Last July 23 in the Chilean region of Araucania there was a violent operation where two hundred police officers evicted a Mapuche community in a plot of land that, despite being the indigenous’ ancient territory, was handed over to a Swiss citizen during Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship.
Even though the re-occupation of the land had been peaceful, the police brutally repressed the community. Some people were injured and a dozen had to be hospitalized. Three children were injured by gunshots.

Mijael Carbone, spokesperson of the Mapuche Territorial Alliance (Alianza Territorial Mapuche - ATM) told Real World Radio about the incidents occurred in Temucuicui, his community. “There was extreme violence, indiscriminate shooting despite there were elderly people, babies, children and women”, said Carbone.

“These lands belong to us. In 1973 our brothers lived in these lands until the dictatorship took them away and gave them to a Swiss person”, said the Mapuche leader, who also spoke about the increasing repression in Araucania.

“This is a region where the Chilean state perpetrated some of the most violent acts and the people who are the heirs of those who were violent against us and came to our lands, are now doing it again”, said Mijael.

No Chilean or international human rights agencies had reacted at the time of the interview to protect the community that was attacked last July 23, said the Mapuche leader.

Photo: www.emol.com