Proyecto de Documentación Ñuke Mapu
http://www.mapuche.info

OPEN LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF CHILE AND TO THE CHILEAN AND INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC 

3rd March, 1999
Mr Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle
President of the Republic of Chile
Palacio de la Moneda, Santiago de Chile

 
We who appeal to you in this letter are a conglomerate of persons from different countries and we represent diverse academic, artistic and professional fields. Notwithstanding the differences, we share a common interest in the history and reality of the Mapuche people in Chile and Argentina. It is this relation to the story of the Mapuche and our interest in the history of the Chilean people that makes us take the initiative of writing to you today.

 
While we were writing this letter, the director of the National Corporation for Indigenous Development (Conadi), Rodrigo González, declared to the national press that 54 Pehuenche families were being notified that their applications for land exchange had been approved of. On the other hand, the director-general of Pangue and spokesman of the hydroelectric project Ralco declared that the removal of Pehuenche people from the Upper Biobío Valley will be started in 30 days. The company Endesa in charge of the construction of the Ralco dam will be resuming its work on ground preparation before long. According to the reports of the national newspapers the mapuche comunity of Traiguen live under a terror climate "with shots in the air at night and circulation of cars not identified with persons armed inside. mapuche families are afraid of eventual police operation and are forced to keep inside in their houses (El Mercurio, 22 of February 1999). During the past two weeks more than 50 mapuches that have participated in demonstrations for the respect of their rights have been arrested by the police force. It´s tragic to see that among them there are four children who have been victims of police violence.

 
Mr President of the Republic of Chile, since 1997, we have been following the development of events regarding the hydroelectric power plant Ralco in national and international media. From an international viewpoint, it is very disquieting to receive information about the measures taken against those professionals who have opposed the execution of the Ralco project. Up to this moment, two Conadi directors of Mapuche origin have been relieved from their duties and replaced by a director who does not represent the indigenous community of the Chilean territory. Two government advisers belonging to the above-mentioned institution found themselves obliged to leave their appointments in order to manifest their disagreement with the hydroelectric project. Vivian Blanlot, the director of the National Commission for the Environment (Conama), met with a similar fate.

 
In this succession of arbitrariness, the most startling fact is that in the Conadi meeting of the 15th January 1999 – the meeting where the land exchanges of the Pehuenche in the Upper Biobío Valley were approved of – NOT A SINGLE indigenous adviser was present. In addition, out of the eight government representatives participating in the meeting, only two were permanent members, while the other six were substitutes. As a procedure, this acquires double significance when considering that the purpose of Conadi is to set a precedent based on the land exchange process evolved in Biobío, for similar situations arising in future. We are aware that seven landowners oppose any negotiation whatever with Endesa. If, in future, the exchange of these seven properties cannot be accomplished, Endesa will find themselves forced to go to law to settle whether the Electric Act or the Indigenous Act is given priority. The demand of the Mapuche-Pehuenche community is simple and legal: It is based upon the Act of Indigenous People of 1993, which prescribes that the lands defined as indigenous "will enjoy protection from this act and cannot be disposed of, confiscated, encumbered nor acquired through prescription, except between communities or indigenous individuals of the same ethnic group" (article 13). The act also indicates that the opposition of merely one (1) of the landowners in an indigenous community is enough to make the exchange infeasible.

 
Authorizing Endesa to start its work on ground preparation in order to construct the Ralco dam in fact implies the suspension of any court of justice. A fully accomplished hydroelectric dam is an extrajudicial argument which no court of justice facing the task of determining the priority of some law or other could leave unconsidered. As far as regional and national authorities are concerned, it is evident in the light of the preceding that no guarantees exist, neither de facto nor de jure, to ensure a fair and impartial treatment of the request of the Mapuche-Pehuenche community.

 
Unfortunately, Mr. President, this brings us to the conclusion that in today's Chile, the Mapuche community is treated arbitrarily, and that in today's Chile, the Human Rights of the Mapuche community is obviously not taken into consideration. When signing this letter, we have two very specific purposes: To manifest our indignation of the unfair and arbitrary treatment of the demands of the Mapuche community in Chile, and second, to announce our determination to act firmly in order to make this situation known among political, diplomatic, religious and commercial institutions worldwide.

