WCCC Public Statement –

The protest in support of the Mapuche indigenous Political Prisoners on an indefinite hunger strike held captive by the Chilean State and its current government, was carried out in the middle of rush hour, from 5 to 7 pm last Thursday August 12th, as thousands of people headed home on the subways.

The traditional corner of Yonge and Bloor was interrupted by the sound of Mapuche music, a megaphone and the denunciation by the Women’s Coordinating Committee Chile-Canada (WCCC) that once again called the attention of passersby’s in the heart of downtown Toronto, where the Chilean Consulate is located.

The corner has been transformed into a usual place for the WCCC, a small group of women which despite immense cold, heat, or number of people that come to rally – always come to inform, distribute and denounce information about the situation of the Mapuche Nation of what is now known as southern Chile. In two hours, almost 1000 leaflets were distributed with the different communiqués of the Mapuche Political Prisoners, their family members, as well as the history of our Nation, their struggles, and demands translated in English. Along with this information, the distribution of the ongoing Boycott campaign of Chilean fruit and wine was also distributed on the corner, which has now lasted a number of years and was intensified in the petitions and mobilizations against the G20 in Toronto, which has had success among the activist/ English-speaking community.

Also denounced were the situation of Non-Mapuche Political Prisoners in Chile, who resist capitalist plunder, and the ongoing repression of the Chilean State and its current government.

Here in “Canada,” the call out was also made for the support and solidarity for the Political Prisoners, persecuted and wanted of the Toronto G20. Men, women – almost children – who have been brutally criminalized for having had the nerve to confront the representation of the world’s rich in the mobilizations of last June, the most radical the last few years.

We believe that the objective was reached however there was a negative, unpleasant, and why not, sour note to add.

The sour note was made by a group of people that came and self-proclaimed themselves to be organizers of the protest organized by the WCCC, which sought to discredit our organization and its members who are vastly young students, with arrogance and ageism. We recognized all the people that were there, the majority hierarchs of an NGO which groups the ideological reflux know as the “Chilean left,” part of the pro-“Concertacion” Coalition [of neo-liberal/social democratic parties] in Toronto that has minimized our work and practically launched a war against us in the last few years for simply going out onto the streets to denounce the terrorist agenda their governments have had against our Mapuche People.

Their arrogance, insults, and their Chilean flag could not resist the harsh reality that exists in Canada today, as they left running later in the demonstration when the police arrived and encircled us, showing what they truly are: cowards. They were no longer the organizers then and as always the women had to deal with the police check, the interrogation and had to bear the police presence for the remainder of the protest.

Unto these shameful events, the Women’s Coordinating Committee Chile-Canada declares the following:

1. It has been more than 10 years since we have not had any interest in having contact with the hierarchical and corrupt leadership of the “Chilean” community and its political/cultural organizations in Toronto. This does not include honest Chileans that do not participate in this vicious circle and know have respect for our struggle, and are the few that come out every so often to our events and rallies.
2. The objective of the WCCC here is to inform and make known the struggles of our Mapuche Nation, at the same time as creating conditions of unity between our indigenous Nations, brothers and sisters of Turtle Island, within the framework of indigenous sovereignty. We are not here to help lift any old party projects in relation to States of any political colour. Our allies of struggle are the social/community organizations as well as immigrants who resist the exploitive capitalist policies of poverty, racism, homophobia, patriarchy, etc.
3. We will never work together with those who were accomplices and supporters of the murderous Ricardo Lagos and Michelle Bachelet governments for all these years, and signed the death sentence against our Weichafe [Warrior] youth, Alex Lemun, Matias Catrileo, and Jamie Mendoza Collio. 
4. We will not accept the orders of any white Winka man. We refer to the likes of Jose Venturelli, whom offended one of our young members and discredited our organization. He self-proclaimed having organized the rally and our work here in Toronto together with a few ladies that came with their Chilean flags. Moreover, this individual is known for having deep ties with the Band Council system in “Canada,” organization of native traitors that work together with the Canadian government to control and repress our indigenous brothers – which we will not accept.

Finally, we wish to say to all those who know us, and those who do not know us: we do not recognize any jurisdiction, title, representation, or flags that do not come directly from our people. We do this because we are convinced that it is just, and with much love. It is more than enough for us to receive the love of our people waiting for us in Wallmapu, from our brothers and sisters who live and die in resistance…. That is the greatest representation and the only orders, if there are any, that we will accept with love and humility.

August 15th, 2010

The Women’s Coordinating Committee Chile –Canada

Email: wccc_98@hotmail.com