The event, which will involve the presentation of a letter to the Chilean Consul in Vancouver, will take place on Thursday, September the 2nd at 12:00 (Noon).
The demonstration will denounce the deteriorating health of the political prisoners, some of whom have been on hunger strike since July 12th, 2010. Originally, the Mapuche protest broke out in response to the refusal of the Chilean authorities to recognize both the human rights of the detainees and the essentially political nature of their indictment and detention. Although news coverage of the action has been severely curtailed by a government 'blackout', the hunger strike has already inspired Mapuche communities in
cities across Chile to take to the streets to declare their support.
There has also been a growing interest in the international campaign which has undoubtedly been encouraged by the open criticism of the Chilean authorities by international bodies. The widespread and inappropriate use of anti-terrorist law 18.314 has therefore been highlighted by both the Ethical Committee against Torture and the UN Human Rights Council.
In this sense, the neat demarcation which could be drawn between the Pinochet regime and its civilian successors is misleading, precisely because, under this law - which was first enacted by the dictatorship - defendants are subject to dual trial by military tribunals and civilian courts - for this reason, amongst others, the distinction between 'military' and 'civilian' rule is nowhere as clear as it should be, a conclusion which is further reinforced by a petition addressed to Sebastián Piñera, the current President of Chile, demanding that the 'use of militarized violence against communities, young people and the elderly must stop'.
The Mapuche struggle - of which the prisoners' strike is only the most recent manifestation - is the latest chapter in a story which began with the campaign of genocide which was launched against the indigenous population in 1863-1883 (in the form of the Araucanian Pacification). The Mapuche have since struggled against the results of a 'settlement' which was imposed upon
them by force.
A campaign declaring solidarity with 33 detained Mapuche hunger strikers has attracted substantial local and international attention to the Mapuche struggle.