 
From various parts of the world, we continue to follow the development of events intently, and one more time we call Your attention that we will continue to insist on the establishment of a constructive dialogue and on a guarantee of respect for the fundamental rights of the Mapuche people.

 
Yours sincerely,
 
Dr. Jorge Calbucura, Ph.D. in sociology. Department of Sociology, Uppsala University, Uppsala Sweden Jörn Svensson. Member of the European Parliament, Swedish Left Party. Brussels. Belgium
Rossana Valeria D. Teacher , Member of the councillor of Trollhättan. Sweden Makis Oikonomou. MSc. Civil Engineer, MEDA teams - European Commision Brussels - Belgium
Dr. Bengt Sennblad, Ph.D. Department of Zoology, Natural History Museum. London. United Kingdom Jaime Potenze. Licenciado en Economía, Candidato a Diputado Nacional, Helsinki, Finlandia
Gunnar Engblom. Biólogo y Ornitólogo, Kolibri Expeditions. Lima, Peru Dr. Ellen Courtney, Ph.D., Senior Lecturer, Dept of English, University of Arizona, Arizona, USA
Dr. Hedvig Ekerwald, Ph.D. in sociology. Department of Sociology, Uppsala University, Uppsala Sweden Petri Salopera. Research Coordinator, Dept of Comparative Religion, University of Helsinki, Finland
Miguel Utreras Imilmaqui. Actor, Bailarín, Director. Aalborg, Dinamarca. Jens Holm Press Officer, Stockholm, Sweden
Mikko Rama, M.Sc., Sonera Ltd., Finland Dr. Theodor Rathgeber, Ph.D. Politologo Dpto. Ciencias Sociales Universidad de Kassel,. Asociacion para la Defensa de los Pueblos Amenazados Dpto. Pueblos Indigenas. Alemania
Ingeborg Nordbø. Master of Science. Departamento de Comunicación. Universidad de Aalborg. Dinamarca. Maxim Repetto Licenciado en Historia - Universidad de Chile Candidato a Doctor en Antropologia - Universidad de Brasilia. Brasil
Lena Wiberg. Educational Organizer, Teacher. Studiefrämjandet Östra Östergötland, Sweden Yolanda Carati. XmenosY Fondo de Solidaridad. Amsterdam, Holanda
Dr. Sergio Infante. Escritor, PhD. en filosofía y letras, Profesor Titular, Departamento de Español y Portugués, Universidad de Estocolmo, Suecia. Carlos Piquil, Trabajador, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Erik Hennes. Responsable Departamento Sur, "SAGO Jóvenes y América Latina". Bélgica. America Vera-Zavala. Asisstant at the European Parliament, the Swedish Left Party. Brussels, Belgium.
Dr. Germán Perotti. PhD. In Architecture and Town Planning, Researcher. Royal Institute of Technology. Stockholm, Sweden Armando Navarrete S.M. , Est. Comunicaciones, Univ. Concordia, Montreal. Presidente "Comité de Apoyo al Pueblo Mapuche, Sec. Montreal, Canada.
Anders Hökback. Datorhandläggare Department of Sociology, Uppsala University, Uppsala Sweden Doris Palvio. Cirujana, Hospital de Hjørring, Departamento de Cirurgía, Dinamarca
Yvan Manchon. Estudiante, Escuela de Circo Anne Fratellini. Francia Alejandro Isakson. Ingeniero Civil, Uppsala, Sweden
Natalie Clifton. Purchasing Officer for Importing Company, Auckland. New Zealand. Håkan Bengtsson, B Sc in Biology and Master of Laws, Uppsala University, Uppsala Sweden
Jean Chami. Psicologo, Profesor en la Universidad de Paris-X Nanterre Ciencias de la Educación. Francia. Dr. Peter Ekegren, Ph.D. in sociology. Department of Sociology, Uppsala University, Uppsala Sweden
