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24-hr Nationwide Vigil for Mapuche Political Prisoners

This is an invitation to come support a NATION WIDE 24 HOUR VIGIL in support of the Mapuche Political Prisoners who, like native people from north to south, are putting their lives on the line in order to protect what little remains of this sacred earth - a fight that is universal - for all of humanity's future generations.

Several major cities across Canada will be holding a 24 hr vigil outside of the Chilean consulates:

- FROM THURSDAY 12NOON TILL FRIDAY 12 NOON.
- IN TORONTO THE CHILEAN CONSULATE IS @ THE CORNER OF YONGE AND BLOOR.
- PEOPLE ARE INVITED TO COME FOR WHATEVER TIME THEY CAN. WE'LL BE THERE 24 HOURS.

Several of us will be fasting in symbolic solidarity with our Mapuche brothers and sisters and you are invited to do the same if you wish.

Bring drums, voices, candles, banners, prayers, chairs, and strength.

Hope to see you there.

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PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
(en español al final)

Monday May 30th, 2006

24 Hour Vigil in Support of Mapuche Political Prisoners Launched in Cities Across Canada.

In Toronto and Major Canadian cities: a series of coordinated 24 hour vigils and symbolic fasts in support of the Mapuche Political Prisoners will be held in front of the Chilean Consulates across the country.

Communities will gather in front of Chilean Consulates for 24 hours in each city starting this Thursday June 1st at 12 pm. In Toronto the Chilean consulate is located at 2 Bloor St. W. at the intersection of Yonge and Bloor.

Human Rights Organizations, Collectives for the Mapuche cause and people around the world are taking action to denounce the Chilean government’s repressive and inhumane treatment of a dozen Indigenous Mapuche Political Prisoners in that country.

The Mapuche people, native to Wallmapu, the territory today known as Argentina and Chile, has been fighting for hundreds of years to maintain their territory and autonomy through a succession of repressive governments that have launched campaigns of genocide against them.

Today in southern Chile, the Mapuche political prisoners have been incarcerated for defending their communities from government and transnational energy, mining and forestry corporations –among others – who expropriate and poison what little land they have left in favour of neoliberal interests.

Four of these Mapuche Political Prisoners are now in a second recession from a hunger strike that lasted 65 days, resulting in near death and irreparable damage to vital organs, revealing the extent of the Government’s indifference towards their plight for justice.

The Mapuche Political Prisoners and their support groups are demanding that the Chilean government of President Michelle Bachelet grant their freedom and abolish the Anti-Terrorist law under which they were unfairly convicted.

This is the same law that was created during the military dictatorship of Pinochet, being condemned internationally by different Human Rights organizations and which is still being used by the supposedly progressive government currently in power.

Freedom to All Mapuche Political Prisoners!

For further information please contact:
Salvador Gallegos at 416-910-1466


COMUNICADO DE PRENSA

Lunes 30 de Mayo, 2006

Vigilia de 24 Horas en Apoyo a los Presos Politicos Mapuche sera Lanzada en Ciudades a traves del Canadá.

Organizaciones de Derechos Humanos, Colectivos por la causa mapuche, y personas en todo el mundo estan tomando acciones para denunciar el trato inhumano y represivo de parte del Gobierno Chileno hacia una decena de Presos Politicos Mapuche en ese pais.

El pueblo Mapuche, originario del Wallmapu, territorio conocido hoy como Argentina y Chile, ha estado luchando por cientos de años para conservar su territorio y autonomia, frente a una sucesión de gobiernos represivos que han lanzado campañas genocidas en su contra.

Hoy en el sur de Chile, los presos politicos Mapuche han sido encarcelados por defender a sus comunidades del gobierno y las corporaciones transnacionales energéticas, mineras, incluyendo a forestales – quienes expropian y envenenan lo que les queda de sus tierras a favor de intereses neolibérales.

Cuatro de estos Pres@s Politic@s Mapuche, estan en un segundo receso de una huelga de hambre que llevaba 65 dias, resultando casi su muerte y en daños irreparables a sus organos vitales, revelando el grado de indiferencia de parte del Gobierno frente a sus revendicaciones.

Los Pres@s Politic@s Mapuche y sus grupos de apoyo estan exigiendo su libertad al gobierno chileno de la Dra. Bachelet y la abolición de la ley Anti-Terrorista bajo la cual fueron injustamente condenados. Es esta misma ley la que fue creada bajo la dictadura militar de Pinochet, condenada por diferentes Organismos internacionales de Derechos Humanos y que sigue siendo usada por los sucesivos gobiernos de la Concertacion.

Una serie de vigilias de 24 horas se llevaran a cabo en las principales ciudades de Canada, comenzando este Jueves 1 de junio a las 12pm, frente a los consulados Chilenos.

Libertad a todos los Presos Políticos Mapuche!
Fuera las multinacionales del territorio Mapuche!
Castigo a los asesinos de Alex Lemún y Zenen Díaz Necul! Territorio y Autonomía al pueblo Mapuche!

Para mas informacion contactar a: Salvador Gallegos 416-910-1466

posted by Annamarie at 7:28 PM