Boric proposes restoring lands to indigenous Chileans

Chilean President Gabriel Boric announced on Friday the creation of a commission that will determine how many ancestral territories are claimed by the Mapuche indigenous people of La Araucanía and how many can be returned, in the first concrete initiative that seeks to resolve the widespread crisis affecting the region, the poorest in the world. South American country.

He specified that the entity, which he called the Commission for Peace and Understanding, will start operating in March 2023 and will work for two years. He warned that “It will not be possible to restore all the lands” that were usurped by the Chilean State in the 19th century, nor will they materialize before the end of his government, in 2026.

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The announcement was made at the end of a two-day visit to the region that suffers constant arson attacks that are claimed by small groups of Mapuches who demand the return of territories by force, although the majority of the indigenous people seek the same objective through peaceful.

The attacks intensified with the visit of borik to La Araucanía, 600 kilometers south of the Chilean capital, where he met with authorities, unions, parliamentarians and relatives of people killed in violent attacks.

Shortly before arriving in the area, there were at least three arson attacks and roadblocks, and during the early hours of Friday the destruction of a truck and the attempted burning of a house with its inhabitants inside were added, those who managed to flee , according to police commander Alejandro Albán.

borik explained that the commission must also deliver “Specific deadlines to settle and repair this debt that the State of Chili has with the Mapuche people”.

He did not detail who will make up the commission, although he anticipated that it will be led by Víctor Ramos, a psychologist and Master in Social Studies and a specialist in public policy. He is a member of the leftist Social Convergence collective, like Boric.

The ruler added that many cities in the south were built on territories that were Mapuche and that there are families that have lived in them for generations, whose rights will be protected. “That is not why we are going to give up the search for an understanding.”narrowed.

La Araucanía is considered the poorest of the 16 Chilean regions, and the permanent violence in that area slows down investment, according to authorities.

Boric, who has been in power for eight months, admitted for the first time that several of the attacks in the region are of a terrorist nature and anticipated that the government will use all available legal tools to prosecute those responsible. “All parties will have to make concessions”, he pointed.

La Araucanía and the neighboring region of Biobío live under a state of emergency that allows the president to use the military to collaborate with the police in controlling the routes of the so-called Southern Macrozone. Added to the permanent attacks are violent acts carried out by wood thieves and drug gangs, according to the government.

Source: Elcomercio

Ronald Payne

I, Ronald Payne, am a journalist and author who dedicated his life to telling the stories that need to be said. I have over 7 years of experience as a reporter and editor, covering everything from politics to business to crime.