One of the longest land disputes is taking place right now in Chile between the indigenous Mapuche and Chilean landowners. Between 1860-1885, 100,000 Mapuche were massacred and more were dispossessed in a joint military effort between Chile and Argentina. The Republic of Chile gave Mapuche ancestral land to private landowners and left the indigenous people destitute. Nothing has been the same since.
Both parties feel like the victims. The Mapuche are regarded as terrorists under a corrupt law that violates their basic human rights. The Mapuche have channeled their frustration (from disputes over 81.5 million acres of stolen Mapuche territory, social and cultural discrimination, political marginalization, a subhuman regard of the Mapuche people, extreme poverty and police brutality) into arson attacks, gunshots and burned vehicles as fear-inciting tactics to get private landowners off their land. Some landowners, distraught over losses tallying millions of dollars, respond with violence, too.
The truth is that both parties are the victims. The Chilean government is to blame for starting and supporting this escalating conflict by its inaction. Andrés Jouanne, the Intendant of Araucanía, went as far as to say that "There's no Mapuche conflict." If Chilean leadership can't even recognize the problem, how can there be steps towards a solution?
Violent conflicts between the Mapuche and Chilean landowners have only gotten worse with time, and they'll keep escalating until the Chilean government steps up. Sign and share this petition demanding that Chilean President Michelle Bachelet acknowledge the conflict and takes the appropriate steps towards a resolution.
Photo Credit: Esteban Ignacio
