Mapuche conflict

Mapuche conflict
Mapuche flag adopted in 1991; One of the main symbols of the Mapuche movement.

Mapuche conflict is a collective name for the revival and reorganization of Mapuche communities for greater autonomy, recognition of rights and the recovery of land since the Chilean transition to democracy. The Mapuche conflict is a phenomenon mainly from Chile, but also from neighboring areas of Argentina. Demands revolve mainly around three themes: jurisdictional autonomy, return of ancestral lands and cultural identity.[1][2] Mapuches and supporters involved in the conflict have resorted to legal actions, lobbying among politicians and NGO's, hunger strikes, yet there have also been private property occupations, death threats and arson by some Mapuche groups which have led to clashes with Carabineros.

Contents

Background

The Mapuche conflict surfaced in the 1990s following the return of democracy. The conflict started in areas inhabited mostly by Mapuches like the vicinities of Purén, where some indigenous communities have been demanding that certain lands they claim for their own but which are now the property of logging and farming companies and individuals be turned over to them.[3] Several Mapuche organizations are demanding the right of self-recognition in their quality of Indigenous peoples, as recognized under the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples by the General Assembly of the United Nations.

While the extent of autonomy and claimed benefits vary among the different Mapuche groups, many Mapuche organizations seek similar rights as those gained by the Inuit people in Greenland, the recognition of indigenous peoples in the constitution, and similar to the recognition of autonomous regional administrations and languages as in Spain.

The official 2002 Chilean census found 609,000 Chileans identifying themselves as Mapuches.[4] The same survey determined that 35 percent of the nation’s Mapuches think the biggest issue for the government to resolve relates to their ancestral properties.[4]

1996-2004: Ralco controversy

The building of the Ralco Hydroelectric Plant, Chile's largest hydroelectric power plant, in the 1990s was highly controversial among Mapuches and pro-Mapuche groups as it was to flood allegedly sacred land including one Mapuche cementery. After compensations were paid the plant was finally finished in 2004.[5] The project has proven controversial with local indigenous Mapuche since a graveyard had to be flooded by the dam.

2009 incidents

Demonstration in Santiago, after the killing of two Mapuche activists.

Numerous incidents such as land occupations and demonstrations have occurred in Araucania. In the wake of the recent deaths of a few of its activists, Mapuche organization Coordinadora Arauco-Malleco has played a key role by organizing and supporting land occupations and other direct actions that have ended up in clashes with the police. The government of Michelle Bachelet has said that it is not ready to contemplate expropriating land in the southern region of Araucania to restore lost ancestral territory to the Mapuche.[6] The government set out to buy land for use by 115 Mapuche communities, however, according to government officials, the current owners have nearly tripled the prices they are demanding. On the other hand, the effectiveness of the government policy of buying and distributing land has been questioned.[6] Two special presidential envoys were sent to southern Chile to review the increasingly fractious “Mapuche situation”.[4]

2010 hunger strike

2011: Mapuches in the Chilean student protests

See also

References


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Mapuche — Mapuche …   Wikipedia

  • Mapuche language — Mapuche Mapudungun Spoken in  Chile …   Wikipedia

  • Mapuche religion — The beliefs of the Mapuche and their mythology, stories about to the world and creatures born of the extensive and old religious beliefs, next to a series of common legend and myths that belong to the different groups that compose the Mapuche… …   Wikipedia

  • Mapuche military — The Mapuche are a belic culture, and their history has been plagued by wars and conflicts since they began to settle in the Araucanía, they believed that history was created through warfare[1], and thus engaged in many military conflicts.… …   Wikipedia

  • Chiapas conflict — Spanish: Conflicto de Chiapas A Zapatista sign Date …   Wikipedia

  • Occupation of Araucanía — Map showing the old and the new frontier established by 1870 The Occupation of Araucanía (1861–1883) was a series of military campaigns, agreements and penetrations by the Chilean army and settlers which led to th …   Wikipedia

  • Coordinadora Arauco-Malleco — Abbreviation CAM Formation 1998 Type Collective grassroots organization and social movement Purpose/focus Land recovery, indigenous rights, au …   Wikipedia

  • Colocolo (tribal chief) — Colocolo statue, in Estadio Monumental, Santiago de Chile. Colocolo (from Mapudungun colocolo , mountain cat) was a Mapuche leader ( cacique lonco ) in the early period of the Arauco War. He was a major figure in Alonso de Ercilla y Zúñiga s epic …   Wikipedia

  • Indigenous peoples in Chile — form about 5% of the total population (692,000 self identified persons of indigenous origins were registered in 2002) [ 2002 Census ] . The Mapuches, from the south, accounted for approximately 85 percent of this number. There were also small… …   Wikipedia

  • Malón — redirects here. For the Spanish town, see Malon, Zaragoza. El Malón, Johann Moritz Rugendas (1802 1858) …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”