Photographic memorial tour of the last minutes of Jaime Mendoza Collío, yougn Mapuche chased and shot in the back by Chilean police

Newen peñi Mendoza Collío

Jaime Mendoza Collío, a young Mapuche, is chased for several kilometers before being killed, shot in the back. The author of his death was identified, accused, prosecuted, found guilty and later acquitted by the military Court. His family has come along a long way of pain and anguish for almost four years in the fight to demand justice. 

On August 12, 2009, the community "Rekem Pillán", located 20 kilometers south of Collipulli, entered peacefully an estate called San Sebastian - as part of their fight for territorial recuperation. In those years this area was fully planted with pines and eucalyptus trees property of two companies: Mininco and Arauco. Special Forces of the militarized police proceeds to violently evict them, firing tear gas and buckshot bullets against entire families, many were injured and arrested. Several community members are pursued for more than 4 kilometers under constant gunfire. Before coming to a channel that divides two farms, Corporal Miguel Jara Muñoz shoots Jaime Mendoza Collio of 24 years in the back killing him. Police try to misrepresent the episode but the deception is discovered, indicating that the evidence was altered to make it appear that the officer had been attacked with gunfire. Finally corporal Jara is sentenced to five years in jail which subsequently is revoked by the military appeals court. At nearly four years of Jaime Mendoza´s death we visit and remember with his family the last moments of life of the Weichafe.
An intimate and painful emotion-laden path.

Photography and texts: Fernando Lavoz (AFI Santiago)

For several years the Mendoza Collio family has had to travel every Tuesday to the courts of Santiago to attend the trial.

The mother of Jaime Mendoza Collío outside the courts in Santiago.

The community Rekem Pillán located in Ercilla near Collipulli, to which Jaime Mendoza Collío belonged.

The sister of Weichafe Mendoza Collio on lands of the Estate San Sebastian where the community members were gathered peacefully when they were evicted in August 2009.

Jaime Mendoza Collío is chased for several kilometers before he is killed by a shot in the back. In the photo the father of the Weichafe walks the places where his son passed before his death.

In August 2009 the Community Requem Pillan mobilizes for the recovery of their ancestral lands. A rural bus stop still retains the graffiti made ​​by Weichafe Jaime Mendoza Collio.

That day they entered the premises peacefully, they did no damage and neither did they assault the police. In the photo we see where Jaime is violently arrested by Special Forces along with several other community members.

Jaime Mendoza Collio breaks free from the hands of corporal Miguel Jara Muñoz and there begins a chase of nearly four kilometers down this road and trough the middle of the fields.

They were pursued for more than four kilometers under constant gunfire. They crossed several inhabited plots. There were many witnesses.

Before crossing the channel Jaime Mendoza Collio is shot in the back by corporal Miguel Jara Muñoz causing his death. In the photo we see the spot where the Weichafe falls.

Bringing to mind that day is always a painful exercise. The father and sister of Jaime on the site of the murder.

Across the canal stands a memorial that marks the spot where Jaime Mendoza Collio was killed.

Jaime Mendoza Collio, young Mapuche, is pursued for several kilometers before being shot dead in the back. The author of his death was identified, charged and penalized only to be acquitted by the military court. His family has traveled for almost four years along a long road of pain and struggles to demand justice.

Cemetery of the community Rekem Pillán where the remains of Jaime Mendoza Collío rest.

The tomb of Mendoza Collio in the cemetery of the community Pillán Rekem.

Jaime Facundo Mendoza Collio, born April 26, 1985, and killed by agents of the State of Chile on 12 August 2009 in Mapuche territory.

We leave his grave behind but his memory is still alive in each Mapuche and in every corner of the Wallmapu.

"The struggle continues". Graffiti made by Jaime Mendoza Collío hours before his murder. Now with Alex Lemún and Matías Catrileo Now with Alex Lemún and Matias Catrileo, he is an example for young Weichafe who stand up every day to defend their land and their rights.

Unprecedented end to judicial setup, Public Prosecution requests freedom of Mapuche student, arrested after violent raid on student home Lawen Mapu, Chile

 Thursday May 23, 2013

A great turnabout was seen in the setup prepared by the prosecution, led by the Prosecutor Omar Mérida, who without prior investigation accused and formalized on arson charges the Mapuche student and member of the Autonomous Community Temucuicui, Orlando Cayul Colihuinca, on Friday, May 17, 2013, after a violent raid to the Mapuche student  home of Temuco, Lawen Mapu, where the Mapuche student was arrested.

