Agenzia Fides

Temuco (Agenzia Fides) - The Bishop of the Diocese of Temuco, His Exc. Mgr. Manuel Camilo Vial, underlined that the Church must participate in working panel discussions with indigenous communities, announced by President Sebastián Piñera during his speech on May 21. The reason for this request made by the Bishop as President of the Social Pastoral- Caritas in Chile, was the announcement made by President Piñera in his last public statement, related to the proposal to create two new Indigenous Development Areas in Ercilla, Collipulli and the Province of Arauco. Mgr. Manuel Camilo Vial said he does not know how the new areas will function, since he has not been informed about the details, and this is why he has many questions to ask. The Church must participate in the project, based on the work carried out in Ercilla and Collipulli, through schools and parishes in the area which are in the province of Malleco in Araucania.
From the information gathered by Fides, it seems that President Sebastián Piñera has proposed working panel discussions in different territories, so that the indigenous themselves are able to actively participate in decisions that affect them. Mgr. Manuel Camilo Vial Risopatrón has already spoken on this subject (see Fides 02/05/2012), asking the government for constitutional recognition of indigenous Mapuche people, and society to take on multiculturalism. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 28/5/2012)