from Women’s Coordinating Committee for a Free Wallampu
At least three sabotage attacks against the Chilean occupation have occurred in the last week including the arson of a private get-away cottage in Lleu-Lleu; a corporate management house in Vilcun; and a logging encampment in Lumaco. This has unleashed the hysterical reaction of the Chilean government and the police apparatus in the area, as well as the rage of the corporate elite have begun to criticize their own government for the failure of repressive policies against the Mapuche movement.
This hysterical reaction, brought about by the rise in actions of resistance throughout various places in Wallmapu, have prompted officials to use the latest surveillance technology, including the use of at least two spy planes to assure the “peace” of occupants and control the movement of people in the area, especially at night. At the same time, authorities have significantly increased police presence in the area, allowing for 120 more police officers in addition to those that have already stationed.
These spy planes and helicopters are traditionally used to control drug trafficking, especially in Northern Chile, and had not been previously used to contain Mapuche resistance officially by the Chilean government. Nonetheless, Mapuche community members throughout Wallmapu have witnessed seeing or hearing these planes, nearly imperceptible at plain site, but can be heard, especially at night. These planes are thought to be of Israeli origin, acquired recently by the Chilean government, which are the same drones that are used to repress the Palestinian People.
Cabins Burn on Lake Lleu-Lleu
One of the last private cottages left on the shoreline of Lake Lleu-Lleu had been burnt down on the mourning of Tuesday, December 23rd, 2013.
According to media reports, pamphlets in reference to the Mapuche struggle had been left on the scene.
With this, practically the entire north shore of the lake is free from Capitalist and private Chilean investors and advances the territorial reclamation of the Mapuche communities along the shoreline. For many years, Lake Lleu-Lleu was heavily privatized and was practically foreign to Mapuche community members in the area.
Since the early 1990’s, the Mapuche plight for territorial reclamation along the shoreline of Lake Lleu-Lleu has taken over various Estates in the area, passing from private/corporate hands into the realm of Mapuche communities through a diversity of tactics. Some estates still remain as legal property of forestry companies; however Mapuche autonomous communities have managed to stage their ground along the shoreline.
Management House in Vilcun Estate and Forestry Encampment in Lumaco Burned
On the mourning of Friday, December 27th, media reports indicated that a management house and a vehicle were burned in the Santa Ana Estate, usurped by the Ex- Director of the Chilean Construction Chamber in Vilcun.
That same mourning a forestry encampment with various logging equipment was also burned in an Estate in Lumaco.
Matias Catrileo Continues the Struggle
These new actions of sabotage have been carried out in the framework of ongoing emblematic Anti-Mapuche trials throughout Wallmapu, the increased police brutality against peaceful marches by Mapuche communities, as well as on the eve of Weichafe [Warrior] Matias Catrileo’s murder who was shot in the back by Chilean Police six years ago.
On January 3rd, 2008, Matias Catrileo participated in a peaceful land reclamation on the Santa Marguerita Estate in Vilcun when he was shot with a rifle in the back by then Police Officer Walter Ramirez, whom has not spent a single day in custody for the heinous crime.
The Women’s Coordinating Committee for a Free Wallmapu [Toronto]
http://wccctoronto.wordpress.com