Xabier Pascual Jiménez. Licenciado en Ciencias Económicas. Economista. Gobierno Vasco. España Rodrigo Rodriguez. Musico Investigador Folklorista. Finlandia
Magdalena Czaplicka. Sociologist. Department of Sociology, Uppsala University, Uppsala Sweden Sergio Quezada, trabajador, Montreal Quebec, Canada.
Carmen Urquieta. Experta en Ciencias Humanas. Villemomble. Francia Dr. Mekuria Bulcha, Ph.D. in sociology. Department of Sociology, Uppsala University, Uppsala Sweden
Leire Sagastizabal Bidarte. Licenciada en Filología Vasca. Técnico de Normalización Lingüística. Gobierno Vasco. España Rose-Marie Mazzoni. Fil mag, Chef for International Department of Studiefrämjandet, Malmö, Sweden.
Juan Iturriaga. Pastor Iglesia Cristiana-Hispana de Montreal, Canada Katarina Marklund. Graphic designer, Royal Swedish Opera, Stockholm, Sweden
Maya Gutierrez. Medico, Hospital St Louis, Paris. Francia Mirek Doubrava. Presidente de Fundacion Rehue, Amstelveen, Holanda
Jarmo Kukka. B. Sc. in Biology at Uppsala University; Swedish Society for Nature Conservation. Stockholm, Sweden Aurora Aparicio Sagastume. Licenciada en Filosofía y Ciencias de la Educación. Trabajadora del Gobierno Vasco. España
Graciela Espinoza M. Cocinera , Instituto de Hoteleria de Quebec, Canada Annica Henningsson. Economist, Federal Taxation Authority of Sweden
Cebaldo De León Inawinapi. Antropologo, investigador Sindicato dos Professores do Norte - Portugal Maria Alice da Silva Vieira, Profesora e Historiadora S.João da Madeira. Portugal
Antonieta Daza C. Obrera, Montreal, Canada Ernesto Bustos L. Obrero, Montreal, Canada
Flor Elena Economou. MSc. in Political Science and Sociology. Consultant to the European Commission Brussels - Belgium Casa de Arte - Ciencia - Pensamiento Mapuche Mapu Ñuke Kimce Wejiñ
Adolfo Neves de Oliveira – Investigador. Mestre en Antropologia Social - Universidad de Brasilia Candidato a Doctor en Antropologia - U. de St. Andrews. Brasil. Maximo Cervantes. Electricista, Montreal, Canada
Iñaki Villate Ruiz de Gordejuela. Licenciado en Psicología. Técnico de Normalización Lingüística. Gobierno Vasco. España Luis Eugenio Campos Munoz – Investigador Licenciado en Antropologia - Universidad de Chile Candidato a Doctor en Antropologia - Universidad de Brasilia. Brasil
Bengt Cedrenius, President Gröna Råd AB, Sollentuna, Sweden Henrik Axiö. Stockholm, Sweden
Grupo de Estudios en Relaciones Interétnicas, Departamento de Antropologia, Universidad de Brasilia, Brasil Else Mathiassen. Pedagogo, actriz. Vestjyllands Højskole.Ringkøbing. Dinamarca.
Hortencia Agurto. Agente de Viajes, Montreal, Canada Aris Ikonomou. London. United Kingdom
Ernestina Piñaleo-Mañil. Profesora de Religión Católica. Bélgica Fabio Mele. Student, Bari University, Italy
Graciella Castelli. Presidenta Proyecto Águila, Barcelona España. Dr. Demetrios I. Michailakis. Ph.D. in sociology, Researcher at the Institute of Social Research in Uppsala. Sweden
Eliana Cielo. Profesora y Animadora Cultural, Montreal , Canada Henrik Berg, doctor in Ecological Botany, Dept of Plant Ecology, Uppsala University, Sweden
Comité Chileno Verdad y Justicia. Montreal, Canada. Laura Helistén. Student, Somero College. Finland.
Nils Hermann Ranum, Secretary of Information, The Norwegian groups for solidarity with Latin America. Norway. Gastón Villamán. Cantoautor, Stockholm, Sweden
