“The most important thing for a nation is that its leadership not mix the interests of individuals with those of its people.”
“...The current Piñera administration, the [neoliberal social democratic] “Concertacion” Coalition, the Communist Party and other political parties are trying to legitimize a reformed Antiterrorist Law, at the cost of those on hunger strike.”
“We are not anti-Chilean, we are anti-criminal...”
The most important thing for a nation is that its leadership not mix the interests of individuals with those of its people. In a truly national process, what really counts is the truth and honesty. We cannot construct over half truths, or over lies (rumours) like a vile Winka [settler] politico would. We cannot lift our morale with fallacy. Information must always be verified and come from solid sources.
Unfortunately, some Mapuche have chosen deceit as a way of making politics; they use lies as information to sustain themselves as leaders, just like flies over muck. To lie, or to use an invented truth, is a form of psychological manipulation that never liberated any nation. Winka [Settler] history is full of these examples.
Within our circles, psychological manipulation is mixed in with rumour or “gossip,” where lies, false or dubious information are used as truth – as serious information – with the objective of making distrust. Distrust that never seems to touch the main circulator of this manipulated information.
There are other Mapuche who are like snakes: at one point they condemn the violent resistance to the repression of genocide against our Wallmapu, but then later leave this position and criticism behind to take political advantage of the moment.
In this context, the Mapuche hunger strike has already taken on a National scale; it CANNOT be transformed into something to make economic or political profit of by a few so-called leaders that pull in a few bucks from abroad or ask for the scraps of the Winka [Settler] institutions.
The most important issue to resolve is the freedom of the Mapuche Nation, and freedom of the Mapuche who are currently kidnapped in Chilean jails. It is in this way that no one should fall in the dishonest use of the sacrifice of our Peñi [brothers], within the context of the hunger strike. This especially goes for the politicians of the “Concertacion” Coalition who strictly followed the party line in order to defend the neoliberal capitalist model, the “state of law” and the application of the Antiterrorist Law on Wallmapu [Mapuche territory] during their time in government.
The hunger strike will one day have to end, hopefully with no victims; however the Chilean State will not cease to be the enemy of the Mapuche People. Perhaps their legitimate demands may be met, such as stopping the use of the Antiterrorist Law as applied to those on hunger strike, but the State will continue to apply the same types of laws or worse. The Chilean State will continue to be the enemy of the Mapuche People with Piñera as President or the “Concertacion” Coalition, or even with popular left wing governments (such as those of Chavez or Morales). This is because the Mapuche are not a part of Chilean society – we are not citizens of the Republic of Chile. “We are not the first nations of Chile,” as Matias Catrileo once said.
Is it or is it not that way? What is discussed, what can be clarified, what is defined and what is stated.
The Chilean State directs an oppression of genocide against our Nation. In this war, thousands of Mapuche have died, and the Chilean state will continue to do so until we disappear, in 10 or 20 years from now, until our People cease to be an obstacle for their capitalist ambition. So then it would not be possible to assert sovereign territorial reclamation, are only left with our Mapuche appearance.
By then we would be half Mapuche-Chilean, or half Chilean-Mapuche, in a process of struggle for our autonomy (as defined by the State) with the objective of eliminating poverty. We would always be waiting for the approval of the Left and become inflated with grandeur every time the Winka [Settler] looked our way. In this way confusing our own People and even the Chileans, thinking that the passivity and abuse of a few will not come back to haunt us in the end; believing that the slate can always be cleared with the people who are known to discard when it is no longer of use to them.
The tactics being used by the kidnapped prisoners to state their demands (i.e. the political/judicial solution being negotiated end their serious situation) should not make us think that the many issues which affect us as a Nation can be resolved in the same manner: in other words, negotiating with the “Concertacion” Coalition and the Communist Party in an urban setting.
Finally, we should take into consideration that the current Piñera administration , the “Concertacion” Coalition, the Chilean Communist Party and the other political parties are trying to legitimize a reformed Antiterrorist Law, at the cost of the hunger strike. It will end up being applied to the Mapuche, even the Chileans; worse than the current version.
Perhaps we shall see a circus on behalf of the government in the coming weeks, in which the deactivation of a few unsustainable and bizarre setups will look like an act of justice; wherein the hunger strike be left in nothing more than a few personal benefits (decrease sentencing) for those who lead the negotiations, or for those who survive. The government knows that if they should choose an intermediary, it will be someone who will look over its interests...
Here’s hoping all the Peñi [Brothers] on hunger strike would know what is being cooked up without others preying... Here’s hoping that their hope and their clean Newen [Energy] covers us all... Here’s hoping they can all be free and can return calmly and happily to their homes, their families and their land...
País Mapuche
Distributed by:
The Women’s Coordinating Committee For a Free Wallmapu [Toronto]
Email: wccc_98@hotmail.com
