Treatment of Mapuche hunger strikers resembles those of Guantanamo Bay
By Nina Dean - 26 May 2006
The most recent development in the case of the four Mapuche hunger strikers has been the implementation of a judicial order from the Ministry of Justice allowing officials to force feed -if necessary- the political prisoners. The Chilean authorities claim that "they will use reasonable force in an attempt to stabilise the health of the hunger strikers." On Monday 22nd of May the Minister of Justice Isidro Solis said that "we will not permit under any circumstances that the life of these people might be endangered and we will take all the necessary precautions to guarantee their wellbeing". The application of this ruling is a cause of great concern to both Mapuche activists and human rights campaigners.
This same method employed against Guantanamo Bay detainees has been strongly condemned by members of the medical fraternity as well as the United Nations who have expressed great concern with regard to such practices under U.S law. Duane Cady, chairman of the AMA's board of trustees, noted in a recent statement that "Current American Medical Association policy regarding the treatment of those who engage in hunger strikes prohibits forced feeding," and in accordance with the Declarations of Tokyo and Malta, adopted in 1975 and 1991, respectively The World Medical Association specifically prohibits force feeding. Journal reference: The Lancet (vol 367, p 811)
Five United Nations human rights experts had recently carried out investigations which concluded that the United States committed acts amounting to torture at Guantanamo Bay; including force-feeding detainees it accused the United States of violating the detainees' rights to a fair trial, to freedom of religion and to health. It argues that "The excessive violence used in many cases during transportation ... and forced-feeding of detainees on hunger strike must be assessed as amounting to torture," NBC News and news services Updated: 7:47 p.m. ET Feb. 13, 2006
It appears that many developing states across the world including the Chilean State are adopting strategies which emulate those practiced by the United States in Guantanamo Bay , Cuba as a 'legitimate' means of controlling 'terrorist acts.'
In fact Mapuche activists who choose to engage in peaceful and democratic protest in the defence of their land and human rights are classified and condemned as terrorists as a result of the hysteria produced by this type of popular propaganda and by the legitimisation of the application of such procedures in the world wide campaign against terror led by the United States of America. Mapuche activists do not by any measure employ violent practices such as bombing, the use of fire arms or indeed weapons of mass destruction as a means of protest but utilise accepted methods of peaceful protest in alignment with those of western democracies.
The criminalisation of democratic protest threatens the very foundation of accepted principles of democracy and poses a serious threat to the established standard of human rights enshrined within the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Furthermore such acts are utilised as a strategy of repression and social control against the Mapuche, more fitting to the actions of a dictatorial regime. The implementation and application of anti terrorist law established under the Pinochet dictatorship which continues to be utilised under the present system of government is a cause for further concern. The condemnation of the application of such law against Mapuches made evident in reports made by the United Nations Special Rapporteur Mr Rodolfo Stavenhagan has thus far been disregarded by the Chilean authorities.
Mapuche activists have only recently adopted this type of protest as an act of desperation which demonstrates their need to be heard within an unjust judicial system which is considered by the Mapuche to be partial and racist, a radical decision which strongly implies the restrictive and repressive system, which does not allow for fair and equal trial, under which they are forced to live. In forcibly denying them the right to protest in this way by force feeding, the Chilean State is simultaneously repressing and controlling the political voice of the Mapuche.
The latest development in the case of the four hunger strikers had been the recognition by the Chilean government of their demands, at which point they agreed to abandon their protest, however a short time later the government reneged on this promise leaving the prisoners with no alternative but to resume their hunger strike. In appearing to make a humanitarian intervention at a critical stage in the protest, which had been the focus of world wide media attention and had resulted in demonstrations across the world the government hoped to prevent a public outcry. Such actions clearly indicate that the government is applying a strategy of sabotage, in order to appease public opinion, to negate highly charged public sentiment over the maltreatment of the protestors and to justify the pacification of the political voice of the Mapuche political prisoners themselves.
In force feeding Mapuche political prisoners on hunger strike the government is in fact further enforcing this sabotage strategy as a means of manipulation and control in order to silence their just demands and to simultaneously appear to maintain an aura of compassion and respectability.
It is imperative that provision is made to distinguish between actual acts of national terrorism and acts of legitimate, peaceful and democratic protest such as those taking place within the Chilean State, if Mapuches are to be allowed access to full fundamental democratic freedoms and their accompanying justice, land right and liberation.
We appeal to the international community and to those humanitarian organisations that embody the principles of democracy and human rights to help bring an end to this oppression by bringing pressure to bear upon the Chilean State in relation to these grave concerns.