Mapuche Resistance Group, Weichan Auka Mapu, Claims more than 30 Sabotage AttacksThe group “Weichan Auka Mapu, the Struggle in Rebellious Territory” reached out to País Mapuche in an email clarifying its position unto the current phase of the Mapuche-Chilean Conflict.
In their statement, they explain their political position. Further, they defend armed struggle, claiming more than thirty actions of sabotage in Williche, Wenteche and Lafquenche territory. The actions are claimed through their symbol, a Kultrún with an arrow and a hunting rifle. At the end of the communique, the actions that have affected the Chilean Catholic Church are clarified and also claimed.
The original communique is presented in the following:
Weichan Auka Mapu Public Statement, the Struggle in Rebellious Territory
“As savage Araucanians, they can be found throughout their fields, far from the reach of our soldiers, we have no other option…. That is, to burn their ranches, take their families, steal their herds. In other words, destroy everything that cannot be taken from them. Is it possible to conclude a war this way, or to reduce the Indians to a durable obedience?” Cornelio Saavedra, 1870.
WEICHAN AUKA MAPU
STRUGGLE OF THE REBELLIOUS TERRITORY
The current reality of our Mapuche Nation is a product of colonization. That is, to live in reservations and in poor urban peripheries, the implementation of large landed private estates on ancient Mapuche territory and its subsequent exploitation and destruction by forestry, energy and mining companies. These entities were able to instate themselves in our ancient territories, due to the theft and usurpation of land through a military occupation, only to later create laws that would legitimize the theft of our lands, which currently protect the invaders. That is, large landed estate owners, large companies, and their investors, which are currently protected under so-called “rule of law.” Consequently, due to the heretofore mentioned, the disintegration of one of our most essential forms of organization called Lof has been reduced substantially.
Nonetheless, our traditional authorities have remained vigilant, as with our spirituality (Mapuche ceremony), and the essence of our national Mapuche identity.
We express the following to our Mapuche nation as a whole, whether it be within reservations, or in large urban centres driven out of their lands as a consequence of displacement, as well as to the Chilean people within and beyond Mapuche territory:
We are an expression of an organic alliance with principles and ideals connected to the theory and practice exerted by our ancestors in their process of cohabitation, as well as a dignified strategy of resistance unto the usurping enemy and oppressor.
This organic and strategic model is born out of the evolution in the confrontation with the Chilean State and its expressions of oppression, reflected in transnational, forestry, mining, tourist, energy corporations, and private large landed estate owners among others.
We use the Kultrún, a rifle and an arrow as symbols of resistance, which can be explained in the following manner:
Kultrun: The totality of our Wallmapu (Mapuche Territory) and the four directions as the spiritual base of existence for the Mapuche Nation.
The Arrow (Huaiqui): Symbolizes the ancient struggle, and is carried out by our Kuifiquecheyem.
The Rifle: symbolizes the current struggle, rudimentary but dignified.
They way in which the arrow and rifle are outlined follow the divisive lines of the Kultrun, and express that these arms are not invasive in the people, but are an integral part of our Mapuche Nation.
Chilean police attempt to extinguish fire on logging truck, September 2015.
It is through this evolutionary political and learning process of self-defense that our alliance is born out of the necessity to continue the resistance struggle against the extermination of the Mapuche People and its effects; but specifically changing the strategic mode of organization to one that is purely Mapuche in its expression.
This form of organization is based in the compromise of various reservations, as well as Mapuche that have been forcibly displaced due to the ongoing plunder and current genocidal occupation carried out by the Chilean State.
This alliance has honesty, transparency and respect as its main ideological sustenance, between reservations that have taken on the heat of struggle in dignified resistance.
As a political approach presented to the various communities that conform this alliance, the sense of resistance struggle, the territorial control and occupation of small and large scale usurped spaces belonging to all forms of Winka (settler) oppression mentioned previously, have been proposed until the Mapuche nation can achieve true autonomy.
