of repression against the Mapuche nation.
</ul><br>
If you want to join and express their solidarity Click Here International
Campaign to support political prisoners on hunger strike in Chile
<a href="http://mapuche.info/?lp_1">http://mapuche.info/?lp_1</a><br><br>
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