Mapuche Eviction In Quillen, Argentina
By Pablo Arias - Sunday, 13 September 2009
The same official cartography of recognition of the pre-existing lof (community) Kurrumil. On maps raised by the Military Geographical Institute from the late nineteenth century appears in the valley area Quillen, with "The Currumil." In some maps, inclusive, are passing on the figure capitalist "ranchers" is written for the reference to "stay the Currumil." The state, in that documentation, acknowledged the ownership of this community. However, the valley of the geographic features that Quillen has proved fatal to its inhabitants. There are environments where a mosaic of Araucaria forest villages, lakes, waterways and other spaces extremely arid Patagonian steppe. Walking the twentieth century, therefore, different families of the oligarchy, by client state, managed to appropriate the best parts of the valley. The growing communities were confined to less productive sectors and the economy went from full development of the chronic deficiency. Many families were even forcibly relocated hundreds of miles.
Beyond the territory that is now willing to acknowledge the provincial government, traditionally members of this community make use of areas which, under the guise of "public land", the provincial government sold or awarded to investors.
Given the huge amount of litigation in the country for this and other reasons, was promulgated at national level the Law 26.160, which prohibits evicting members of the native peoples for a period of four years. During that span the various contending parties must gather evidence on which they base their position. In this context, the Mapuche of Neuquén, without state help, began the task of mapping their ceremonial sites, burial and the sectors used for the survival of the community since ancient times. The Law 26.160, however, was not accepted by the provincial government.
Last week a "special force" raided Mapuche territory in dispute. Firing at point blank range with rubber bullets and tear gas against entire families, pursuing them to their own houses (outside the area in dispute), wounded-more or less treacherous "virtually all members of the community. Among the guards, twinned with the Mapuche for sharing everyday life, were also victims of brutal repression. Police violence lasted for days and families began to think of addressing the wood for the night sheltered.
The local press ignored the eviction until the authorities of the Neuquén Mapuche Confederation called a press conference in the capital province. Since then in the alternate press chronicles in which relate to the repression as "encounters" with opinion pieces in which echo the anger of the landlords by the alleged progress of native peoples on the "private property".
Both the writers of these newspapers as the provincial government and the landowners did not have that victims of eviction have a camcorder to document the repression or had not experienced the solidarity of activists for the rights of native peoples around the world.
The Civil Partnership Propatagonia thank dissemination and reporting of these events.
Source: Indigenous Peoples Issues & Resources