Chile’s Indian uprising

TEMUCUICUI, Chile | Small groups of Mapuche Indians have so rattled Chile by seizing forests, burning buses and attacking police to demand land and autonomy that the leftist government has turned to dictatorship-era measures to quell the violence.

The government of President Michelle Bachelet is prosecuting Mapuche activists with secret evidence, protected witnesses and other tough aspects of an anti-terrorism law inherited from Gen. Augusto Pinochet, who jailed and tortured Ms. Bachelet’s father and sent her into exile.

The police crackdown has left a stain on Ms. Bachelet’s otherwise strong human rights record, with UNICEF, the U.N. Human Rights Commission and other international organizations expressing concern that elderly people and children are being abused.

After police killed a Mapuche activist in August, Ms. Bachelet said she understands the historic claims of the indigenous group, which once occupied most of Patagonia. Forced off good land by centuries of discriminatory practices, most now live in impoverished, marginalized communities in Chile’s Araucania region or provide low-wage labor in the capital, Santiago.

But she said nothing justifies the violence, which so far has left four Mapuches dead and 100 convicted or jailed, at least 34 of whom are being tried on terrorism charges.

“It must be understood that the only way to resolve the legitimate historical demands of the Mapuche people is dialogue,” said Ms. Bachelet, who despite her 78 percent approval rating has been bedeviled by the Indian conflict as she prepares to step down in March.

Ms. Bachelet had promised during and after her 2006 election campaign not to use the terrorism law against the Mapuches. But her government has since insisted that it is a necessary response - and that judges ultimately decide whether it applies.

“These are terrorist acts, such as shooting at people, setting fire to buses and factories,” said Jose Viera Gallo, coordinator of indigenous affairs.

The Associated Press and other news agencies recently toured the conflict zone about 400 miles south of Santiago, speaking with jailed leaders and visiting indigenous communities.

Reporters saw women, elderly people and a baby injured with pellet wounds. And while their fear was palpable, so was their shared commitment to keep fighting - either through violence or peaceful means.

The Mapuche resisted Spanish and Chilean domination for more than 300 years, and their desire for autonomy remains strong. It wasn’t until 1881 that they were defeated militarily and forced into Araucania, south of the Bio Bio river.

Many of the 700,000 Mapuches who survive among Chile’s 16.6 million people now live in about 2,000 communities in Araucania. Of these, about 100 are openly in rebellion against the government, while most favor peaceful negotiations for land, supplies and equipment.

Activists have occupied the forests, attacked police and pulled people from their vehicles along the Pan-American Highway before setting the vehicles on fire, destroying 27 buses worth $100,000 each in the past two years alone. The unrest has created so much risk for outside investors that the local economy has been badly hurt.

The most combative band fighting for autonomy is led by Hector Llaitul, 42, who was arrested on terrorism charges and faces 40 years in prison if convicted of attempted murder, aggravated robbery, terrorist conspiracy and challenging authority.

Mr. Llaitul said the Mapuche are ready to sit down and negotiate, but he also rejected nonviolence in the same prison interview, saying, “Sweat and blood must run in order to reclaim land.”

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