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| Chilean couple die in arson attack after land dispute with Mapuche Indians | Chilean couple die in arson attack after land dispute with Mapuche Indians |
| (21 days later) | |
| An elderly couple whose family had long been targeted by Mapuche Indians in land disputes have been killed in an arson attack while trying to defend their home, police say. | An elderly couple whose family had long been targeted by Mapuche Indians in land disputes have been killed in an arson attack while trying to defend their home, police say. |
| The Chilean president, Sebastián Piñera, was flying to the scene in the remote southern Araucanía region with his interior minister, Andrés Chadwick, who called it a terrorist act that would be severely punished. | The Chilean president, Sebastián Piñera, was flying to the scene in the remote southern Araucanía region with his interior minister, Andrés Chadwick, who called it a terrorist act that would be severely punished. |
| Werner Luchsinger, 75, fired a weapon in self-defence, and struck a man from the nearby Mapuche community of Juan Quintrupil before his home burned to the ground, the police chief Ivan Bezmalinovic said. | Werner Luchsinger, 75, fired a weapon in self-defence, and struck a man from the nearby Mapuche community of Juan Quintrupil before his home burned to the ground, the police chief Ivan Bezmalinovic said. |
| Luchsinger's wife, Vivian McKay, called relatives for help during the attack, but when they arrived just 15 minutes later the house was already in flames and she did not answer her phone, according to the victims' cousin, Jorge Luchsinger. | Luchsinger's wife, Vivian McKay, called relatives for help during the attack, but when they arrived just 15 minutes later the house was already in flames and she did not answer her phone, according to the victims' cousin, Jorge Luchsinger. |
| Chadwick said Chile's tough anti-terrorism law would be applied to those responsible. | Chadwick said Chile's tough anti-terrorism law would be applied to those responsible. |
| The attack began on Thursday night as one of many political protests around Chile commemorating the death five years ago of the Mapuche activist Matias Catrileo, who was shot in the back by an officer who served a minor sentence and then rejoined the police. The Indians scattered pamphlets related to the anniversary while on the Luchsinger property, Chadwick said. | The attack began on Thursday night as one of many political protests around Chile commemorating the death five years ago of the Mapuche activist Matias Catrileo, who was shot in the back by an officer who served a minor sentence and then rejoined the police. The Indians scattered pamphlets related to the anniversary while on the Luchsinger property, Chadwick said. |
| The victims' Lumahue ranch is just 16 miles (25km) from the spot where Catrileo was killed on 3 January 2008. | The victims' Lumahue ranch is just 16 miles (25km) from the spot where Catrileo was killed on 3 January 2008. |
| Celestino Cordova Transito, 26, was detained near the scene early on Friday. Police have him under arrest in a hospital in Temuco, where he was being treated for a gunshot wound in the neck, the chief said. | Celestino Cordova Transito, 26, was detained near the scene early on Friday. Police have him under arrest in a hospital in Temuco, where he was being treated for a gunshot wound in the neck, the chief said. |
| Piñera plans to meet the Luchsinger family and other landowners as well as local authorities, Chadwick said. | Piñera plans to meet the Luchsinger family and other landowners as well as local authorities, Chadwick said. |
| The Luchsinger family arrived in Mapuche territory from Switzerland in the late 1800s and benefited from the government's colonisation policies for decades thereafter, becoming one of the largest landowners in Chile's Patagonia region. Their forestry and ranching companies now occupy vast stretches of southern Chile, and impoverished Mapuches live on the margins of their properties. | The Luchsinger family arrived in Mapuche territory from Switzerland in the late 1800s and benefited from the government's colonisation policies for decades thereafter, becoming one of the largest landowners in Chile's Patagonia region. Their forestry and ranching companies now occupy vast stretches of southern Chile, and impoverished Mapuches live on the margins of their properties. |
| Jorge Luchsinger said masked Indians had attacked his and other relatives' properties as well, and complained that the considerable police presence in the area had failed to control the violence. "It's obvious that the authorities are completely overwhelmed," he told Cooperativa radio. | Jorge Luchsinger said masked Indians had attacked his and other relatives' properties as well, and complained that the considerable police presence in the area had failed to control the violence. "It's obvious that the authorities are completely overwhelmed," he told Cooperativa radio. |
| The Mapuches, for their part, have lodged many complaints of abuse of power by police in the area. The UN's special rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, James Anaya, has denounced police violence, as has Chile's official Human Rights Institute, and judges have ordered police to stop using teargas against women and children while raiding Mapuche communities in search of suspects. | The Mapuches, for their part, have lodged many complaints of abuse of power by police in the area. The UN's special rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, James Anaya, has denounced police violence, as has Chile's official Human Rights Institute, and judges have ordered police to stop using teargas against women and children while raiding Mapuche communities in search of suspects. |
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