Mapuches meet the Amnesty International delegation. ©Amnesty International
On Tuesday, the Amnesty International delegation traveled to Temuco, 700 kilometers south of Chile’s capital, Santiago. Temuco is an amazing place, where the ever present Andes, with their large snowed tips, meet vast woods and green lands.
Some of those lands are home to thousands of Mapuche Indigenous peoples to whom the earth is not only a place to live in, but a way of living
I had the opportunity to meet many of these Mapuche Indigenous peoples. They told me many stories of abuse and suffering. The key message that came through was that they are prevented from participating in decisions that will impact in their communities; that no one listens to them.
There’s one story that stood in my mind. It was a Mapuche leader who when I asked him about their situation, said:
“I have no money, I have no power and I’m dark skinned, therefore I’m discriminated.”
This is powerful summary of the deprivation, exclusion and lack of active participation faced by many Indigenous Peoples, not just in Chile but throughout Latin America.
In Temuco, I also heard of the reach of the marginalization that affects Indigenous Peoples and the impact it has in limiting their access to justice. I met a family: two parents and a son who told me about their other son, 17-year-old Alex who was shot death by the police in 2002. No one has been punished for Alex’s killing, there hasn’t even been an investigation into his killing.
The situation of Mapuche indigenous in Temuco is a real human rights problem and shows the relevance of a human rights organization like Amnesty International working on poverty and discrimination.
As always, the sense of impotence is overwhelming, but I’m comforted by what one Indigenous leader said:
“When you are discriminated against, when noone cares about you, it’s nice to know that there’re people in other parts of the world that are there to support you.”
Irene Khan is Secretary General of Amnesty International.
this is totally violation of human right,the existing discrimination should be eliminated &muderers should be brought to justice. the effort shown by amnesty int. is really inspiring and such organisations r the hope of privileged& poor.
there is human discrimination thought the world but we will struggle aganest it
The title of this brief story about Temuco Chile, says it all!!! I would like to end this short participation with another beautiful and deep phrase by a cuban poet by the name of Silvio Rodriguez; “Y pense en los contrastes malditos que hay, entre un viaje al espacio y un nino sin pan…” “And I thought about the awful contrast existing between a trip to space, and a child without bread…”
Let’s not give in. Let’s keep fighting for our rights; for all of us!
Jose Luis Contreras