Mapuche Communities Report Irreparable Damage to the Perquenco River, Pointing to Local Municipality and Environmental Authorities

Original article: Comunidades mapuche denuncian daños irreparables en el Río Perquenco: Apuntan al Municipio y Seremi de Medioambiente

In a recent statement, the Mapuche communities of Llancamil and surrounding areas accused local authorities of causing «irreparable» harm to the Perquenco River following an excavator intervention on January 19 and 20.

According to the communities, on those dates, «unexpectedly and without authorization,» a heavy machine was deployed to the Perquenco River, resulting in significant damage to various native plants, trees, fish, and the entire ecosystem, including the closure and diversion of one of the river’s water channels.

«The Mapuche people describe this action at the Perquenco River as discriminatory, anti-ecological, and colonialist, blaming the Municipality and the mayor of Perquenco, Luis Alejandro Sepúlveda Tapia, the local water cooperative, and the Regional Ministry of Environment (Seremi) of La Araucanía,» the statement further asserts.

As a result, the communities are urging social and environmental organizations «to come together and denounce the severe damages affecting the Perquenco River due to substantial pollution from untreated wastewater discharges over the past 40 years and the ongoing environmental disaster caused by this unauthorized intervention.»

«State agencies do not prioritize human and animal water consumption or the needs of local communities. They fail to restore water quality, protect biodiversity, and comply with environmental quality standards and emission regulations, breaching several laws, including DS N°90/2000 on liquid waste discharge into surface waters; DS N°46/2002 on liquid waste discharge into groundwater; and DS N°38/2011 regarding the protection of urban wetlands (related to rivers),» the affected communities emphasized.

«They also disregard the ILO Convention 169 concerning Indigenous peoples,» they added, finally demanding that a «mandatory constant and ecological flow for our Perquenco River be maintained; that the Penal Code (environmental crimes – Law N°21.595) and Law N°19.300 on General Environmental Bases be enforced. We demand that the water from the Perquenco River not be taken away.»

«We reiterate our call to all Mapuche communities, as well as environmental and social organizations, to stay vigilant in defending, expressing our condemnation, and rejecting the damage inflicted on our Perquenco River. Additionally, we urge to halt the harm to the quality of life for the families who live alongside the river,» they concluded.