Mapuche Protest in Santiago

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Freedom for Filmmaker ELENA VARELA

After traveling throughout southern Chile for several weeks to investigate the recent cases of arrested documentary filmmakers in Chile in particular the strange case of arrested documentary filmmaker Elena Varela . As a documentary filmmaker from Canada with Chilean background who came to complete an investigative documentary on the problematic mining project know as “Pascua Lama”. I immediately became interested with these cases as they could have severe implications for the future of any controversial documentary projects shoot in Chile.

Elena Varela and five other was people were arrested by the Police of Investigations for being linked to the radical organization MIR and responsible for the bloody robbery to the INP office in Machalí, near Rancagua which occurred in June of the 2005 just south of Santiago.

Just last week the Socialist Party (PS) Dep. and head of the Chamber of Deputies’ Human Rights Commission Sergio Aguiló demanded on Tuesday that Interior Minister Edmundo Pérez Yoma present evidence justifying the arrest and detainment of documentary filmmaker Elena Varela. (ST) Aug 06 2008

“We need to know if there is an actual legal case here or if her (Varela´s) rights have been violated,” said Aguiló. “We want to establish why irregularities, such as those that have occurred in this case, are being accepted in our democratic system.”

Executive of Investigations and of the National Agency of Intelligence (ANI ) informed the commission of Human Rights of the Camera of Diputados that the detention of Elena Varela was in the legal norms of the law. The representative Tucapel Jiménez, the director of the National Agency of Intelligence, Gustavo Villalobos, and the Operating deputy director of the Police of Investigations, General René Castellón , stated that before the commission.

Last week, the commission had received the testimony of the lawyer and relatives of the documentary maker, who they delivered a completely different version from the facts. “ This is the strangest case I have ever worked as of today she has not been formally charged with any crime after over 3 months in jail” says her lawyer Ruben Perez .


Now after 3 months sitting in a Rancagua jail awaiting trail and not even officially charged with any crime Varela the director of the documentary “Newen Mapuche” is now “free” . As she was finally allowed to leave the Rancagua jail there was a group of press from the National regional channels waiting for an interview but she choose to leave with her family and not speak to anyone. “The same press in Chile had persecuted me and condemned me from the beginning but they only broadcast what sells not the truth” , commented Elena .


“I am finally happy to be home with my daughter and family after being held injusticely in prison for something I had no involvement . Like I have always maintained I am innocent ,an artist , I am not what they say I am . However, I will have to return to face these accusations at the end of Oct or beginning of November”.






Tomorrow in Santiago there is a Mobilization for the Freedom and Expression and Creation that was planned to draw attention for the case of Elena Varela at 1pm at PARQUE FORESTAL. When asked if she would attend she commented “I am not sure as the strict restrictions of my release demands that I return home every evening at a set time . However , I would like to thank the whole audiovisual community and others that supported me and my family this whole time.”

Elena Varela is composer and Creator of the culture of Arts in Santiago, with work in documentary films and journalism in the University Arcis, a license in music and titled in the University of Chile; She also founded the symphony Orchestra Intercultural of Children of Panguipulli.

The Prosecutor of the Ministerio Publico of Rancagua in this case Cervando Perez who served a warrant for her arrest was contacted several times but not available for comment.

Link to You Tube Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vf2BJO5tgg



Story and Photos by Christian Peña

Mapuche Documentaries under threat in Chile

In the last five months there have been several incidents of arrest , detainment and in one case expulsion by the Chilean authorities of documentary filmmakers . Each case is unique but what they all have in common is the all three groups have been filming documentaries about the Mapuche’s in the IX region of southern Chile near the city of Temuco.

First a group of French filmmakers Cristopher Cyril Harrison (26) and Joffery Paul Rossi(20) arrived to
film the reality of mapuche community. One night they filmed a fire and caribineros saw them and asked them if they started the fire and if they were part of the ETA in Spain. The police later left as they could not enter the community .

A few days later on 20th of March they travelled to the nearby town of Collipulli , when around 10-15 police approached them and asked them for their ID and told them this was only identity control. When one of them was found to not have their ID on them so they were taken in and detained for more than 10 hours , without council or a translator. “We didn’t know what was happening or if they were suspects” says Cristopher Cyril Harrison

They were taken to Angol and spoke with the Fiscal there who told them they were a witness to what you recorded and confiscated their camera and tapes. “You can not make a declaration or interview without an interpreter this is international law, we were treated like common criminals,” says Cristopher .

Later they told them they were in violation of Article 26 No #1 of the foreigner’s law, which was adopted by Pinochet during his dictatorship. The law states, “ A foreigner can not act against the interest of the State” .
An unidentified police officer said to one of the filmmakers “ Chile washes its dirty laundry among (familia) family”.

The Indententia Nora Barriente of Temuco after meeting with the French embassy representative’s to help mediate their arrest and possible expulsion. The Indenentia has the power to allow the filmmakers to stay or expel them from the country. They were allowed to stay in the country as long as they signed a notification to respect ” strictly the laws of the country” .The representative from the French Embassy told the filmmakers, “ we don’t want any trouble, I can’t help you if this goes to trail. We don’t want to get involved” .

