Chilean President Gabriel Boric has established a commission called “peace and understanding” with the aim of addressing the conflict with Mapuche communities in the south of the country, a region affected by violence and arson attacks. The president, who belongs to the political left, expressed his confidence that the commission, through broad social dialogue and agreements, will lay the foundations for a lasting solution to the long-standing conflict between the Chilean state and the Mapuche people.
The main function of this commission will not be to diagnose the situation but to carry out a process of dialogue with all the actors involved and to compile recommendations in this regard. The launching of the commission took place in the presidential palace of La Moneda and was attended and signed by all political parties, from the Communist Party to the extreme right-wing Republican Party, a remarkable fact in a country marked by division and polarization in recent years.
This is a new attempt to achieve peace in the regions of La AraucanÃa, BiobÃo and Los RÃos, which have experienced an increase in arson attacks against churches, schools, homes, and forestry facilities, claimed by armed groups defending the Mapuche cause. These attacks are part of a historical conflict over the demand for land that the radical Mapuche groups consider to be their ancestral right.
According to government data, 390 attacks related to this conflict have been registered up to April, while in 2022 there were 1,160 attacks, some attributed to radical Mapuche groups such as the Arauco Malleco Coordination (CAM). The AraucanÃa region, located 600 km south of Santiago, is home to the largest indigenous communities and is also present in the neighboring regions of Los RÃos and BiobÃo.
This region has poverty levels that are double the Chilean national average. In addition to indigenous land claims, there have also been actions by gangs dedicated to timber theft, as this sector is one of the region’s main economic livelihoods.