The Political Trial Against Chequenco

The Political Trial Against Chequenco  
We find ourselves once again before a new fascist trial against our Mapuche People. Our brothers of the Newen Mapu Jose Millacheo Community of Chequenco, incarcerated in the town of Angol, began to confront this framed political trial carried out by the Chilean government, responding to the threatened capitalist interests in Wallmapu: Mapuche Territory.
 
The eight Mapuche community members are accused of being the authors of burning a logging truck in the area of San Ramon de Ercilla on April 26, 2008. The prosecution is asking for a sentence of four to fifteen years.
 
The date was moved to the 19th [of February] in order to switch one of the defence attorneys for someone of greater trust. It was in this way the fraudulent trial began, who is being presided by the jude Andres Villagra.
 
In this first stage of the montage, the charges against five of the eight accused, Leonardo Lican, Juan Toro, Luis Millacheo, Andres Lican and Juan Lican are defended by attorneys Ricardo Caceres and Jaime Lopez. On the part of those who sue them, along with the prosecution, are the attorneys of the Malleco local government and that of Lascar Co., transport company that services Mininco [Logging Corporation].
 
The accusing government and forestry block will bring in a panel of experts and 51 witnesses, five of which are "protected", remaining nameless and faceless, presenting themselves under a curtain with their voices in distortion.
 
Persecution
 
The Chequenco Community has maintained territorial control on the Chiguaihue estate for over a decade; land that was usurped by Forestal Mininco logging company. Years where the Mapuche families have developed a greater process of struggle together with other Mapuche communities in conflict. In this way, they have represented a threat to the capitalist expansion over Mapuche Territory.
 
The constant persecution and harassment towards our brothers is solidified in this political trial with Miguel Angel Velasquez as the prosecution, who known for his cruelty against this community, where even children have been kidnapped and interrogated.
 
Continuing with this trend, Velasquez affirmed that the truck in question was attacked for taking "stolen wood" from the logging company, by which the defence claims their defendants were not there the day the incident took place.
 
After the day's opening statements, the trial will continue on today, Saturday, from 8:30 am.
 
Pais Mapuche
Saturday, February 21st, 2009
 
Distributed by: The Women's Coordinating Committee Chile-Canada
Email: wccc_98@hotmail.com

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