Subsequently, and without any evidence or background information attesting to the involvement of Orlando Cayul in the crime, Judge Marcia Castillo ordered pretrial detention.

The traditional authorities of the community Autonomous Temucuicui , the Werkén Jorge Huenchullan and the Lonko Victor Queipul, at the time of the order of pretrial detention, stated categorically that they were facing another orchestrated setup of the Public Ministry and assured that the innocence of the peñi would proved.  

Now, and so unprecedented in Chilean Justice, prosecutors unable to continue sustaining the setup, requested the immediate release of Orlando Cayul.

Asked about that unprecedented legal situation, the Werkén Jorge Huenchullan said "We value the freedom of the peñi, but we will study this serious situation and then we will announce the next steps against the prosecution, because this has to end, the prosecution has made the setups become customary in order to prejudice the Mapuche People, I reiterate that this is a clear example of a setup by the Public Prosecution."



Mapuche Student Orlando Cayul Colihuinca imprisoned only for being of Mapuche community Autonomous Temucuicui

Public Statement

Mapuche community Autonomous Temucuicui, faced with new arrest and imprisonment of our member, we issue officially to the local, national and International public opinion the following:

1. - Our brother and Benjamin Cayul Mapuche student Colihuinca Orlando, a member of our community, has been submitted to a control of detention and formalized at the Tribunal the Guarantee of the city of Temuco on Friday, May 18, 2013, the hearing was marked by several incidents. Judge Maria Castilla denied the brother the opportunity to present himself at his audience with his Makun (blanket), citing alleged security measures that neither she nor the gendarmes could justify. The morning hearing was immediately suspended after the prosecutor requested the disqualification of Judge Omar Mérida with the clear intention to pressure her and gain time and prepare the evidence. Finally at 4 pm, the hearing was resumed with the same judge, who decreed the preventive detention for a period of 30 days, deadline set also for the investigation.

2. - We remind you that on Thursday May 16 in the morning a machine parked on the bridge Cautín according to witnesses was burned by several subjects. No one was identified at the time of the incident. The burning of this machine justified a few hours later the raid the Mapuche home Lawen Mapu located near the bridge. With no arrest warrant the brother was arrested during the raid along with one of his companions, who a few hours later was released.

3. - The charge is based on the story of secret witnesses who identified 4 subjects entering the home Lawen Mapu after a fire in the machine on the Cautín bridge, subsequently the PDI would have found hydrocarbon particles on a jacket owned by the brother. Notably, the defense could not question the alleged evidence provided by the prosecution for the latter claimed the secrecy of the investigation. 

4. - It draws attention powerfully to the fact that the Peñi Orlando Benjamin has been arrested immediately, ie before they could perform analysis of his coat. This antecedent leads us to believe that the analysis of the coat has been made ​​after the arrest. Add to that the fact that PDI officials who manipulated his coat acted without gloves and after handling a diluent, which contains the particles that would be found on the coat. Well, we can consider that the police themselves were the ones who distributed this material on the coat. Another point that shows the bias of the research is the fact that the hands of the accused were not examined to determine the possible presence of hydrocarbon on those. Finally, the prosecutor did not take the trouble to question the students from the home and in the first place the companions of the room of Orlando Benjamin to see if he was present in his room at the time of the crime.

5. - It was even worse when the defense of the accused pointed out that his roommates had seen him sleeping in his bed at the time of the crime, the prosecutor threatened to accuse them in the event of testimonies in this regard. Of these various elements can be concluded that the public prosecutor has proven once again that he does not seek the truth, but to imprison Mapuche, responding to political pressures, especially those of the Ministry of Interior and the Multigremial of Araucania, which together have created an atmosphere of terror in the region, trying to make the public believe that there is a Mapuche terrorism, and so have systematically pressured the courts of law in their decisions.
The chronology of events clearly shows that at first Orlando Benjamin was arrested without evidence and those were added later in order to imprison him.

6. - With this imprisonment it is clearly demonstrated that the justices especially the Public Ministry, do not seek the true responsible for the act, but rather seek and prepare a responsible for the crime, now the question Why Orlando Benjamin? Because he is Mapuche, because he is of the community Autonomous Temucuicui because he adheres to the territorial claims of the community and is also a student who actively participates in the Mapuche movement in Temuco, a culprit perfect for the Public Ministry. Therefore we are witnessing once again imprisonment of a Mapuche from a fighting community without any proof. But in the heads of the prosecutors and judges the equations are simple: be from Temucuicui and Mapuche means to be violent, and therefore a danger to society that warrants pretrial detention.

