Human Rights Observers visit Mapuche on hunger strike in prison in Angol: 'They are dying'

Source: http://www.biobiochile.cl/2012/09/29/observadores-de-dd-hh-visitan-a-mapuche-en-huelga-de-hambre-en-carcel-de-angol-se-estan-muriendo.shtml

Saturday September 29, 2012
Posted by Nicole Villagra | The Information is from the UPI Agency
Picture: Paismapuche.org

A team of human rights observers entered Saturday at Angol prison, in the Araucanía Region, where it detected the precarious state of health of the four young Mapuche who since 33 days maintain a hunger strike.

According to a member of the Ethics Committee against Torture, Manuel Andrade "they look quite exhausted and affected, but are quite intact. They are very young children, they are very thin. They have lost, on average, between 10 to 11 kilos."

For his part, the perception formed by the member of Codepu, Felix Maradiaga, is that "they look quite weak, they have lost muscle mass, they have spells of dizziness, their stomachs hurt a lot. The impression is that they are dying and nobody does anything."

The Human Rights observers met for four hours with Daniel Levinao Montoya, Paulino Levipan Coyan, Rodrigo Montoya Melinao and Eric Montoya Montoya, all members of the community Wente Winkul Mapu of Ercilla.

Levipan Coyan and Montoya Levinao were sentenced to 11 years in prison on charges of attempted murder to police and illegal possession of firearms.

Meanwhile, Montoya Montoya and Montoya Melinao are charged with an alleged attempted murder against a policeman guarding the Centenario estate in August 2011.

The meeting took place in the courtyard of the Mapuche module, where also werkenes and machis conducted a prayer for the youhts.

The member of the Ethical Commission Against Torture said that the strikers demand the annulment of their trials and that there be performed a retrial.

"They say that their judgments are flawed and that they are convicted for carrying out a struggle for the recovery of ancestral lands," he said.

He added that they also request the presence of any governmental authority, an end to to the Anti-Terrorism Act and to the militarization that affects the Mapuche territory. 

Mapuche prisoners in critical health condition after 32 days on hunger strike

Source: http://paismapuche.org/?p=5195

Sep 27, 2012

On this Wednesday morning, Daniel Levinao was taken to hospital in Angol to perform an electrocardiogram due to the fact that he has a weak pulse.

The electrocardiogram has shown a decrease in heart rate, ie his heart beats slower than normal, for which reason there was requested a series of tests to make a more accurate diagnosis.

Meanwhile Paulino Levipan suffers the same conditions in addition to dehydration.

We must remember that all youths began their strike at a normal weight, according to their size and height, so that the loss of weight, of about 10 kilos on average, further aggravates their situation.

Werkén of Wente Winkul Mapu is released but facing new trial

Source: http://paismapuche.org/?p=5190

Sep 26, 2012

Daniel Melinao, werkén of the community Wente Winkul Mapu and spokesman for the Mapuche prisoners on hunger strike, was released after spending a day arrested by police, following demonstrations against the arrival of the minister of health to Ercilla.

The leader along with other members of the community were formalized by the Chilean justice for the alleged crimes of "damage and public disorder", staying with a fortnightly signing injunction for the duration of two months set for the investigation of what he is accused of.

The families of Lof Chequenco came to the ceremony of the Government in Ercilla on Tuesday to face the government authorities, including the Health Minister Jaime Mañalich, for the lack of response to the hunger strike carried by four Mapuche political prisoners in Angol prison and that already takes 32 days.

In retaliation to the embarrassment of the rulers, police arrested several villagers and werkén Daniel Melinao, who must now face this new trial, whose research is in the hands of the prosecution and the police.

PROTEST IN AMSTERDAM AGAINST THE REPRESSION OF THE MAPUCHE PEOPLE September 29, 2012

PROTEST IN AMSTERDAM TEGEN DE ONDERDRUKKING VAN DE MAPUCHE
PROTEST IN AMSTERDAM AGAINST THE REPRESSION OF THE MAPUCHE PEOPLE
PROTESTA EN AMSTERDAM CONTRA LA REPRESIÓN DEL PUEBLO MAPUCHE

 Zaterdag 29 september 2012 van 14:00 tot 16:00 voor het Chileense consulaat in Amsterdam

 Saturday, 29 September 2012 from 14:00 to 16:00 in front of the Chilean consulate in Amsterdam

Sábado, 29 de septiembre 2012 14:00-16:00  

al frente del consulado chileno en  

Amsterdam

Consulaat-Generaal van de Republiek Chili,
Stadhouderskade 2
1054 ES Amsterdam

Van / Desde Amsterdam Centraal:         Tramlijn / Tranvía : Tram 2 (Nieuw Sloten) Halte / Parada : Leidseplein

