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Mapuche: In the Search for Truth and Justice Leah Cassidy Nations often re-tell their glorious pasts. Conquests
major element of the population. Avelino Meñaco,
are commemorated and written down in history books
the lonco of Communidad Pascual Coña was 17 years
for prosperity purposes. This history contributes in
old when Pinochet came to power. The hope for
part to feelings of national identity and holds
democracy brought an expectation of freedom for
particular relevance to citizens. More relevant but
the Mapuche. When democracy was restored, in
under-reported, is the history that has been omitted
Meñaco’s experience he felt that, “Everything
by those in power. Gross violations of human rights
continued to be the same.” In his eyes there is little
including genocide, torture, rape, disappearances,
democracy in Chile, a sentiment often echoed by
murder, false imprisonment, detention, cruel and
many Mapuche.1 “Full participation in a democratic
inhuman treatment and punishment are part of this
society can only occur if the issue of accountability is
world’s un-glorious past. These international crimes
dealt with”1 and if the demands for truth and justice
are also part of the present as well as the future of
of all parties scarred by history are answered.
nations. Political and military repression, corruption,
Unwittingly or not, the government, employing
economic discrimination and other forms of
discriminatory tactics has created two parallel states
misgovernment are common forms of abuse. In fact
sharing an uneasy space, the Chilean state and the
“around the world, people are far more apt to be
Mapuche state. The rights of Mapuche continue to be
harmed by their own than by other governments.”1 In
exploited through police repression, invasive
the name of national security, human rights, including
infrastructure projects and government approval of
the rights to truth and justice have been abandoned
environmentally harmful forestry, mining and
and atrocities justified. Chile continues to struggle
industrial projects. Criminalization of Mapuche by
with demands for truth and justice for the many
both the political and legal systems, supported by
murdered, tortured and ‘disappeared’ during the 17
the strength of the Carabineros, persists. It is little
years of the Pinochet dictatorship. Difficulties are
wonder the Mapuche are so disaffected with Chile.
apparent in this country trying to come to terms with
The most fundamental right of the Mapuche is to
Chilean hurts and attempting to heal Chilean wounds.
maintain their own specific cultural identity tied to
However the progress made by mainstream Chilean
the earth, which not only provides a way of life but
society in the transitional justice process and the
also is the “media of cultural and spiritual integrity
transition to democracy has left out the Mapuche, a
for the entire community.”1
Transitional Injustice, Chile 2009
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