Amnesty International’s Secretary General Irene Khan today led a visit to Temuco to visit Mapuche communities and organizations working to protect the rights of Indigenous peoples.

Talking about her visit, Irene Khan said:

We came to Temuco to listen to the people, to look at how their dignity is threatened by the exclusion, discrimination and abuse of human rights.

Amnesty International has long worked on the cases of indigenous peoples who were prosecuted under the anti terrorism legislation, and their prison conditions.

This remains a concern for us but now we are also looking at the circumstances behind the social conflict and violence from which they are suffering and their struggle over the right to land, water and other natural resources.

Many of these are new areas for Amnesty International so we are here to talk to those most affected to explore the best ways forward to raise public conscience on these issues and change.

Link to Amnesty