Contact:
maricheweuint@hotmail.com
06-22116454

PUBLIC STATEMENT FROM TEMUKO JAIL - MAPUCHE POLITICAL PRISONERS

PUBLIC STATEMENT MAPUCHE POLITICAL PRISONERS FROM TEMUKO JAIL 
September 24, 2012

From the prison of Temuco, we inform the national and international public opinion about the irregular conditions that surround our process. In spite of not finding incriminating evidence against us in the setups that the State of Chile has created, to repress and imprison us, we are victims of irregularities while remaining prisoners, which is why:

Kiñe(1): We demand the immediate transfer to the CCP of Angol, for being the CCP closest to our families, who are most affected by all these injustices, considering the economic cost that is involved in moving from Ercilla to Temuko. This being a major problem because it was us who until our arrest have been providing the sustenance to our homes. We also want to emphasize physical and psychological exertion that our grandmothers, mothers, wives and small children perform to travel, enduring long hours of travel, to be no more than two hours with us. And not to mention the humiliating searches by the Gendarmerie of Chile, to which they have to submit themselves.  

Therefore, we consider as Mapuche Political Prisoners that the guarantees set out in Chile's prison regulations and agreements that Chile has signed internationally must be fulfilled.  Such as: 

According to Article 53 of the Prison Regulations establishing a rule to guarantee the exercise of this right: "To safeguard the right to visits, the condemned must remain held preferably near their place of residence." Warranty established in order to prevent the of the prisoner habituation.

(UN, 1988). Principle 20 recognizes the right of the inmate "To serve their sentences in a prison located at a reasonable distance from their place of habitual residence." 

The principle of intranscendence of the penalty provisions of art. 5.3 of the American Convention on Human Rights establishes that this does not may transcend of the person of the offender, as it would be willfully depriving the family of the inmate of the ability to visit regularly. 

The United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, in particular Rules 37 and 79 refer to the right of prisoners to communicate regularly, under necessary supervision, with their families through visits, it is the duty of the administration to ensure the maintenance and improvement of relations between the prisoner and his family.

Epu(2): We inform you that on Monday September 10 we gave a letter of request to the Chief of the Gendarmerie of the CCP of Temuco, as part of the regular channels that he informed us that we should follow, applying for our transfer, giving our various reasons, without getting any reply to date. We also make it known that at the moment when the sentence of preventive detention was dictated for Luis Marileo, this transfer was requested at the same time of the Magistrate, committing him, to give a prompt resolution. However already it has been almost a month since the arbitrary detention and there is no answer. 

Küla(3): This silence and lack of seriousness in the regular channels that have continued and the lack of compliance with the minimum guarantees of detainees according to international agreements, shows that there is no legal or administrative reasons for not granting us the right to remain near our families.

Meli(4): In response to another of the injustices done to our people, we want to inform the national and international public opinion that if within this week, from 24 to 29 September 2012, the transfer to the CCP nearest our homes is not made which we requested, we will submit ourselves to an indefinite hunger strike as the only way to make them respect the minimum rights of this imprisonment imposed on us.

Kechu(5): From the prison of Temuko we express our utmost support to all peñi held in the prison of Angol, who carry strongly one month of hunger strike in response to the lack of clarity and objectivity in our processes. From here we also express our concern at the imprisonment of Mapuche children as is the case of G.V.M., who is being held in the prison of Minors of Chol Chol, a reality that is not worrying the authorities and those responsible for ensuring that the rights of the Children are respected.

STOP THE SETUPS, MURDERS, ABUSE AND HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN MAPUCHE TERRITORY.

STOP THE MILITARIZATION IN THE COMMUNITIES

FREEDOM AND AUTONOMY

LEONARDO QUIJON

FERNANDO MILLACHEO

LUIS MARILEO

GUIDO BAHAMONDES  

PUBLIC STATEMENT FROM THE CHOL CHOL CHILDRENS JAIL, CHILE

Source:  http://paismapuche.org/?p=5172

Imprisoned minor from Wente Winkul Mapu speaks of the persecution against the Mapuche struggle

PUBLIC STATEMENT FROM THE CHOL CHOL CHILDRENS JAIL

Mari Mari(Greetings) Peñi(Brothers) Mari Mari Lamngen(Sisters):

My name is G.V.M., a minor, Mapuche political prisoner, unjustly imprisoned in the CIP CRC Chol Chol, from September 4, 2012, accused of killing a settler in the area of ​​San Ramon, near the community to which I belong (Wente Winkul Mapu). Homicide that I would never be able to commit, as I have a rearing based on respect for nature and people. Unlike the Chilean State.