Finally we express our full support and backing of our brother, we made clear that we will demonstrate the innocence of the Peñi finally Orlando Benjamin remains imprisoned in the Mapuche module of the prison of Temuco, unable to study, despite the sacrifice involved for his family to finance a year of study, we make a broad appeal to solidarity with our brother and be attentive to the development of this imprisonment.

Community Autonomous Temucuicui.

Wall Mapu, May 20, 2013  

The Ethics Committee against Torture: "In Chile they Torture."

Source: http://notascect.wordpress.com/2013/05/20/carta-a-organismos-internacionales-en-chile-se-tortura/

Published on May 20, 2013

Letter to International Organizations in Chile they Torture

Dear Sirs, Ladies, Members of organizations fighting against torture:

The Ethics Committee against Torture has become aware of the use of torture on Eliseo Ñirripil Cayupan, 27 years old, belonging to the Community Mateo Ñiripil "Autonomous" Lof Muco, commune of Lautaro, Region IX, who today is a Mapuche Political Prisoner, held in prison in Temuco, currently held four months in pretrial detention.

At the time of his arrest Eliseo Ñirripil was beaten,  his pectoral areas pinched with pliers and his head submerged in an irrigation canal, a torture known as the submarine. 

The complaint requests to investigate and apply sanctions against state officials belonging to the forces of the militarized police of Chile, Juan Gustavo Escobar Daza and Alberto Fernando Cortés Zavala and against all those found responsible as perpetrators, accomplices or abettors of these facts constituting a crime. 

We denounce before the international bodies that Chile is not yet integrated into the Penal Code the definition of the crime of torture as mandated by the International Convention against Torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, which the Chilean State has signed and ratified, meaning that the investigations are kept in the figure of "unlawful coercion" and do not get the sanctions that the crime of torture, defined as a crime against humanity, deserves, therefore this crime remains a bastion of impunity, on the other hand, the Chilean State has not established the National Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture considered in the Optional Protocol to the International Convention, which requires the operation of a national commission whose primary objective is to prevent and investigate reported acts of torture, constituting itself in places where it is presumed that a person may be subjected to torture by state agents.

Therefore, we request the international institutions that fight against torture, to intervene before the Government of Chile in order to make the fullest investigation and punishment of those responsible for this crime against humanity which unfortunately becomes more common in our country and that affects especially the members of the Mapuche communities in the IX and X region of the country and mobilized social actors  as have been the complaints made by students who have been kidnapped and tortured in vehicles by state agents belonging to the civilian police; complaint of torture is attached, pictures of Eliseo Ñirripil and public denunciation made ​​by the Ethical Commission Against Torture after the series of kidnappings and tortures that affected students and to which, the very National Human Rights Institute of Chile has become a party filing a complaint of torture, as presented in the note below.

We express our gratitude to all individuals and institutions who oppose the practice of torture.

Very sincerely,

Juana Aguilera Jaramillo

Chairwoman

Ethical Commission Against Torture

Public statement by young Mapuche Political Prisoner on hunger strike in the Pison for Minors in Chol Chol, Chile

PUBLIC STATEMENT BY MAPUCHE POLITICAL PRISONER GABRIEL VALENZUELA MONTOYA FROM THE PRISON FOR MINORS IN CHOL CHOL ON THE SIXTH DAY OF HIS HUNGER STRIKE ON 18 MAY 2013

From the prison for Minors in Chol Chol, where I already am 6 DAYS ON HUNGER STRIKE, before the nil intention of the Chilean State and Justice to respond to the demands as a Mapuche political prisoner, I inform the national and international public opinion of the following:

Kiñe: That according to medical checkups performed in the infirmary of the CIP CRC Chol Chol, on the sixth day of hunger strike, I have lost about 3 kilos of weight, with which I have begun to feel health problems such as dizziness, nausea, headaches, pain in my bones, hips and muscles. I declare that this hunger strike is total and that I only use liquids such as water and matte.

Epu: I denounce to the national and international public opinion, ill-treatment by prison guardsof Chile of the CIP CRC Chol Chol towards my family, making it difficult to enter as well as to leave for them on their visits, intimidating and discriminating us for being Mapuche, without a modicum of respect.