This strategic ideological approach – the political, cultural, socio-organizational and territorial reconstruction of our Mapuche Nation – is separate from all forms of Western thought, whether it relates to parties or ideologies, such as the broader Left, Marxist, Anarchist, Social Democratic and other ideas foreign to our worldview. This does not mean we do not respect the social struggles of other peoples, their thought and organization.
Within a cultural, as well as social, framework, the search for spiritual balance as well as real justice is sought without being fundamentalist. While embracing the nationalist Revolutionary Mapuche struggle, this practical reconstruction allows us to become Anti-Capitalist and Anti-colonial, breaking with all forms of Capitalist domination. This allows for reclaimed spaces to become the basis of collective production, and not under the exploitation of human beings over each other, allowing for the construction of a healthy and just society in every aspect.
We have, therefore, not only taken on this struggle in order to administrate justice for us as a people, but also to exert the spiritual defense of our Ngen, which suffer from the advancing invasion, plunder and occupation of our Ñuke Mapu.
In the area of resistance, we incorporate an armed defense element, as an obliged response to the systematic violence that has been carried out by the Chilean State against our Mapuche People.
The violence we carry out then is defensive in nature, circumscribed primarily within our territory. Our actions are fundamentally directed with the objective of causing material damage to forestry and agricultural equipment, employer houses, and all infrastructure designed to sack and exploit our Wallmapu, whereby our actions can be fused as an additional element of nature.
In this way we point out that we respect human life as a code of human struggle, therefore, our actions are not directed at the elimination of people, be they workers, usurpers, or even those involved in the repressive Chilean State apparatus intervening in the conflict. Nonetheless, we will defend ourselves unto any aggression against our reservations and our Weichafe [Warriors] in actions of sabotage.
Therefore, the consequences of those who seek to obstruct actions of resistance will be the absolute responsibility of the repressive state apparatus and our political enemies.
Arson attack on a hydro facility, 2015.
With respect to violence, we would like to clarify that we identify our enemies as the large landed estate owners, forestry companies, energy projects, large companies and their investments, since these are part of greater Capital. Similarily, we consider those who defend institutionalism and rule of law as political adversaries, and not enemies per se.
Therefore, our ethics limit attacks against small farmers and the peasantry, since they (just as our Nation) suffer the same poverty generated by the large landed estate, supported by political and economic powers at the service of the Chilean State.
While our discourse is not directed to them, we call on Mapuche intellectuals to focus their analysis and their intellectual production at the fervor of the struggle, in the daily confrontation of reservations in resistance and their organizations of self-defense, carrying out a dignified struggle.
It is in this way that we show ourselves as an additional expression of resistance struggle in our Wallmapu, while recognizing the qualitative and quantitative advances that the struggle of our people have had since the early 1990s. Distinct organizations have contributed to the development and aggravation of our struggle, the Council of All Lands (Consejo de todas las tieras), and substantially, the CAM with its policy of confrontation.
It is important to note that we respect the decisions of the different reservations regarding how they deal with the reclamation of usurped spaces.
To our brothers of other Mapuche organizations and Lofche, we call on Llamuwun (respect) between Weichafe (Warriors – Zomo Wentru), and to not discredit these ongoing processes, since these only destroy our common path towards liberation and is used by the State to divide our national Mapuche project.
Our language is simple and is directed mainly at our people, the only protagonist of our liberation.
It is on this premise that we appeal for unity, stretching out links to all those who agree with our political approach.
Further, in understanding that political prison is due to the consequence of our process of resistance, we value and dignify the political prison that many Mapuche warriors face, with their heads held high and their convictions are part of the breath that feeds our actions of sabotage and self-defense.
Clarification on actions on the Catholic Church
Between 1818 and 1950 during the first stage of Chilean colonization, the Chilean State used methods of evangelization were used to submit and dominate the Mapuche People that were well specified.