What is happening to all peñi and lamngen is a political persecution as a result of our struggle for our rights and land claims but to which the State with its repressive system responds by imprisoning us, violating the rights of children, women, in general, violating the human rights through physical and psychological abuse and its many absurd setups, that all they manage to do is move us away from our families and our territory. Territory that since ancient times has been ours, which has allowed us to live and strengthen us as a people. We ask nothing that does not belongs to us by right, by history.

The situation I'm going through is not new, since 2009 there have been Mapuche children imprisoned, this not being enough, after abuses that have left life-long consequences for many children. As in the case of my peñi Leonardo Quijón, who was acquitted of all charges that he was accused of, he was imprisoned for nearly a year, suffering from harassment by the Gendarmerie of Chile, who did not respect his health condition, with more than 200 shotgun pellets in his leg, as a result of an attack by the Carabineros. Afterwards the imprisonment of Mapuche children continued with Cristián Cayupan and Luis Marileo, who after several months in detention were acquitted of any wrongdoing and in other cases they have not found evidence to condemn them. Which shows clearly the great setup by the State, which continues to pursue and harass because today two peñis who passed through this center, are imprisoned in the prison of Temuco, accused of the same as me.

Stop militarizing our territory and violating our families. Strength for the peñi on hunger strike in Angol.  
Resisting and fight, G.V.M.
 
Marrichiweu !!

HUNGER STRIKE MAPUCHE POLITICAL PRISONERS WENTE WINKUL MAPU PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT NUMBER 7

The political prisoners of the community Wente Winkul Mapu of Lof Chekenco: Paulino Levipan Coyán, Daniel Levinao Montoya, Rodrigo Montoya Melinao and their spokesman Eric Montoya Montoya.
 
We wish to inform to the national and international public opinion of the following:

It being today September 23 we present the following: That we have risen with a forceful voice. That we have fought to regain the land they have taken from us, to be worthy sons of this people who with courage and blood have defended it throughout history.
 Despite discrimination and treating us as "ignorant Indians", we must say that before they arrived, we were here. Here it was our culture, here it was our language, here it was our religion, our way of survival that had nothing to do with the subjugation and exploitation of others. We are called ignorant because their greed and selfishness has prevented them to know us, and to respect a people other than their own.
Want to say that although they have us prisoners still there keeps running through our veins the blood of warriors that they will never overcome. That the chains that we carry do not intimidate us.
We wish to reiterate that despite the discomforts of this strike and that two of us are affected by tachycardias, we will continue to defend our right with our life and we hold the Chilean State responsible, headed by President Piñera, for denying us the right to a fair trial, to the presumption of innocence and for not respecting international agreements signed to protect our people.
We will continue to defend our right to resistance, that is not only our right, but that of the children and the generations of Mapuche that will come to continue fighting for the land that they robbed.

Because neither imprisonment nor death will stop our struggle for the freedom and territory of our Mapuche Nation.
 
Mapuche political prisoners Wente Winkul Mapu

Status information of the hunger strikers 
Today September 23, 2012

HUNGER STRIKER       Starting weight       on September 23
Paulino Levipán               67,800                       59,000
Rodrigo Montoya            64,100                       56,300
Erick Montoya                 65,400                       58,400
Daniel Levinao                 63,700                       53,800 

Open letter regarding the serious health condition of the young Mapuche Leonardo Quijó

 Source: Carta publica respecto salud de Leonardo Quijón
Thursday September 20, 2012

To the ANIDE Foundation
To Kindernothilfe Germany
To The Chilean Gendarmerie
To the Mapuche Criminal Defense
To the National Human Rights Institute NHRI  of Chile
To the Ministry of Justice of Chile

Distinguished Representatives of institutions in Chile,

As European organizations for human rights and contributors we are writing to express our deep concern about the grave situation in which we find the young Leonardo Quijón Pereira of the community Chequenco. As you know he was attacked and shot by Chilean police with approximately 200 pellets impacted in his leg which remains to this day, and he has not had adequate treatment despite the existence of the funds for his medical care.
He continues to suffer the effects of the wounds caused by the buckshot, being in a serious state of malnutrition which is devastating his immune system, producing also other diseases that are life threatening. 
We believe that it is urgent to ensure the conditions and facilities in order to strengthen his health in detention and to avoid fatal consequences.