Küla: The decision to start this strike to the bitter end has been a difficult decision, for me, as well as my family, which I assume responsibly, explaining that I will not stop until they meet my demands against the Chilean state and its judicial system. Therefore I declare that I'm not willing to accept any food, finding myself opposed to what they call the forced feeding, demanding that they respect my right to autonomy.

Meli: Finally, I want to say that the anti-Mapuche prosecutor will not be able to involve us in his dirty setups to stain the struggle of our people-nation. I tell you that my hands and conscience are clean and not full of blood as the Chilean government who continues its violent raids, hitting our mothers, grandmothers and children. My conscience is clear, I demand our immediate release. 

FREEDOM TO ALL MAPUCHE POLITICAL PRISONERS!!!!
FREEDOM FOR LEONARDO QUIJÓN, LUIS MARILEO AND GABRIEL VALENZUELA!!!!
FOR THE FREEDOM OF OUR TERRITORY!! AND NEWEN TO MY PEOPLE-NATION!!!!

MARRICHIWEU!!!! 

Two Mapuche students arrested in raid at Student Home Lawen Mapu, Chile

In a new and disproportionate raid on Mapuche Student Home Lawen Mapu, located in the commune of Padres Las Casas, Temuco heavily armed personnel of the PDI raided the students, and arrested the leader Antonio Licanqueo Painen and Orlando Cayul Colihuinca (from the Mapuche community Autonomous Temucuicui). They have also taken large quantities of possessions of the inhabitants of the home, including their computers and belongings.

The PDI seized the computer of Antonio Licanqueo (Where he has his thesis). EYE: The PDI has no evidence of the involvement of these Mapuche in any unlawful act, they took them prisoner for being a leader (Antonio Licanqueo) and for belonging to a Mapuche community (Orlando Cayul Colihuinca), for the above they are accused of alleged involvement in burning machinery near Puente Cautin.

The Mapuche Public Defense which supports the defense of Orlando Cayul, estimates that the Prosecution does not have sufficient evidence to prove that the Young College Student is the author of burning machinery in Puente Cautin on the Early Morning of May 16. The Prosecution argues the thesis that he is the author and they have eight protected witnesses who would imply Cayul in the acts of which they are accusing him.

The case which the Prosecution maintains against Cayul would be: ARSON SERVING AS THE AUTHOR, and there are presumed to exist 3 other unidentified culprits.

The investigation process against Orlando Cayul, University Student, 23, will last 30 days as the Judge Marcia Castillo resolved to leave him in Preventive Detention during this period.

PUBLIC STATEMENT BY LAWEN MAPU HOME, PADRE LAS CASAS

To the Wallmapu and international public opinion: 

At 17:55 hours today May 16, 2013, a raid was made by the PDI on the premises of the MAPUCHE UNIVERSITY HOME LAWEN MAPU of Padre las Casas, due to our members being accused of participating in the burning of na drilling machine which occurred in the morning hours in the New Bridge of the River Cautín.
 
After hours of harassment, with identity checks and various types of harassment by PDI they proceeded to raid leaving a balance of two detainees: The leader Antonio Licanqueo Painen and Orlando Cayul Colihuinca, for their alleged involvement in the incident described above. Faced with this affront by the Chilean State, we declare the following:

Kiñe: That our peñi were detained without satisfactory proof of their guilt in the events described above.

Epu: That the raid was carried out by more than 80 soldiers, without explaining the reason for this and without showing a search warrant issued from the respective police court, although this was requested by members of the Home. Our leader Antonio Licanqueo was arrested for failure to provide information about all members of the Home, his resistance due to the absence of the respective order.

Küla: That the Chilean State continues to persecute our peñi even outside their communities, restricting their chances of entrepreneurship, as in the case of our peñi Cayul of the Community of Autonomous Temucuicui, to the place of whom they went at once.

Meli: This state intimidation is only and exclusively meant to make us abandon the fight and support from the city to the communities in resistance throughout the Wallmapu. 

Kechu: We will not stop supporting our pu peñi ka pu lamgen who are resisting in the various Lof Wallmapu, more strongly than ever we will help and support them in their struggle.

Kayu: We will no longer accept Chilean state interference in our territorial space, we will fight to the bitter end. With the strength of our Kuifikeche we will resist and keep fighting and supporting the different territorial demands in our Wallmapu!!
 
MARICHIWEW, MARICHIWEW, MARICHIWEW, MARICHIWEW!!!!