Saturday, December 29, 2012

Mapuche Community offers political asylum to Italian citizens accused by the government of Chile

Source: http://adkimvn.wordpress.com/2012/12/28/comunidad-mapuche-ofrece-asilo-politico-a-ciudadanas-italianas-acusadas-por-el-gobierno-de-chile/
Posted on December 28, 2012 by adkimvn

The Mapuche community Autonomous Temucuicui, spoke out about allegations of government officials and imminent expulsion from Chile of two Italian citizens who perform tasks acting as International Human Rights Observers in Mapuche territory, which if carried out, the community would offer political asylum.

 
Communique of the Community Autonomous Temucuicui in the face of the possible expulsion of two Italian citizens

The Mapuche community Autonomous Temucuicui, in the face of the possible expulsion from Chile of two Italian citizens that perform functions as International Human Rights Observers, issues to the national and international public opinion the following:

1. - The Chilean government is currently evaluating to expel from the country two women of Italian nationality, saying they would be "involved in demonstrations in support of the Mapuche cause."
2. - The interior minister, Andrés Chadwick, has made statements to the media saying: "We face a powerful enemy who enjoys political, communicational and international support ", clarifying with that the position of the Chilean government concerning the demands of the Mapuche people. 
3. - Similarly, the intendant of the Araucanía region, Andrés Molina, said to the media that lawyers of the intendancy will present the respective judicial requirements to the tribunals to achieve their expulsion from the country, adding: "We are ready to welcome foreigners, but not to have actions where it is not up to them to join."
4. - We want to be emphatic in pointing out that the two women of Italian nationality, are in the Mapuche territory as International Human Rights Observers. Who as a result of the multiple complaints filed internationally against the Chilean state come to verify these situations, participating in oral hearings and taking testimony from families brutally beaten by the Chilean state's repressive actions against the legitimate territorial claims of our communities.
5. - We deplore that the expulsion of foreign nationals now seems to be a standard practice that has been adopted by the Chilean State against those who sympathize with our legitimate claims, as happened recently with Argentine citizens and with Italian citizens. Contrary to what happens to foreign entrepreneurs who have settled in our territory to over-exploit natural resources and destroy our land, to whom the Chilean state gives guarantees (such as the use of police and private guards for farms and industrial tasks).
6. - We point out that this repressive attitude of the Chilean state, clearly demonstrates the level of persecution and discrimination that exists toward the Mapuche Nation, trying to isolate it from the international solidarity and hide the systematic violation of human rights which Chile has committed against the Mapuche communities, contravening the provisions of international instruments of law, such as Article 169 of the ILO and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
7. - Therefore we categorically reject the expulsion of the two Italian citizens who have expressed solidarity with our people only as International Human Rights Observers. We also urge the government of Chile to retract the unfounded allegations against them, conducted with the aim of undermining the legitimate demands of our people and trying to criminalize and involve those who sympathize with us in events that are not related to their work in our territory, diverting the attention of the public opinion and evading the political responsibilities the Chilean state has with the Mapuche communities.
8. - Therefore, if the expulsion is made effective and to ensure the physical integrity of the two Italian women, exercising our autonomy and self-determination, the communities of our people are willing to give them political asylum in our Mapuche territory.

Community Autonomous Temucuicui

Wallmapuche, December 28, 2012.
 
 


LETTER OF PRESENTATION OF VALENTINA FABBRI AND LUISA COSTALBANO AS HUMAN RIGHTS OBSERVERS FOR THE MAPUCHE PEOPLE    

 

Delegation of the European Union in Chile,
Mr James Anaya, Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Affairs of the United Nations,


