From the high security prison in Santiago de Chile and the maximum security section where I find myself prisoner - on 17th October 2006 I was transferred here from Temuco prison, under order of Christian Dulansky, Regional Secretary for the Ministry of Justice for the IX Region of Araucania. To this day I have not been tried and I was transferred here as a charged man - to be put under preventive detention? Transferred 875km away from my home - an act of punishment used against political prisoners during dictatorship.
Faced with its discriminatory attitude, once again I raise my voice to protest my deepest rejection of the justice system. It is racist because it continues to prosecute Mapuche prisoners in line with the antiterrorist law created during the dictatorship. Even in today's Chile which has a democratic style of government in force the Mapuche people are still imprisoned and that law applied to them.in the face of democracy.in Chile . In my case again I beg the question: Would I be held prisoner if I weren't Mapuche? And where is my right to be seen as innocent until proven guilty, a right applicable to everyone? I am witness to how day in, day out, people who commit serious crimes that affect many people are left unpunished and free. And I, simply for being Mapuche, have to suffer a "preventive" detention for such a length of time. Faced with this situation I declare to everyone that the Chilean justice system does not guarantee the Mapuche people a fair and impartial trial.
I also wish to communicate that on Tuesday 23 January 2007 I will be taken to a public hearing in Temuco which I shall be attending, as at the time of writing, without a defense lawyer, unless a Human Rights Organisation or some other lawyer is willing to support my cause. I'd like to point out that I still haven't seen a copy of the case file against me due to inadequate defense. But I'm willing to defend myself if necessary. After all, it's clear to me that a public defender does not guarantee my defense as they are part of the justice system that accuses me and I am a political prisoner of the Chilean state. Where is the principle of equality when facing the law? And democracy? As a Mapuche person I do not feel I am being represented. As is common knowledge, all my rights have been violated with this unjust imprisonment that I have been subjected to. But here I make clear that they will not succeed in breaking my convictions to continue fighting for and defending the cause of my people, so that the Chilean state's historic debt to the Mapuche people is restored..from prison I will continue to resist this political persecution that my community, the "Juan Paillalef" community, suffers and the persecution suffered by my family who are all also imprisoned.I will resist the persecution of the Chilean state that calls itself democratic but which develops all methods of injustice and repression against my people.
I call out to all those who sympathize with the Mapuche cause, to the defenders of human rights, to Mapuche and non Mapuche organizations wherever they may be, that we have to be alert in order to continue strengthening the justified fight for my people.
From Santiago de Chile high security prison
18 January 2007
Freedom to Mapuche political prisoners!