March 2011

Chief Juana Calfunao

Public Press -

Juan Paillalef community communicates the following:

On 24 March the Chief Juana Calfunao was invited to participate in the "European Conference 1e examines the Mapuche situation Modern Latin American States "held on March 24. In this lecture, Jane Calfunao, along with several exhibitors, denounced the situation that today our particular community and our people in general whose legitimate claims have been consistently criminalized by the governments of the day and whose ancestral territory has been invaded by companies transnational. Also ask the European Parliament to rule against the convictions overstated the government of Chile has been applied against our brothers in Cañete, because we are convinced that it was a condemnation of political character. Here we condemn the collective conscience of our people, because legally the facts do not justify such high penalties. For the same Lonko strongly demanded the permanent presence of international observers at trials undertaken by the state against the Mapuche brothers who are defending our land, our culture and our rights as indigenous people.

the same day was in the European Parliament, former President Michelle Bachelet, currently director of the UN Women, who participated in an extraordinary meeting of the Women's Commissions. Exmandataria When he finished his speech on the rights of women, met the Chief Juana Calfunao to leave the hall. Both are healthy, but the Lonko in the presence of the media and the public present, answered his greeting, saying: "Very nice speech, if that mentality existed when you were a government, I would not be alive today suffering from what my family, were condemned by government policy and spent 4 years of his term in prison, my youngest inmates and destroyed my family, I apply the antiterrorism law to members of my people who are now imprisoned with a sentence of 20 to 25 years in prison. "Thus our Lonko confronts Michelle Bachelet.

Before and after the conference had several meetings Lonko more, including members of the EU delegation -Chile, with the chairman of the delegation, Ms. Maria Muñiz de Urquiza and Chilean affairs in charge of the European External Action Service (EEAS), Ms. Nicola Murray.

Juan Paillalef community welcomes the initiative taken by the parliamentary Vies in conjunction with the UNPO and the Greens / EFA Group in organizing this conference with the participation of representatives of our people and our ancestral authority community and hopes that this conference will serve to generate even greater awareness within the European Union in the future there is a greater concern for human and indigenous rights in Chile as its association agreement with Chile states and continuous monitoring to outrages against our people is now the territorial claim.

Significantly, the participation of the Chief Juana Calfunao in the European Parliament is part of his visit to several European countries where he will meet with different organizations and support groups dd.hh the Mapuche People, game on March 21 with a speech before the UN Human Rights Council.
Antonio Cadin Huentelao

Community Werken John Paillalef

March 24, 2011 -------------

More information about the Conference at the European Parliament:

"The former president of Chile is not mine, I am Mapuche" - Deutsche Welle: http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,, 14942066.00. html

The Mapuche Chilean Parliament vindicate their rights
March 24, 2011 •
Representatives of the Mapuche Indians of Chile reported today at a conference organized in European Parliament building in Brussels the "marginalization" and "discrimination" to which, in his opinion, are subjected by the laws of that country, particularly in relation to their land.
The conference "The Mapuche in Chile. Indigenous communities in the countries of Latin America" \u200b\u200bwas led by English MEP of the Greens Junqueras Oriol, expressing his hope that, with it, "the European Parliament to become European awareness "about the situation of this ethnic group native to Chile and Argentina.

According to the organizers, the Chilean law is "discriminating" to indigenous communities in areas such as human rights, social justice, economic inclusion and land rights.

The partnership agreement between the EU and Chile currently in effect, based on political dialogue, cooperation and a free trade agreement provides for the European investment of more than 16 million euros for the period from 2007 to 2013, for promote social cohesion in the Latin American country.

The Chilean Affairs Officer at the European External Action Service (EEAS), Nicola Murray, recalled that one of the objectives of this agreement is to "reduce inequality and poverty in Chile.

noted that one of its main achievements was the implementation In September 2009 the Convention 169 of the International Labour Organization (ILO), which recognizes the right of indigenous peoples to be consulted on legislation affecting them, for what the EU has invested over one million euros.

Murray also said that in the framework of political dialogue, the EU has asked Chile on the planned reform of the antiterrorism law and the elimination of the code of military justice in the case of allegations against civilians, but warned that the task for " sovereign states "and that through the partnership agreement the EU" can not force Chile to do something. "

Although cohesion objectives social agreement, the most critical voices point out that, today, the situation in Chile is still a "sad example of an Indian nation marginalized by a rigid and inefficient public policy." So

out especially to follow anti-terrorism legislation in force of former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet.

The doctorate in history at the University of Paris at the Sorbonne, Arauco Chihuailaf of Mapuche origin, lamented that "ignore" the Indians and prevalence of the "economic interests" on the welfare and rights of the community, especially with regard to access to their "ancestral lands."

"There are only a means of production and survival, but the 'mother earth', the source of life with all that it entails, "he said.
Chihuailaf also stressed that his claim of" cultural pluralism "is" to some, a threat to the homogeneity of the nation. "
On the other hand, criticized that indigenous people in Chile and other Latin American countries are" exploited "by the neoliberal model," he chose the market as the absolute reference ", and in particular by TNCs that draw on the wealth of their land.