This meant the internal plunder of the self or person (what the Chilean government and the bishopric class calls the desecration of faith). Our Machi [Medicine Healers] were demonized, and their rewe [medicines] plundered and destroyed. Our sacred spaces (tren tren, trayenco, mawizantu) destroyed and eliminated, and among the ruins they planted pine and eucalyptus, houses and churches were built, and we were confined to spiritual and emotional imbalance.
Mapuche masked warriors in previous conflicts with Chilean state.
In the definitive occupation of our territory, the Catholic Church played an outstanding, even military, role, acting as the vanguard in the displacement and occupation of Wallmapu. They were not only the transmitters of dominant norms and values, but also controlled and punished indigenous transgressors, prohibiting the continued belief in their traditional ways, imposing determined values of resignation, obedience and respect to so-called superiors.
Currently, it is not surprising that the Catholic Church owns all educational facilities in the Araucanía Region, and that every school serves as its economic bastion.
The offensive carried out by the Catholic Church against various Mapuche Lof [communities] in struggle is common knowledge in the area.
We will react with our implacable responsibility to impose justice unto any aggression against any of our Lof throughout Wallmapu. The irresponsible attitude of a priest of German origin, Francisco Stemeier, ordering the removal of a Mapuche Lof from their traditional lands has enraged many in the community.
Clarification:
Unto the statements of the provincial governor, Andres Jouannet, and the assembly of Bishops in relation to actions against the Catholic Church, as well as the events previously mentioned, we express the following:
Since the occupation of our Wallmapu through blood and fire, these actions have been carried out with the complicity of the ecclesiastical class, trying to impose the Cross and the sword through a foreign religion transgressing our own worldviews.
This religion has provoked great spiritual and emotional imbalances in our society, including our cultural dismemberment, with our spiritual authorities, such as our Machi [Medicine Healers), being categorized as witches, and in many cases were killed.
We have had to forcefully relate ourselves with these imposed beliefs to this day. We can understand the attitude of submission within some Mapuche Lofs due to this influence.
As a function of our responsibility and right, we feel the obligation of Weichafe [Warriors] that practice self-defense, to impose measures of justice unto the aggression of the Catholic Church against our people.
It is in this way that our actions of sabotage have been specifically directed to Catholic temples – these temples are located in Mapuche territory, with the exception of those found in cities – towards the pronunciation of the episcopal class.
Lastly, unto the irrational and irresponsible statements of functionaries of the Chilean Statem – such as that of Mr. Andres Joannet, who called on society to rebel against our reservations currently undertaking struggle – we call on our Mapuche people to not let themselves be intimidated and to continue resisting and struggling for the definitive liberation of the Mapuche Nation. These statements on the part of a government representative, make him responsible for other future possible events, keeping in mind that the Chilean State and its economic model are those responsible for this so-called Mapuche conflict.
Finally, we call out to all our Mapuche People, to define themselves in these critical moments: becoming an accomplice in the definitive defeat of our people, or assuming an active role in the struggle for its reconstruction.
ÑIELOLE MAPU, MULEAY AUKAN!!!
“THIS ISN’T A SETUP, THIS IS SABOTAGE AND DIGNITY!!!”
We claim responsibility for the following acts of sabotage:
Wenteche Area:
December 27th, 2013: Santa Ana Estate, property of Gaston Escala, Cajon Vilcun area, sabotage of an employer house.
March 25th, 2013: Santa Lucia Estate, Padre las Casas township, sabotage of an employer house.
June 9th, 2014: San Luis Estate, property of Ewald Luchsinger, General Lopez area, Vilcun, sabotage of an employer house, and three garages with potatoes and equipment,
August 12th, 2014: Experimental Agrarian Station, National Institute of Agrarian Innovation (INIA) under the Ministry of Agriculture, General Lopez road, Vilcun, sabotage to four tractors, two pickup trucks, and a shed and ten thousand bundles of hay.
