Mapuche Natividad Llanquileo leads Indefinate Sit-In at Cañete Church

by Alfonso Hernandez - 22nd March 2011

...The action is in protest against the court decision that sentenced the leader of the Coordinadora Arauco Malleco (CAM) and four other Mapuche land rights activisits for an attack in October 2008 against Chilean prosecutor Mario Elgueta.

 

Approximately 50 Mapuche community members and adherents of the Mapuche cause, took the church of Our Lady of Carmen, in Cañete, in protest against the sentence of the four Mapuche activists, charged with murder and armed robbery.

The protest is led by Mapuche leader Natividad Llanquileo, who affirmed that she will remain in the church indefinitely until the Catholic Church reaches a decision.

It may be recalled that last year, Archbishop Ricardo Ezzati, current Archbishop of Santiago, acted as facilitator of dialogue during the 82-day strike held by over 30 Mapuche political prisoners accross Chile including the current CAM Lebu four.

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Members of the Coordinadora Mapuche Arauco Malleco Sentenced to 25 years in Chilean Jail

Tuesday March 22, 2011

Sentences as follows:

Hector Llaitul accused of being the leader of the Coordinadora Mapuche Arauco Malleco, received the highest sentence of 25 years in prison of which 10 are for botched robbery and 15 years for attempted murder against anti fiscla Mapuche public prosecutor Mario Elgueta and IDPs.

And for the same charges Llanquileo Ramon, Jose Huenuche, Jonathan Huillical were sentenced to a total of 20 years in prison.

It is recalled that the family and community have called the whole judicial process as a purely political manouvere against the Mapuche organisation known as Coordinadora Arauco Malleco who campaign for the territorial reclamation of Mapuche communities ancestral territory.

Remembering that on the 15th of March, the four CAM members imprisoned in the jail of Lebu initiated a hunger strike as of today they have been eight days without food.

By Werken Kvrvf

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Translated by Nina Dean
Mapuche International Link

 

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