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8 September 2009 | Interviews | Human rights
Chile: “A government that calls itself democratic”Chile: “A government that calls itself democratic”
Interview with Millaray Painemal, member of a Mapuche community
length: 1:06 minutes
Download: MP3 (775.3 kb)
The Chilean state is not only failing to recognize the demands of the Mapuche people, such as the right to self-determination and the rights to their ancient territories, but it also continues its repression.
Under the antiterror law passed during the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet, the Chilean state has jailed Mapuche indigenous who demonstrate for their rights.
There are now over twenty Mapuche political prisoners, according to Millaray.
The violence of the Chilean state makes the Mapuche victims of abuses and degrading treatment by the military, some of them even paying with their lives.
The latest case of murder of a Mapuche indigenous by the State is the case of Jaime Mendoza Collio, a 24 year-old shot in the back by the military forces.
Collio was taking part of the recovery of the San Sebastian land, in the hands of estate owner Sergio González Jarpa.
