In the face of raids, brutal beatings and unjustified transfers, Mapuche Political Prisoners in the Temuco prison charge that these events are part of a broader strategy that seeks to dismantle the existing community modules in Chilean prisons.
“PUBLIC STATEMENT BY MAPUCHE POLITICAL PRISONERS, CCP TEMUCO COMMUNITY MODULE
The Mapuche political prisoners held in the Temuco prison salute our traditional authorities, Pu Lonko, Pu Werken and Pu Machi, as well as the communities in resistance, and declare the following:
On Monday, March 31, at approximately 10:30 a.m., we were violently raided in the first instance by officials of this penal facility, who were later reinforced by personnel of the U.S.E.P.
As a result of this act, innumerable damages were caused, such as the destruction of furniture, the theft of sporting goods, the arbitrary and excessive use of tear gas, and various physical and verbal aggressions (verbatim words of Lieutenant Martínez and Sergeant Ramírez: “Indios Culiaos, Indios Perkines”).
The most affected peñi was Rodrigo Cáseres Salamanca, who underwent surgery on his right arm less than six months ago and is still in the process of rehabilitation. However, this was not an impediment for the Gendarmerie officials, who continued with the beating without any consideration.
Despite their state of health, the Peñi Rodrigo Cáseres Salamanca, Patricio Queipul and Anthu Llanca were transferred to three different prisons: Angol, Valdivia and Concepción. Where they were sent to maximum security modules, without the right to TV or radio, with a regime of 22 hours of solitary confinement, and 2 hours of courtyard.
It should be noted that the latter two were recently acquitted of a set-up orchestrated by the Gendarmerie of the Angol prison.
We see with this as a first conclusion that the orchestrators of the raid were: the recently transferred Lieutenant Hernández from the concessioned prison of Concepción, who on Monday, March 31, occupied the position of deputy warden, the operational chief of the OSI Mijail Morales, the non-commissioned officer Martínez and Sergeant Ramírez, directed and protected by Néstor Flores, regional director of the gendarmerie.
It is evident that what happened is part of a provocative maneuver directed against the Mapuche political prisoners, and we know that this is only one piece of a broader strategy that seeks to dismantle the existing modules of community members in the Chilean prisons located in our Wallmapu.
This intention is clearly demonstrated by the modifications in the internal regime that will be implemented arbitrarily, without prior notice and under the direction of Lieutenant Hernández. Added to this is the daily harassment to which we are subjected, which is manifested through sanctions that are not officially recorded, which rather respond to racist attributions on the part of Gendarmerie officials.
This strategy is also supported by the entire political class, which acts at the service of business interests, the gendarmerie is nothing more than a puppet institution of political interests and the business community.
We demand that our status as Mapuche political prisoners be respected, as well as our culture, social practices and worldview. Ratified by ILO Convention 169.
From the political prisoners module of the Temuco prison, we call for solidarity with the peñi transferred to the prisons of Angol, Valdivia and Concepción.
In addition, we urge to be alert to the repressive and offensive maneuvers directed against the Mapuche political prisoners modules and the eventual mobilizations that may arise.
Immediate transfers of Rodrigo Caseres Salamanca, Patricio Queipul Millanao and Anthu Llanca Quidel to the CCP Temuko community module.
Freedom for All Mapuche Political Prisoners.
For unity in the Weichan
Presos Políticos Mapuche CCP Temuko.»
Via & translated by Abolition Media