Sir: we are one Community of Chileans living and studying abroad, that despite the distance, feel that we cannot remain indifferent before the sad events that have shaken the country in recent weeks. As Chilean citizens, we believe it is our duty to express our position on the events in Araucanía. We strongly condemn the killing of Camilo Catrillanca, either have been their circumstances. In the same way, we condemn any act of violence by the armed forces and Carabineros, whose first and foremost job should be to protect all the citizens of the country, whatever its origin and condition. We condemn the presence of the “jungle command” in the Araucanía as a disproportionate response to a conflict of long standing and many variables. This Act of the State does not contribute anything good in dealing with the problem, on the contrary, contributes to militarize the area increasing the climate of violence. We condemn the clumsy Act of the highest authorities of the country, making accomplice to the State of Chile as a whole, and therefore to all of us, of the crime committed. State that, after many days of what has happened, has failed to give satisfactory answers to the citizens. We also condemn the inability of the State of Chile, to find permanent solutions to the so-called conflict of the Araucanía region, which has been extended by over one hundred fifty years. The State, through insufficient answers, has been only deepening segregation, discrimination and extermination of a nation, being completely unable to understand or at least consider the identity dimension, cosmological and cultural of the mapuche people. Therefore, the State de-facto denies recognition to one of the most important indigenous communities of our country. As an academic community, feel the duty to contribute to understanding and total understanding of the conflict, feed the discussion with arguments and points of view needed and contribute to the knowledge of our own history and culture, of its complexities and contradictions. We understand at the same time, that the problem goes beyond any ideological considerations, because bad historical management of successive Governments, added this to an official history biased and full of gaps, has not only not only stigmatize the mapuche nation, but a Anyone who holds a different identity, leading to our society through a path empty, ignorant, racist, classist, intolerant and indolent.
Who agree with this letter, even though we are far, also feel the connection with the pain that causes the conflict to an entire society and especially to those who have found the death, their families and their friends.
Community of Chileans in York, United Kingdom
Tobías Gabriel Palma Carlos Zamora Maria Jose Gonzalez
Camila Toledo Miguel Angel Gaete
Patricia Lakes Arredondo
Veronica Gonzalez fear
Simón Aburto
Claudio Santander Carmen Troncoso
Javier Andres Montalvo Cabrera Katherina Walper
Paula Avello
