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This communiqué comes from the Indigenous Mapuche political prisoners in Temuco, Chile, who continue demanding the recognition of their cultural and political rights inside prison. The original communiqué in Spanish was published by Publicacion Refractario and can be found here.

We, the Mapuche political prisoners in Temuco, communicate the following to the national and international public, and to our Mapuche people:

Our principal and absolute demand will always be freedom for all of the Mapuche political prisoners. In spite of the multiple efforts that we have carried out to generate dialogue with the Gendarmerie, with the intention to advance toward attaining our political and cultural rights inside of the prison, they continue to be violated and negated by the prison administration and its various authorities.

These political and cultural rights are related most directly to the following short-term demands regarding our prison situation:

The implementation of protocols for mass visits three times a year. The free spiritual exercise of the Mapuche prisoners once a month. The ability to carry out workshops on Mapuche language and culture without segregation between the accused and the convicted once a week. The increase in the number of family or general visits to 20 people per inmate. Access to intercultural or occidental healthcare according to the situation. The ability to play sports together, the accused and the convicted.

In addition, the following medium-term demands:

Modification of Decree 518 to consider the demand and cultural approaches of the Mapuche political prisoners and of all the Indigenous peoples deprived of their freedom. Exclusive modules for Mapuche prisoners. Transfer of the convicted Mapuche political prisoners to the Center of Education and Work (CET).

Freedom now to all of the Mapuche political prisoners!!

Accused and Convicted Political Prisoners for the Mapuche Cause

Temuco Prison

May 6th, 2019