Status: 11.10.2021 11:07 a.m.
A woman was killed in clashes between police and indigenous demonstrators in Chile. According to police, 17 officers were injured and ten protesters were arrested.
At a rally on Sunday in the Chilean capital, Santiago, around 1,000 members of the Mapuche people demanded more autonomy from the state. A woman was killed in the process. According to the police, a group of hooded officers attacked the officers with fireworks and hit the woman with one of them. The fatality is a law student who watched the demonstration for a human rights organization, the organization and the university announced.
There were voices on social media accusing the security forces of brutalizing the demonstrators. The AFP news agency reported, citing a journalist, that the police had used water cannons and tear gas against the crowd. The demonstrators then attacked the police with stones and sticks. According to the police, 17 officers were injured and ten people were arrested during the “march for the Mapuche resistance and the autonomy of the peoples”.
Mapuche fight for the return of their lands
In the home region of the Mapuche in southern Chile, a conflict over land has been simmering for decades, which many indigenous people consider their ancestral property. At the end of 2019, violent protests against the government broke out in Chile. The so-called Carabineros – the uniformed police – were repeatedly criticized for their often brutal behavior. More than 30 people were killed in the demonstrations and hundreds were injured.
New constitution in progress
A new constitution is currently being drafted in response to the protests. The constituent assembly began its work in July. For the first time a member of the Mapuche was elected as its chairman, which had aroused the hope that many indigenous peoples would give greater consideration to their concerns.
The new constitutional text is to be voted on in a referendum in 2022. The current constitution dates from 1980 and thus from the time of the military dictatorship. Many Chileans hold it responsible for the deep gap between rich and poor.