The National Government’s proposal to cede land to the self-proclaimed Mapuche community of Villa Mascardi garner criticism in the Rio Negro political arc and among the residents of the area, who anticipate a judicial attack to prevent it from taking place.
The initiative establishes the delivery of 10 fiscal hectares in the vicinity of Lake William10 kilometers from the conflict zone, and the return of the spiritual authority of the group Lafken Winkul Mapu to Villa Mascardiwhere the state provides for the construction of houses to house the “machi” and her environment, in what they consider a sacred site.
Mapuche referents rejected the installation of the group in the new property because it is “a space Too small” for the development of community activities of the group.
That same space had already been offered by the National Parks Administrationmonths ago, in an attempt to decompress the conflict of Villa Mascardi although the Mapuches already anticipated their rejection. It is a property known as Torrontegui summer although he himself “is insufficient to guarantee the development of the community.
The Government’s offer was transmitted by the Secretary of Human Rights, Horacio Pietragalla Cortiwithin the framework of the second dialogue table that was held last week in Bariloche at the request of the President of the Nation, Alberto Fernandez.
The official highlighted “progress” in the meeting to “peacefully resolve” the Mapuche territorial conflict, despite the fact that the proposal was target of criticismnot only from the residents of Villa Mascardi who want to prevent the return of the Mapuches to the place, but also from different political figures in the province.
The president of the Villa Mascardi Neighborhood Council, Diego Fruitssaid that the government’s proposal “is a shame, total nonsense. The ‘machi’ is not going to return to her famous rewe, let them be very clear about it”.
The governor Arabela Carreras He said that “in the case of Mascardi, the evicted property should not be reoccupied because it would go back in the pacification that we have achieved in the place.”
Orlando Carriqueospokesman for the Mapuche Parliament, criticized the position of the president and assured that “she heads a government with which we have no dialogue, evidence of her racism.”
It may interest you: The Government offered Mapuches to build houses, cede public land and preserve a sacred altar in Villa Mascardi
The project drawn up by Nación plans to preserve the sacred altar – called “rewe” – on the evacuated lands of Villa Mascardi and build three buildings there to house Betiana Colhuán – the “machi” who proclaimed herself community spirit guide – to his collaborators and assistants and to install a “healing” office.
Colhuan remains with house arrest since the eviction last October and your partner, matias santanaHe has been a fugitive from Justice since then.
It also establishes the installation of a security box, although the Mapuches rejected the idea.
One requirement to be able to advance in the agreement is that the community Lafken Winkul Mapu regularize your situation before the National Institute of Indigenous Affairs (INAI) and process its legal status. However, its members disagree with the proposal since they are registered in another Mapuche community – lof Colhuan Nahuel – that it has a property in the Virgen Misionera neighborhood, 7 kilometers from Bariloche, so its inclusion in another community would be incompatible.
Despite this, the National Government insists with its kind plan to grant them land and benefits, ignoring this impediment and also the multiple judicial processes that involve them.
In addition, in the proposal foottragalla it raises benefits for the community, whose members are detained or fugitives from Justice.
While the dialogue tables are taking place – which could have a new edition on February 24 in Bariloche – the federal judge Hugo Greca agreed to a request from the Executive Branch to postpone the trial for the usurpation of the National Park properties, in 2017, of the so-called “mother cause”
The measure also received a strong rejection, because it was considered a “clear interference of the Policy in a judicial process.”
“Once again, I am being seen with the object that is issued to me regarding the new defense attempt to avoid the start of the trial that they would have claimed to be carried out in the past. At this point, in the understanding of this Ministry, there is no longer any doubt as to the fact that the delay has the sole purpose of avoiding ad eternum the definitive closure of these actions and, in the future, achieve the prescription of the criminal action that, in my capacity as representative of the public prosecution, I have the obligation to protect”, said the Bariloche prosecutor. Candida Etchepare.
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