A controversial Mapuche leader of the organization Consejo de Todo La Tierras leader known as Aucan Huilcaman who invited the filmmakers to the community to film the reality, spoke out to give support to the French filmmakers. “There are two laws that are left over since the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet that have not been used in over 10 years , the law of anti-terrorist and the law of foreigners . They have not made any modifications to these laws and can be used arbitrarily to any Mapuche or supporters of our community.”

Another group of filmmakers from Italy , Dario Inseffi (19) and Guiseppe Gabriele (28) were also in the region with the plan to travel to several indigenous communities in different countries and document the life and struggles of the indigenous community. They were just beginning their journey when they filmed a symbolic event, which was on private property of owner Rene Urban ,which was considered illegal and were arrested. On 13th of May they were arrested for the same infraction of the law as well as public disorder. Dario Inseffi was quoted in the Diario Austral of Temuco “We were treated like the worst terrorist”

However in both these cases “what was considered illegal by the authorities doesn’t even constitute a crime. It all depends on how you interrupt the law”, says unnamed source.

This time the Italians appealed the decision but were not allowed to leave the city of Temuco and had to call the authorizes to let them know where they were at all times. They were stuck in Temuco for two months before the authorities made their final decision.

This time with the precedent of the French case and what the government saw as an increase of foreigners traveling to the region to support and document the Mapuche struggles. The message the government wants to send out is that in Chile don’t come and participate in activism or support these groups here as the government will not allow that. They came to the decision to come down hard on these filmmakers to make an example of them. Had them expelled from the country for “ public disorder” because since they entered as tourist and they violated their tourist visa. And once expelled they never allowed to return again, ever!

During a press conference Nora Barrientos the Indentenia of the Temuco IX Region says “ in this case it is different the French filmmakers recorded from a distance where the Italian filmmakers participated. This is a serious situation, because what they filmed is illegal .” I asked on several occasions to the office of the communications for the Indentenia of Temuco for an interview to clear up some of the details and ask her some unanswered questions about these cases. I never heard back from her office.

As one journalist put it , “The other reason was they are not considered accredited journalist or for that matter documentary film makers they were considered tourists”. “ they are considered consider “Idealist or activists” and they don’t have the same rights or privileges that we have as journalist . They arrive here to film and live among the Mapuche people to see their reality and their day-to-day lives. Which to any foreign person would be a great experience , says a source that wishes to remain unnamed . They arrive with that mentality and without knowing the laws or norms of the country .

And finally on May 7th the most bizarre of all the cases straight out of a Hollywood film the case of Elena Varela. A Chilean filmmaker shooting a documentary called “ NEWEN MAPUCHE” with financing from the state FONDART . She has been working on this film about the conflict between lumber companies and Chile's Mapuche Indigenous people, over the use of land. She was taken from her home production office in Paguipulli that is 2.5 hours from Temuco and flown to Rancagua . “ I am being arrested for the film I am making about the Mapuches”. In this case the filmmaker was arrested along with 6 others and taken to a Rancagua jail until trial. They are accused of two-bank holdup one in Lonche and other in Machali were four people died in that incident.

Her video camera , over three years of filming (250 mini dv tapes) a hard drive and costumes were taken as evidence. Amnesty International believes that the authorities have arrested her in an attempt to halt investigations into this conflict and in an attempt to intimidate her and the Mapuche Indigenous people.
They fear that this information could be used by Chilean security forces to intimidate and harass Mapuche activists and those who contributed their opinions to the research. “ this is the strangest case I have ever worked as of today she has not been formally charged with any crime after over 3 months in jail” says her lawyer Ruben Perez .

If this type of repression is allowed to continue in Chile then it signals the“ death of the Documentary in Chile as we know it and infringes on other forms of expressions, says Fransico Gedda Professor of film studies in the University of Chile who spoke at the first press conference which hardly any media covered .

Time will tell if this new approach of a Iron fist towards foreign and Chilean (activist) filmmakers working in Chile will decrease or will this draw more attention to the problem and cause more conflict.

Link to filmmaker video on You Tube (in Spanish)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GspteAZX7vo


Story and Photos by Christian Peña

Expulsion of Idealists in Mapuche country

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Video clip from Chile media U A of Temuco

Judge Juan Guzman speaks with Mapuche leaders

(on left Aucán Huilcaman Paillama, on right judge Juan Guzman)

On the final day of a three day tour of the IX region Judge Juan Guzman meet with the organization Consejo de Todo La Tierras. during his three days in the IX region he travelled to the commmunity of Temucuicui to meet with leaders there, as well as a women's prison.
Juan Guzman is one of Chile's most famous and contreversial judges as he went after Dictator Augusto Pinochet while he was in England for backsurgery.

