| March 5, 2009 Mapuches from Chequenco Sentenced by Chilean Justice. By: The Women's Coordinating Committee Chile-Canada |
| After a twenty minute delay in the hearing trial, Angol, Chile, the judges sentenced Andres Lican Lican, Juan Bernado Lican Melinao and Luis Millacheo Ñanco as guilty of theft with intimidation. They would have to continue remaining in protective custody until next Monday at 8 pm, when the trial will rule the final verdict. Meanwhile, the charges were dropped from Juan Toro Ñanco and Leonardo Lican Ñanco. The sentenced peñi [brothers] could spend up to 4 to 5 years behind bars, or in the best of cases, would have to comply with with a sign-in sentence or some other precautionary check measures in release, which is probable since they did not have any prior criminal record. After the reading of the sentence, the rejection of the family and Mapuche community members of Ercilla (as well as other places in Wallmapu) was made known. We are confronting a full set-up, with bright lights and evidence which everyone could see in the trial, with protected witness testimonies that made no particular point. Once again, the bias of the Chilean Justice Court is being proven, composed by judges who yield unto the pressures by the State police force, which protect capitalist interests throughout Mapuche Territory. We must emphasize the support of the Newen Mapu Jose Millacheo Community of Chequenco, who never left their brothers alone, as well as the presence and support of so many other Mapuche of Malleco, Arauco, and Cautín, together with emblematic Lonko(s) of the communities in conflict, family and loved ones of our Weichafe Matias Catrileo and people in solidarity who anonymously give their support in difficult times. Pais Mapuche Distributed by: The Women's Coordinating Committee Chile-Canada Email: wccc_98@hotmail.com |