With our utmost consideration, the organizations signing this letter, the CEDHPA-Edelstam, European Commission on Human Rights and Ancestral Peoples' - Harald Edelstam with Legal Entity No. 802450-3578, awarded in the Kingdom of Sweden,with legal headquarters in Gothenburg,  
and the National Association for the Support of Native Americans, IL CERCHIO Onlus with legal headquarters in Pordenone, Italy, constituted in 1992 with Legal No. 91010310133, formed by associations, groups and individuals concerned with the reality of indigenous peoples,  
we inform you through the following document about the journey to Chile of two of our members representing each of these organizations,
for IL CERCHIO, LUISA COSTALBANO, educator, Italian passport No. YA3868191, departure flight from Italy 04/12/2012 back to Italy 01/01/2013,  
for CEDHPA - Edelstam, VALENTINA FABBRI, intercultural mediator, Italian passport No. AA1561445, flight departure 4.12.2012 to 04.03.2013.  
Both people travel to Chile as human rights observers.
In relation to our human rights observers, we should mention that in October of this year, traveled to Chile Olivia Casagrande, Italian anthropologist, who on her arrival in Santiago met Alexandra Knapton, head of the political section, press and information and Beatriz Gonzalez, Policy officer of the Delegation of the European Union. From this time the plan is born, that the observers during their visit appear before the Delegation, both on arrival to the country and before leaving Chile to deliver a short report on the Human Rights Observation in the field, thus complying with diplomacy and the relationship between institutions and the civil society.
Some of the most important activities of the two organizations:
Solidarity with Indigenous Peoples, information dissemination, collaboration and projects, campaign 2012: Ending the violence and the raids on Mapuche communities, conferences and seminars in universities with the presence of
ancestral authorities of various First Nations, such as, 
in Italy: Frank Dreaver (Cree), Brian McLeod (Lakota) and Lew Gurtwitz lawyers of the defense committee for Leonard Peltier, Sharon Venne (Innu lawyer), Carlos Gualinga Viteri (Quechua representative), Ola Cassadore (Apache spiritual leader) and Mike Davis, Lance Henson (Cheyenne poet), Rollin Haag (Cheyenne peace authority), Gilbert Pilot and Armand Mckenzie (Innu representatives), Charles Cook and Clarita Vargas (native Canadians), Francisco Vera Millaquén, Jorge and Jaime Huenchullan Cayul (spokespersons werken of Mapuche communities), Paula Horne-Muller and Arvol Looking Horse (Lakota spiritual leader).  
In Sweden, in June 2012: Actual situation of the Mapuche People in Argentina by anthropologist Maria Clara Medina, diplomacy between peoples by Lord Milton Soto Santiesteban, Ambassador of the Plurinational State of Bolivia and Ancestral Authority, Lonko, Juana Calfunao.  
We have also supported development projects in: 
Roraima (Brazil) for a decent healthcare in Chiapas (Mexico), 
language and culture in Oklahoma (USA).
Participation in Working Group of Indigenous Peoples (Genova 1992 and Trondheim 1993),
Working Group on Indigenous Population in Geneva, ECOSOC consultative body (Economic and Social Council of the United Nations), 2000 and 2002,  

the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) of the United Nations and
 Periodic Review for Chile in the framework of the 12th session of the Human Rights Council at Geneva in 2009. 
Both organizations hold annual seminars on the situation of indigenous peoples and recognition of their rights. We have an agreement with the University of Alma Mater Studiorum Bologna and its Departments, and collaborate with the University of Gothenburg, Department of Global Studies.
Publication in Italy of a biannual newspaper "Il Cerchio" registered in the Court of Florence 10.18.2001 No. 5112.

In Europe, publication of Chile the XXI century - Violence in the Araucania against Mapuche children 2010, and other reports on the situation of violation of human rights and the rights of indigenous peoples, on the basis of the agreements signed by the countries and the International Law. 
It is important to emphasize that members of the CEDHPA-Edelstam reside in southern Chile.  
Namely: The werken (spokesman) of the community Pepiukelen (Huilliche Mapuche) FRANCISCO VERA MILLAQUEN and Dr. CLAUDIA MOLINA GONZALEZ, psychologist, who for 10 years has been carrying out the delicate work of assistance and support to indigenous children faced with the police violence in Mapuche territory, and also provides support for mothers and families of the children affected;  the forestry engineer GERARDO OJEDA GALLARDO and the Veterinary CONRADO IDE BURGOS.
 

With our consideration we express our willingness to exchange communications with the bodies that are interested in our work.
Sincerely,
cc:
Joint Parliamentary Committee EU - Chile
Italian Embassy in Santiago
EU Foreign Commission
Harald Edelstam
Teresa Bortone Director Il Cerchio
Sebastián Sepúlveda,
director CEDHPA - Edelstam

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