Friday, April 26, 2013

Daniel Melinao, Werken of the Mapuche community Wente Winkul Mapu, was arrested, Chile

April 25, 2013

After a violent raid by military personnel from the PDI and militarized police to his home and community on this Thursday morning the Werkén Daniel Melinao, of the community Wente Winkul Mapu, Lof Chekenco of Ercilla was arrested in an Internet café.

About the raid on the house, Werkén Luis Melinao, brother of Daniel Melinao, said "They did not let us draw closer, they pointed their shotguns at us, they threw me to the ground and my dad, my mom and my brother, who were there and wanted to witness the search of the house because it has always happened that they end up planting anything there.", adding that the arrest of the Werkén Daniel Melinao is another assault by the State to criminalize the Mapuche people.

The Mapuche leader is held to be involved in the death of Gope sergeant Hugo Albornoz, who was the victim of a shot fired over a year ago during an attack on the community and according to all the evidence gathered in the investigation, one that came out of a police weapon.

The operation by the prosecutor Luis Chamorro and the top bosses of the militarized police and Investigations in La Araucanía, left extensive damage to the homes of the community. While Daniel Melinao was taken to hospital in Angol to document his injuries and then referred to the Court of Collipulli for control of the detention and possible formalization.

The Werkén has led the worthy territorial recovery process of the community Wente Winkul Mapu, which, since its establishment, has been noted for its daily efforts of autonomous work, away from all projects and deceptions by the Chilean State, facing constant police attacks and besieging by armed individuals.  

No doubt we are facing a new setup by the police, the prosecution and the economic interests in Mapuche territory, who only seek to intimidate the fighting spirit of the communities in resistance.

It is hoped that the Werkén will be released soon, as the past few months have shown this political persecution to result in the acquittal of almost all the community members that have been arrested of this community, for example, in the recent mistrial against two Mapuche youths for lack of evidence. 

Two more arrested while Daniel Melinao was formalized in the Court of Collipulli

Outside the court of Collipulli, after Daniel Melinao was formalized as a co-author of the murder of Sergeant Albornoz, Victor Queipul, the Lonko of the Community of Temucuicui, and, Luis Melinao, the second Werkén of the Community Wente Winkul Mapu, brother of Daniel Melinao, were arrested and brutally beaten. Whereby Luis Melinao lost some of its teeth. They will be taken to Angol and tomorrow they will be formalized in Collipulli for assault of a police officer, as we are told by Maria Montoya (mother of Erick Montoya).

At this time lawyers are inquiring after the current situation of the detainees, lots of people are on the outskirts of the police station of the city of Collipulli. Jorge Huenchullan, Werkén of the community Autonomous Temucuicui, notes that, without any justification police officers of special forces arrested the Lonko. This is clearly an open provocation and harassment to stop the solidarity and support that is offered to Werkén Daniel Melinao.

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