100+ Days: Free Our Mapuche Political Prisoners on Hunger Strike!
Call for Int’l Day of Solidarity
Four Mapuche Political Prisoners in the Penitentiary Centre of Temuco [so-called southern Chile] are currently reaching over 110 days on hunger strike, protesting the conditions of their judicial processes under the Pinochet era Anti-Terrorist Law.
Throughout their judicial process, they have subjected to internationally condemned abusive and irregular practices under the legislation, which has allowed for the use of anonymous witnesses and prolonged periods pre-trial detention in their case. Our Mapuche brothers, Lonko [Chief] Alfredo Tralcal Coche, Ariel Alexis Trangol Galindo, Benito Rubén Trangol Galindo, and Pablo Iván Trangol Galindo, have already endured over a year of pre-trial detention with no indication of their case being brought to the courts in the forseable future.
Their demands are:
(1) A right to due process,
(2) Stopping the application of the Anti-Terrorist Law;
(3) Overturning the pre-trial custody conditions for the Mapuche Political Prisoners on Hunger Strike.
During the hunger strike, Chilean authorities have increased their repression against mobilized Mapuche communities in resistance, increasingingly militarizing indigenous territory, and carrying out a wave of arrests in the last few weeks. These arrests have specifically targeted movement leaders and community elders, currently also being held in pre-trail detention, including Daniel Melinao of the Wente Winkul Mapu community, and Hector Llaitul of the Arauco Malleco Coordinator of Communities in Conflict (CAM).
Family and hunger strike support networks had previously called for a 72-hour ultimatum on Wednesday, September 20th, 2017 for the Chilean government to respond to prisoner demands. However, the deadline passed without so much as a whisper from authorities.
Mapuche communites have stated these actions confirm the genocidal colonial policies that the Chilean State has always applied against indigenous peoples, calling on international support for the Mapuche hunger strikers who are clinging to life while in prison.
Therefore, the WCCC is calling for an International Day of Solidarity on Thursday, September 28th, in response to the call to action made by indigenous Mapuche communities in resistance to support of our Mapuche brothers on hunger strike.
If you would like to join this Day of Solidarity through protests/rallies/marches etc, email us at wccc_98 [at] hotmail.com.
NOTE: Depending on the conditions on the ground, this date may change.
For the Reclamation, Reconstruction and Liberation of our Mapuche Nation!
Amulepe Taiñ Weichan!
MARRICHIWEU!
Called by: The Women’s Coordinating Committee for a Free Wallmapu [Toronto]
For more information, see https://wccctoronto.wordpress.com/.
Women's Coordinating Committee for a Free Wallmapu 