Acoforag: Conflict in the Southern Macrozone Nears 30 Years Without Resolution

A violent start to the week affected several forestry companies in the La Araucanía region.

Around 10:15 PM on Sunday, the owner of a company reported to Carabineros that unknown individuals fired shots and entered the premises located at kilometer 3 of the route connecting Lautaro and Pillanlelbun.

Subsequently, the burning of four vehicles was reported: two dump trucks, a pickup truck, and a front-end loader, before those responsible fled the scene. During the investigation, authorities found a banner with the phrase: "Freedom for all PPM prisoners on strike C. Quilleco."

A second attack was recorded in the early hours of this Wednesday, now in the commune of Teodoro Schmidt. Around 3:00 AM, unknown individuals entered the El Budí estate and destroyed three excavators and a self-loading truck. As in Lautaro, they left a banner with the phrase: "Freedom for Huenchuñir, Millacheo, Tranamil, and all Mapuche political prisoners."

The Association of Forestry Contractors (Acoforag) acknowledges that, while there has been a decrease in acts of violence, the problem has never been completely eliminated. This was stated by its manager, René Muñoz, who questioned the executive branch's plan to declare the conflict in the southern macrozone over.

"We recently heard the Secretary of the Interior, Víctor Ramos, say that they were going to hand over the region with the problem almost solved, with a significant reduction in violent incidents. And that is true, there is a reduction, but there is no elimination. This is not over," expressed the union leader.

For Muñoz, the most concerning thing is that this is a conflict that will reach 30 years, and in the case of Acoforag, it has been addressed since 2014. He emphasized that there is no forestry country in the world where contractors face what the Chilean forestry sector is experiencing.

"It undoubtedly worries us, because we have been dealing with this for almost 28, 29 years, and that the State is not capable of solving it for us undoubtedly worries us," he indicated.

Muñoz added that regarding the use of force, state inaction is a worrying signal. "It is a bad sign that intrusive actions are not taken, that, for example, the Armed Forces are not used, not just to patrol and monitor the roads, we need them to act in a more intrusive manner, so that these terrorists can be captured somewhere, as we all know where they are," he asserted.

Therefore, they trust that the next government can provide a real solution to the attacks. "We have well-founded hopes that the next government, as it has stated, will confront this in a different way, and we hope that will make this thing disappear, because we cannot work this way," he concluded.

SECURITY FOR INVESTMENT

The Chilean Wood Corporation (Corma) condemned the arson attacks of recent days, stating that this type of incident not only affects companies but primarily workers and families who depend on these operations for their livelihood.

This was stated by Antonio Soto, president of Corma La Araucanía, Los Ríos and Los Lagos, who added that violence cannot become a form of imprisonment, much less a mechanism for political expression.

"We hope that action is taken with the utmost composure to identify and sanction those responsible. As a forestry sector, we reiterate our willingness for dialogue and productive development in the region. That path is incompatible with violence," Soto stated.

ARSON ATTACKS

Recall that the latest arson attack occurred in the early hours of this Wednesday in the commune of Teodoro Schmidt, where 4 forestry machines were destroyed and a banner was also found with the phrase "Freedom for Huenchuñir, Millacheo, Tranamil and all Mapuche political prisoners."

The incident on Sunday night in Lautaro, meanwhile, was claimed by members of the radical group Mapuche National Liberation (LNM).

In this latter incident, 4 vehicles were also set on fire: two dump trucks, a pickup truck, and a front-end loader. It occurred at an aggregates company located on the road connecting Lautaro and Pillanlelbun, which, according to reports, did not have night guards.

Source:La Tribuna