Maria Barrales. Profesora, Ellerslie Primary School, Edmonton Alberta, Canada. Rayen Kvyeh. Poeta mapuche. Temuco. Chile
Lorena Barrales. Estudiante, Edmonton Alberta, Canada. Alejandro González Arriagada. Historiador Económico, Instituto de Historia Económica, Universidad de Uppsala, Suecia.
Millaray Farreras Ahumada. Diseñadora Gráfica. Barcelona, España Oscar Paillacan Ramírez. Mecánico Naval Escuela Náutica De Bermeo. España.
Carmen Vicioso del Pozo. Investigadora Licenciada en Socióloga. Candidata a Doctor en Antropologia. Madrid, España. Inti Gutierrez. Estudiante de Medicina, Bobigny. Francia
Enzo Carrera Peña. Investigador Licenciada en Socióloga. Candidato a Doctor en Antropología. Madrid, España. Jorge Catalan. Agrupacion Galvarino, Montreal. Quebec, Canada.
Elysabeth Rochat de la Vallée. Sinologa, Profesor en Instituto Ricci. Paris, Francia Pia Eriksson. Geógrafa, Asistente, Departamento de Geografía, Universidad de Helsinki. Finlandia.
Emanuela Gorza. Acupunctora. Paris, Francia Iñaki Villoslada Fernández. Licenciado en Filología Vasca y en Derecho. Técnico de Evaluación. Gobierno Vasco. España.
Yves Couerre. Empleado, La Rochelle. Francia. Dionicio Barrales. Seguridad, Recepción y Refugio de Mujeres. Edmonton Alberta, Canada.
Oscar Huenchunao Meza. Estudiante de Derecho, Universidad Autónoma del Sur. Temuco. Chile Carmen Laiz Suárez. Licenciada en Historia. Técnico de Programación. Gobierno Vasco. España
Amy Mandel. Language teacher and PhD student of linguistic anthropology, teacher in the French/Italian and English departments of the University of Arizona. Tucson, Arizona. USA. Reynaldo Mariqueo. Secretario General Mapuche International Link. Bristol, Inglaterra.
Tommi-J. Lauronen. Student. Helsinki, Finland. Marc Bosschaert, president Oxfam-Wereldwinkels Gent, Belgium
Enrique Jofre. Mecánico electricista, Edmonton Alberta, Canada. Esa Salminen. Kepary. Helsinki, Finland
Héctor Gutiérrez Corrotea. Funcionario del Ayuntamiento de San Sebastián. España Kati Rokala. Student, Department of Biology, University of Helsinki. Finland
Ximena Campos B. Sicóloga, Univ. McGill. Montreal, Canada Verónica Ortega Obreque. Diplomada. Educadora familiar. Trabajadora de una empresa dependiente de la Diputación Foral de Álava. España
Maria Arechavaleta C. Estudiante Comercio Internacional, Escuela de Altos Estudios Comerciales. Montreal , Canada Aino-Maija Hiltunen. Assistant, Dept of Comparative Religion, University of Helsinki. Finland
Johanna Haahtela. Student, University of Tampere. Finland Asociación Janus. Agrupa a artistas, escritores, pintores, profesores y profesionales latinoamericanos residentes en Suecia. Estocolmo, Suecia
Miguel Sánchez Medrano. Periodista, Periódico El Correo Español y El Pueblo Vasco. España. Kieran Kelly O' Dwyer. Profesor. Empresario. Bilbao, España
Viviana Iturra. E. Bac. en Historia del Arte, Univ. de Montreal. Canada Tuula Salonen. Estudiante de Ciencia de Medio Ambiente, Universidad de Aberdeen. Gran Bretaña.
Asociacion Víctor Jara. Estocolmo, Suecia. Daniela Barrales. Cajera, IGA Food Store. Edmonton Alberta, Canada
Laura Nyyssonen. Estudiante, Universidad de Jyvaskyla. Finland Edorta Pascual Jiménez. Licenciado en Sociología. Técnico de Normalización Lingüística. Gobierno Vasco. España
