Violent attacks on the Mapuche communities Felipin, and Paineo Cayupan, Argentina

April 16, 2013

On Tuesday night the community ruka (home) of Lof Felipin was violently attacked and community members received death threats. They claim that businessman Pedro Chaparro is behind this action.

"Yesterday, April 16, at dawn it was intended to carry out a spiritual ceremony in the Community. For this reason many families among whom were children, women and political and spiritual authorities (logko, pijankuse) were headed there to participate in this event, encountering a roadblock set up by businessman Pedro Alejandro Chaparro in the only vehicular access to the summer pastures. The people who tried to cross were met with threats of all kinds and death threats by employees of the afore mentioned businessman.", was stated from the Mesa Campesina of Northern Neuquino.  

"Last night, at approximately 20 hours, ten people hooded civil-military dictatorship-style carrying blunt objects and knives threatened to kill men, women and children who at that time were in the community ruka (home) of Lof Felipin, destroying the tires of vehicles that were parked a few meters from the ruka,"they detailed, " we denounce that for weeks now the lawyer Lensiski, working for Chaparro, has been instigating acts of violence in the media."

From the communities and the Mesa Campesina of Northern Neuquino, they contend that there is a judiciary conspiracy to protect Chaparro because "the complicity and ineffectiveness of the prosecutors in the city of Zapala (Cofre and Azar) is visible, which paralyzes and shelves all kinds of complaints including the abduction of weapons of war held by Chaparro and his men that happened on 16 March this year."

In addition, by means of a statement they told that Ferrareso, deputy secretary of Lands of the province, was not present in the conflict zone and therefore violated the act signed with the communities.

"We hold the government of Jorge Sapag and the legal system of Neuquén responsible for the serious acts of violence that we are victims of, for not acting in accordance with the legal provincial, national and international legislation," concluded the Mesa Campesina and the authorities of the communities Felipin, Cayupan and Paineo and they call on social, political and human rights organizations to come to the ancestral territory in the summer pastures and to express their statements against the actions of the  businessman.

PUBLIC STATEMENT

We want to inform the national and international public opinion the events that occurred yesterday in the context of the conflict promoted by businessman Pedro Alejandro Chaparro against the communities Felipin, Cayupan and Paineo. 

Yesterday, April 16, at dawn it was intended to carry out a spiritual ceremony in the Community. For this reason many families among whom were children, women and political and spiritual authorities (logko, pijankuse) were headed there to participate in this event, encountering a roadblock set up by businessman Pedro Alejandro Chaparro in the only vehicular access to the summer pastures. The people who tried to cross were met with threats of all kinds and death threats by employees of the afore mentioned businessman.

Last night, at approximately 20 hours, ten people hooded civil-military dictatorship-style carrying blunt objects and knives threatened to kill men, women and children who at that time were in the community ruka (home) of Lof Felipin, destroying the tires of vehicles that were parked a few meters from the ruka. We denounce that for weeks now the lawyer Lensiski, working for Chaparro, has been instigating acts of violence in the media.

We denounce a judiciary conspiracy to protect Chaparro as the complicity and ineffectiveness of the prosecutors in the city of Zapala (Cofre and Azar) is visible, which paralyzes and shelves all kinds of complaints including the abduction of weapons of war held by Chaparro and his men that happened on 16 March this year.

For his part, the Undersecretary of Lands, Mr. Ferrareso, was not present in the conflict zone, not complying with the signed act with the authorities of the communities Cayupan, Felipin and Paineo, aggravating with his absence the situation. His duty was to restore the lot 90 to its rightful owners the Pintos family and consequently to the community Cayupan. 

We hold the government of Jorge Sapag and the legal system of Neuquén responsible for the serious acts of violence that we are victims of, for not acting in accordance with the legal provincial, national and international legislation.

The citizenry should not be confused by the self-appointing of families of prosecutors with which the criminals paid by Chaparro are shielded and who block the access to our territory at the height of Espinazo del Zorro.

We urgently appeal to the social, political and human rights organizations to come to the ancestral territory in the summer pastures and to speak out against the acts of terrorism by Chaparro, Canelli, Cruz and their pawns.

Purufe Pewen, Chachil Mapu Mapuche Territory. April 17, 2013
Signed: Pu lof Cayupan, Paineo, Felipin and C.P.I. Central Area