| April 11, 2009 Seven Mapuche detained in Puerto Choque Accused of Ambush Against Prosecutor Elgueta Source: paismapuche, Radio Bio Bio. |
During the mourning hours, seven community members of the Puerto Choque area, in Tirua township, were detained after an immense, violent raid in three Mapuche communities for their alleged participation in the ambush of Prosecutor, Mario Elgueta's repressive team, last October. According to Emol.com (El Mercurio newspaper), those detained were: José Hueneche, Javier Navarro, Ramón Llanquileo, Luis Menares, and the brothers Juan, Cesar and Norberto Parra. At this moment they are being held in pre-trail court in the town of Cañete. The assaulted communities of María Colipi, Bernancio Ñeguey and Estanban Yebileo were completely raided by more than 150 special force officers, including investigations and police, who were heavily armed, destroying homes and crops with no respect to the integrity women, children and elders. Today's seven detainees are added to Wednesday's arrest of five Mapuche in the Tranaquepe Estate, south of Choque, who's formalization of charges were postponed from last Thursday to midday, Saturday by the Cañete prosecutor, Luis Morales. According to the Governor of Arauco, Rodrigo Daroch, this delay is a simple "coincidence," arguing that the first five are linked to the theft of lumber, while today's detainees will be charged with "Assault against Authority." The Governor states that out of those arrested "some are Mapuche, while some are not." Defence of the Mapuche Communities. The ambush against prosecutor Elgueta's police team of followers on October 16th, 2008, was carried out by a group of Mapuche Weichafe [Warriors], whom repelled a police operative in defence of the territorial reclamation the various communities of the area have been elaborating. Police investigators Walter Oyace and Jorge Ogueda were injured, as well as Sergeants Eladio Quiroz and Jorge Sepúlveda, inspector Rojas and the very own Elgueta came out with hand pellet wounds. The investigation is in the hands of the Regional Prosecutor of Bio Bio, Ximena Hassi, forming a team with the Chief prosecutor of Arauco, Francisco Ljubec and two specialized prosecutors in the Mapuche conflict, Miguel Angel Velázquez and Mario Elgueta. Presently, the military reinforcement of Mapuche communities and its surroundings is being carried out for fear of reprisals before the unleashed police repression. WE CALL TO STAY ALERT TO THE ARBITRARY POLICE PROCEEDINGS AND TO CAREFULLY FOLLOW THE JUDICIAL OFFENSE AGAINST THE DETAINED COMMUNITY MEMBERS. Distributed by: The Women's Coordinating Committee Chile-Canada Email: wccc_98@hotmail.com |