AMERICA/CHILE - "It seems that La Araucania does not exist for the government" said Mgr. Vargas before INDH

Tuesday, 24 May 2016 bishops   slavery   indigenous   human rights  

Temuco (Agenzia Fides) - The session of the National Institute of Human Rights (INDH), one of the institutions that aims to collect relevant testimony of La Araucania, regarding intercultural conflicts in this area, took place yesterday, Monday, May 23, in Temuco.
The session was chaired by INDH director, Lorena Fries. One of the participants, the Bishop of the Diocese of Temuco, His Exc. Mgr. Hector Vargas, sharply criticized the actions of the government regarding the conflict that exists in the region, stressing that the conflict between the State and the Mapuche people has been going on for more than a century and gets worse and worse and much more needs to be done.
Mgr. Vargas informed that the situation is deteriorating in the area, and the Church is trying all possible ways to a plan of action. "We feel a kind of local government and state indifference about what is happening to us here", said the Bishop. "It seems that La Araucania does not exist for the government", concluded Mgr. Vargas, in the note sent to Fides.
The meeting was also attended by a representative of the local mayors, the president of the Association of victims of rural violence of La Araucanía and Jesuit priest Juan Eduardo Fuenzalida, of the Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation group. (CE) (Agenzia Fides, 24/05/2016)


Share: