PUBLIC RELEASE

TO THE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

The actions undertaken by Mapuche communities to recover lands, as well as the demonstrations before the authorities, have been aimed at putting a stop to the policies which have exterminated the lives of a people who have lived in this territory for hundreds of years, and who have a legitimate right to fight for their rights and have them acknowledged. Most people in Chile understand these motives and support the Mapuche cause.

Our actions have targeted the forestry companies because they represent neoliberal society and they marginalise, exclude and discriminate against Mapuche communities, all of which has led to a serious situation of social, economic, environmental and cultural degradation for the Mapuche Nation and its Territory.

The forestry companies represent a new form of concentration of property. They have cornered in the communities, caused serious environmental consequences, and put the social, economic and cultural survival of the Mapuche people at risk.

The forestry model applied in Chile is only a cover-up for making an easy and illicit profit, abusing the natural heritage, seriously degrading the soil, diminishing the quantity and damaging the quality of the waters with agrochemicals, deforesting the native flora and displacing the wild animals. All this affects the equilibrium of mother earth and of the human beings who inhabit her.

In addition to the above, the Chilean state does not implement laws which might effectively protect the environment and conserve our natural habitat. Nor does the state develop social and economic policies which show respect for the indigenous peoples, particularly of the Mapuche nation, thus upholding historic forms of repression and discrimination.

COMMUNITIES IN CONFLICT

PASCUAL PICHUN, TEMULEMU

ANICETO NORIN, DIDAIKO

SANTIAGO NAHUELPI, EL PANTANO

MAPUCHE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION ÑANCUCHEU OF LUMAKO

MAPUCHE CORPORATION XEG-XEG

WOMEN'S CORPORATION AUKIÑKO ZOMO

CENTRE OF STUDIES AND DOCUMENTATION LIWEN

CODEPU CORPORATION

LATIN AMERICAN WATCHGROUP OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONFLICTS

Temuko, 21 August 1999