That is why we request you that make the appropriate arrangements so that Leonardo receives the special food necessary for him to get over his undernourishment. To provide the vitamins already envisaged and prescribed by the doctor (Neurobionta) and also facilitate for him to receive injections in prison. Provide the vitamins already envisaged and prescribed by the doctor (Neurobionta) and also facilitate in prison injections for him to receive. Besides facilitating and paying, with the money exclusively destined by Kindernothilfe of Germany for his health and feeding, for the future professional medical care, medicines and treatments that we are negotiating for his health.

Recall that the ANIDE Foundation has a commitment with the European organization Kindernothilfe which consists of $ 4,135,075 Chilean Pesos for 2012 to cover health costs exclusively for Leonardo and in the response letter of September 13, 2012 they have mentioned that of the $ 4,135,075 Chilean Pesos intended for him, there is a balance of $ 3,694,100 Chilean Pesos in the bank account of the foundation. Alongside this we ask for you to also contact as soon as possible with Leonardo Quijón or his sister Cristina to carry out these steps.

We want to express once again that it should not be possible that, having the financial means available, they continue to irresponsibly endanger the life of this young man.

We call on the Chilean Gendarmerie to authorize these efforts, the visits of the doctors, the conducting of examinations and future treatments and anything related to improving his health, when there has been made a thorough evaluation, which to date has not taken place. We call on the NHRI and to the Mapuche Criminal Defense to intervene and act in a timely manner to protect the Human Rights of Leonardo, such as the right to receive the urgent, necessary health care to protect his live.

According to the medical report of late 2010 Leonardo Quijón has a large, deep scar in his left leg with damage to the tibial nerve, altered sensitivity of the sole of the foot, about 200 pellets, spontaneous continued aching, traumatic polyneuropathy in the foot, he requires a continuous supply of medications and evaluation of his disability. Not to forget that Leonardo had a cardiac arrest and was kept with a mechanical lung in the Critical Patient Unit at the Hospital of the Catholic University of Santiago, (October 2009).
To this date there also has not been made available a report from cardiology, traumatology and of a psychological evaluation having spent one year innocently imprisoned, acquitted in two trials and again now in jail awaiting a 3rd trial.

Yours sincerely,

CEDHPA H. EDELSTAM of Gothenburg - Sweden
cedh.edelstam@secretariadoeuropeo.eu
ECOMAPUCHE, Association Friendship with the Mapuche - Italy
ecomapuche@gmail.com
MARICHEWEU, Human Rights Association for the Mapuche people - Germany
elena.urrutia@arcor.de
maricheweu.kulturverein@arcor.de

Attachments:

1 - Request to ANIDE
2 - Letter public denouncement
3 - Letter response ANIDE

 
Scanned copy of the X-ray of Leonardo

 Photo of the leg 

Public Statement Mapuche Political Prisoners from the Angol Prison at 25 days on Hunger Strike

Public Statement Mapuche Political Prisoners from the Angol Prison at 25 days on Hunger Strike 
Thursday September 20, 2012

We, the Mapuche Political Prisoners on Hunger Strike continue with our social mobilization from the prison of Angol, for our people and our freedom.

Although 25 days have passed, still there is not any kind of approach by the state authorities nor any answers to our demands, making it clear that the government does not want any dialogue with the Mapuche people nor recognizes nor acknowledges our freedom for which we fight every day in one form or another. We also make it clear that the Mapuche will continue with their demands and we will continue fighting for our freedom. 
From the prison in Angol we will continue with our hunger strike until we are heard and we will continue to the end, always standing up and as the young fighters that we are and always will be.

Our demands are:

- That the Supreme Court of Justice reviews and annuls the
   unjust conviction of Paulino Levipán Coyan and Daniel
   Levinao Montoya.

-The complete return of all Mapuche territory.

- No more protected witnesses and an end to the political-
  judicial setups.

- Immediate demilitarization of the Mapuche Territory.

- Freedom for all Mapuche political prisoners.

-No more torture of children, women and elderly people in
 raids against Mapuche Communities. 

In our struggle for freedom and for our future, we will continue,

Erick Montoya
Rodrigo Montoya
Paulino Levipan
Daniel Levinao

Mapuche Political Prisoners on Hunger Strike.
 
Marrichiweu!!!

