Brussels, 12 October 2012

To the attention of Mr. Sebastian Piñera Echenique
President of Chile

Dear Mr. President,

As a Member of the European Parliament and a Member of the Delegation to the EU-Chile Joint Parliamentary Committee, in collaboration with the UNPO (Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization), I hereby announce our deep concern for the health of the following political prisoners, currently on hunger strike in the prison of Angol: Paulino Levipan, Daniel Levinao, Rodrigo Montoya and Eric Montoya. The four detainees, members of the Wente Winkul Mapu Community, are protesting against the implementation of the Anti-Terrorism Act (Counterterrorism Law N º 18,314 of the Chilean legislation) and against the absence of constitutional guarantees of the right to a fair trial.

The Mapuche people have expressed their outrage regarding the continuing discrimination and violation of their human rights by the Government of Chile in various meetings with Members of the European Parliament, non-governmental organizations and Civil Society in Europe, during visits in 2011 and 2012.
We understand the current hunger strike, which has lasted 42 days, as a desperate act to bring the attention of the international community to the intolerable human rights situation, which is contrary to the International Conventions on human rights.

We therefore urge the Government of Chile to find an immediate humanitarian solution to end the plight of the Mapuche political prisoners on hunger strike, whose health situation is now at a precarious stage.

Yours Sincerely,

Ana Miranda
Member of the European Parliament

Marino Busdachin, General Secretary
Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization

Please find the original letter in Spanish here

Please find the letter in Portuguese here