Jack Jakobsen. Músico, Investigador. Director de la Casa de la Música Tradicional Danesa. Høgager, Danmark. Kerttuli Ratilainen. Estudiante de Filología Hispánica, Universidad de Helsinki. Finlandia
Gotthard Sennblad. Forest Officer, State Extension specialist in small scale forestry. Mora, Sweden Carolina Zuniga. Programa Latinoamerica, Urgewald e.V. Alemania.
Maria Angelica Vargas. Trabajadora. Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Dario Jaña. Coordinador RIAP, Red Internacional de Apoyo al Pueblo Pehuenche, Alemania
Escuela Popular Latinoamerica. Asociación de Pedagogos y Trabajadores de la Cultura, Estocolmo- Suecia. Heikki Pesonen. Researcher, Dept of Comparative Religion, University of Helsinki, Finland
Gitte Tofte. Músico, Danzante y Investigador. Casa de la Música Tradicional Danesa. Høgager, Dinamarca Nathalie Iturra E. Estudiante de Antropología, Univ. Concordia. Montreal, Canada
Héctor Estrella Alfaro: Educador y Escritor. Directivo de Asociación Nórdica Latinoamericana para la Educación Popular. Estocolmo, Suecia. Olivier Turquet. Periodista. Miembro del Partito Umanista de Italia y Coordinador informativo de la Asociación Ecopacifista PeaceLink. Italia
Jose A. Mariman Quemenado. Ma. Ciencias Politicas, Colorado University at Denver. USA José Manuel López Arellano. Graduado Social. Gobierno Vasco. España
Hanna Uusimaa. Student, Department of Biology, University of Helsinki. Finland  Jose Miguel Zaldunbide Uriguen. Licenciado en Ciencias Económicas. Técnico de Normalización Lingüística. Gobierno Vasco. España
Ikerne Argarate Iriondo. Administrativa. Funcionaria del Gobierno Vasco. España Pälvi Eliala, Student. Helsinki, Finland.
Graciela Iturra E. Bac. en Animación Cultural, Univ. de Quebec. Canada Asociación Ñuke Mapu. Helsinki, Finlandia
Maximilian KJ Goris. Terapeuta Manual. Bélgica Juan Sebastián Oehrens. Físico, PPRE Universidad de Oldenburg. RF Alemania
Tinku-Danmark. Organización de intercambio con Culturas Originarias de América Latina. Aalborg. Dinamarca Rajaval Philip. Masters degree in Social Anthropology and Fil. Licentiate in Sociology. Department of sociology, Uppsala University. Uppsala, Sweden 
Asociación Ñuke Mapu. Estocolmo Suecia Ingrid Jansson. (MSc), Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. Stockholm, Sweden
Vladimir Reinhardt. Psicólogo, Profesor de la Escuela Universitaria de Terrassa. Miembro de SOS. Racisme. Barcelona. España Beth Maina Ahlberg. Sociologist, Dept of Sociology, Uppsala University and Karolinska Institutet. Stockholm, Sweden.
Lars Sidefors. Itkonsult. Pol mag, Itplan. Stockholm, Sweden Elizabeth Ståhl. Interprete Autorizada en Español, Itakto AB. Enebyberg, Sweden
Rodrigo Villalobos Cáceres, Fotógrafo. Norrtälje, Sverige Ann-Sofi Eklöv. Cajera. Norrtälje, Sweden
Mariana Cáceres Riquelme. Profesora de Educación Diferencial con Mención en Artes Plásticas, Escuelas Especiales de Norrtälje, Sweden Loreto Villalobos Cáceres. Estudiante de Teatro. Norrtälje, Sweden
Daniel Villalobos Briseña. Obrero de Papelera. Hallstavik, Sweden Judy Carrico- Kuhn. MA and BA in Anthropology, Business Anthropologist. Motorola, Inc. Austin, Texas, USA
Asociación Amigos de los Indios. EspañaIzquierda Unida - Comite Salvador Allende. Vancouver, Canada Izquierda Unida - Comite Salvador Allende. Vancouver, Canada
Jaime Muñoz Ramirez, Stockholm, Sweden Organización de Apoyo a los Presos Políticos en Chile OPRECH-Suecia