Public Statement Leonardo Quijón and Luis Marileo Cariqueo from Temuco Jail - September 18, 2012

Public Statement Leonardo Quijón and Luis Marileo Cariqueo from Temuco Jail - September 18, 2012

Public statement from the Temuco jail

At a fortnight of finding ourselves unjustly imprisoned we, Leonardo Quijón and Luis Marileo Cariqueo d

eclare:

1 - We will do the saliva sampling test required whenever the prosecutor Luis Chamorro does not continue in the course of the investigation because we strongly believe that it is biased and false as it works by offering money to faceless witnesses, preparing setups, threatening people to criminalize the Mapuche.

2 - We are also ready to cooperate with investigations to verify our total and absolute innocence in this terrible event, in addition to providing peace of mind to the family of the victim.

We want to tell the family of Hector Gallardo Aillapán that we are currently imprisoned unjustly accused of a murder we did not commit and we are willing to talk face to face with them and tell them that with all sincerity and respect.

3 - Therefore we call on the national prosecutor Sabas Chahuán and the regional prosecutor, Don Francisco Ljubetic to assess our case and there can be made a clean and concrete investigation and we do not want to be imprisoned for something we have never done. And that the real culprits roam freely and make fun of our families and the affected family.

4 - Finally we point out that while we fight for respect for our people and support the returning of territory to our Mapuche nation, ARE NOT MURDERERS, nor do we have the need to go raiding houses for money or weapons as they have accused us of doing.

FOR OUR DIGNITY, FOR RESPECT FOR OUR FAMILY AND FOR THE AFFECTED FAMILY,

WE DEMAND A CLEAR AND FAST INVESTIGATION IN ORDER TO PROOF OUR INNOCENCE.

Mapuche Political Prisoners

Leonardo Quijón and Luis Marileo Cariqueo

Mendoza Collio - The truth is persecuted by injustice

Mendoza Collio - The truth is persecuted by injustice
We have all witnessed the shameful way that the "Chilean Justice" has behaved in addressing the murders of Mapuche in "peacetime". We have also witnessed how the truth is distorted to shield the murders by police personnel in Mapuche territory beginning a long process by military courts, that, despite an effective investigation, end up in impunity for the perpetrators or "murderers" being reassigned within the same institution continuing their duties leisurely. Emblematic cases like Mendoza Collio, where in the past few weeks we have witnessed a real insult to justice called "the policeman Jara acquittal verdict" that, besides for Jara, is absolution for endless irregularities made by police of high commands - like General Bezmalinovic - that manipulated the events of the crime, even manufacturing false evidence. But within these scenarios there is one that many of us do not know and that has walked alongside and in silence, accompanying the pain of the victims of this criminal fact, it is that nine community members are subjected to a trial for the violent usurpation of the estate San Sebastián, among which are two brothers of the victim.

According to one of the accused, Mario Curipan Collio, they were taken prisoners a few hours before the murder of Mendoza Collio, being taken by a retention vehicle to the courthouse where on the way there were launched tear gas bombs into the interior leaving them almost unconscious, without any possibility whatsoever to move because of the cuffs that were on their hands. They spent the night in jail and the next day they heard the news of the death of the community member. Thence they are following a process that a few weeks ago was reactivated in response to the "Chilean justice": a series of protests from the family to establish the truth in the case of the murdered community member and to not let his death go unpunished. Nine people were arrested outside the community Rekem Pillan and formalized on August 12 for the violent usurpation of the estate San Sebastián, including Mendoza Collio's immediate family: his sister Mary and his brother Joel, who yesterday morning were presented to the court of Angol in order to terminate this chapter of persecution against him, but could do nothing through their lawyer Lorenzo Morales, as the owner of the estate requires the charge to be follow to the end - including a trial of the community members. The landowner wants them to publicly apologize, an act that the family and the rest of the community members flatly refuse.

According to the lawyer of the community members, Lorenzo Morales Cortes, the community members were charged with violent usurpation. After that occurrence there have already passed more than three years and under Article 247 of the Criminal Procedure Code, investigations may last only two years, therefore on Thursday September 13, 2012, they only attained the closure of the investigation, taking as evidence by the public prosecutor, a set of photographs, that say nothing of violence, and testimonies of the landowner against the lamieng(Brothers/Sisters). We continue to await the decision of the Court of Angol in these days if these facts deserve to be brought to trial. For now remains a waiting period for the community members for an end to the harassment and particularly for a return by the hands of the state through the courts in their long road to justice for Jaime Mendoza Collio.
  
AND AS JUSTICE IS NOT FOR HE WHO LONGS FOR IT BUT RATHER FOR HE WHO BUYS IT maybe we have a new trial against the victims of the capitalist state that does not hesitate to prosecute, imprison and kill those looking to get back what belongs to them in their own right THE LAND.