Aucán Huilcaman Paillama, in charge of Internatioanl relations explains ," the plan is to create a school for the auto government of Mapuche for the 2010 Bicenterio .The first conference was on the 23 of July-We Tripantu Año Nuevo Mapuche-on the day of the New Year .In this declaration it establishes a Plan of Action the creation of a autonomous school for he Mapuche community. This initiavite is mentioned in the contexto of the implemantaion and of teh fundamentals mentioned in Declaration of the United Nations human Rights of the Peublos Indiginaas adopted the 13th of Sept 2007.



The mission is that this insition contribute to the education and training and and the formation of leaders Mapuche of various communities and organizations of the Peublo Mapuche.
A new prespectivo of fuindamental rights free of identatid culture and social compromise.

La Misión de esta institución consiste en contribuir mediante la educación y la capacitación, a la formación de líderes Mapuche de las distintas comunidades y organizaciones del Pueblo Mapuche, desde una perspectiva de los derechos fundamentales del Pueblo Mapuche, libre determinación, identidad, cultura, y compromiso social.

4.- Su Visión se orienta a que la Escuela Mapuche para el Autogobierno sea la institución que dé la pauta en el campo de la educación de un liderazgo social en base al principio de la Libre determinación y el Autogobierno Mapuche, cuyos programas académicos propicien liderazgos que contribuyan eficazmente a la implementación del autogobierno Mapuche

5.- El organismo contará con una dirección académica liderado por el Juez Juan Guzmán Tapia junto a las autoridades tradicionales Mapuche y una dirección ejecutiva para la elaboración e implementación de los contenidos de la educación. Asimismo, contará con un equipo de docentes altamente calificados.

6.- Los líderes comunitarios e integrantes de organizaciones Mapuche deberán autofinanciar su participación. Y está previsto el inicio del proceso académico durante el mes de octubre 2008.

The school of of autogoverment will be found in permante instalations en the city of temuco, and rotate to other cities like Santiago, Concepción, Los Angeles, Valdivia, Osorno, Puerto Montt y Chiloe. their will be an Admission to particpiapte.
7.- La Escuela Para el Autogobierno contará con instalaciones permanente en la cuidad de Temuco, e instalaciones rotativas en las ciudades de Santiago, Concepción, Los Angeles, Valdivia, Osorno, Puerto Montt y Chiloe. Asimismo, se establecerá un proceso de Admisión para la participación.

100 Years Anniversary, Allende Lives!

Today in Santiago outside La Moneda was the 100 birthday of ex President Salvador Allende Gossen. The official ceremony was began with many representatives from the government and foreign delegates and press who traveled here to pay their respects . Some of the people in attendace were José Antonio Viera-Gallo Quesney Ministerio Secretaría General, Senador Girardi (PPD) , Ministera of Cultura Paulina Uruutia, Ministra de Media Ambiente Ana Lya Uriarte Rodríguez, (PS) .

Finally the daughter of the President Isabel Allende made a emotional speech and said of the ceremony " it is “moving” to see that her father is considered “a universal icon”. “It is almost surreal to see how the one hundredth anniversary of his birth is being commemorated in practically all parts of the world. It is moving and, at the same time, this just and well-deserved recognition offers a sense of pride for resolve and loyalty to principles and to someone who gave up his life for his dreams and what he believed in”.

She was presented a jacket as a gift that was recoverd as many of the artifacts were ether lost destroyed or stolen.

Congress votes on LGE in Valparasio, Students take to the streets Santiago

Students and teachers took to the streets in many parts of Chile on the day when it was to vote in the Congress in Valparasio on the Education Law. In Valparaiso, the national Congress is debating the controversial legislation, 10,000 teachers marched in peaceful demonstrations. Many of the hundreds of teachers boarded buses to protest in Valparasio but were not allow in to the public area of the Congress. " We want an equilibrium in the education system especially for the poorest, there are lots of benefits for very few and little benefits for others" says, Jaime Gajardo, president of Chile's National College of Teachers.

However in Santiago thousands of students marched from the Tobalada at 10am this morning through the Providencia neighborhood all the way to Plaza Italia to protest an education bill they say doesn't go far enough to bring equal access for all .

Education) with the "We don't like the LGE (Ley General de Education) and we want it killed in the Congress says Matias Palma (2nd picture above on the right) student from Instituto National . In 2006 was the first massive movement against the LOCE , since then they created the LGE(Ley General de Alianza por Chile and the Concentration party. After doing an analysis of the we found that their were some problems with the LGE . However the LOCE is horrible and we have seen studied it since 2006 and we have to the conclusion that we have to change it.

As many students and media continued to arrive at Plaza Italia more special forces were brought in and where ready to prevent this illegal gathering from getting out of hand. The police quickly tried to disperse the people with tear gas and water mixed with checmicals and water fromthe Mapocho river. Students retailatied by threwing rocks,blocking roads and destroying property .At least over 100 arrests where made with several youths having to seek medical attention for injuries.

Finally the important vote was suspended with no resolution until tomorrow when the Congress will try to vote again.

Story and photos by Christian Peña

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