August 19th, 2014: Faena de Aridos, Molco area, Cautín township, sabotage to a cargo truck.
January 20th, 2015: Santa Carolina Estate, Pillanlebun area, sabotage to a shed with agricultural equipment.
September 21st, 2015: La Granja Estate, General Lopez area, Vilcun, property of Enrique Palomera, sabotage to an employer house, a minibus and a shed.
October 11th, 2015: La Granja Estate, General Lopez area, Vilcun township, sabotage to two sheds, ten thousand bundles of hay and ten thousand sacks of fertilizer.
October 12th, 2015: Santa Anselma Estate, Vilcun township, property of Jose Antonio Echeverri, sabotage to a shed with farming equipment.
October 15th, 2015: Klenner Company, which lends its services to MININCO Forestry Incorporate, Airport area, Padre las Casas, sabotage of a forestry truck.
October 23rd, 2015: Santa Marta Estate, Corte Alto Forestry Incoroporate, which lends its services to MASISA Forestry Inc., sabotage to three trucks, four heavy duty construction trucks, a forestry loader, and a container.
November 2015: San Luis de Palermo Estate, property of Harold Luchsinger, General Lopez area, Vilcun township, sabotage to a dairy.
January 22nd, 2016: Santa Leonor Estate, Lautaro township, property of Harold Herdener, sabotage to a forestry truck.
February 10th, 2016: Santa Rosa Estate 2, El Natre area, property of Militza Luchsinger, attack on police.
February 17th, 2016: Molco Estate, Padre las Casas township, sabotage to two farming machines.
March 8th, 2016: San Sebastian Catholic Sanctuary, Cajon area, Vilcun, sabotage to a church and a parish.
April 1st, 2016: Niagara area, Padre las Casas, sabotage to a chapel of the Santa Joaquina Chuch.
April 5th 2016: 2.5 kms into Mahuidache road, Quepe sector, sabotage to a chapel belonging to the Catholic Church.
April 19th, 2016: San Miguel Estate, Perquenco area, Lautaro township. Employer house belonging to Patricio Paslack, Vice President of the Agricultural Society of Temuco (Sofo).
Lafkenche Area:
May 17th, 2013: Tricalhue Estate, Huallepen township, sabotage to a backhoe, Volterra Forestry INC.
December 22nd, 2013: Ranquilhue area, river edge of Lake Lleu-Lleu, Tirua township, sabotage to four summer cabins and a car.
February 21st, 2014: Rukañanco area, Contulmo township, sabotage to a summer cabin, property of an ex-senator.
July 24th, 2014: El Natre Estate, Contulmo township, sabotage to a forestry front loader, and a container belonging to Petrohue Co., MININCO Forestry Incorporate.
2014: Guariao area, sabotage to two trucks and machines that lent their services to Volterra Forestry Inc. (Definitive expulsion of this entity).
October 10th, 2015: Northern exit of the town of Cañete, sabotage of two trucks belonging to MININCO Forestry Inc.
October 11th, 2015: Coihueco area 22km from Contulmo, sabotage to a summer cabin.
January 13th, 2016: Tres Marias area, Cayucupil township, sabotage of two machines that lent their services to MININCO Forestry Inc.
January 13th, 2015: Contulmo township, sabotage to three trucks belonging to MININCO Forestry Inc.
March 2nd, 2016: La Campana area, Tirua township, sabotage of 6 trucks that lent their services to ARAUCO Forestry Incorporate.
April 11th, 2016: Coordinated actions in Contulmo, Tirua and Cañete.
Lleu-Lleu area, Tirua township, sabotage to a summer cabin.
Coihueco area, Contulmo township, sabotage to a summer cabin.
Antiquina area, Cañete township, sabotage to a chapel belonging to the Catholic Church.
From Wallmapu, April 20th, 2016
Distributed by: The Women’s Coordinating Committee for a Free Wallmapu [Toronto]
