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Chilean communities approve Indigenous Ministry

The consultation extended to the Aimara, Quíchua, Atacameño, Cola, Rapa Nui, Diaguita, Mapuche, Yagan and Kawéskar communities, as was explained by the Social Development Minister, María Fernanda Villegas alongside other office authorities.

Villegas explained that the national date of consultation brought together since September delegates representative of the territorial terms of the nine indigenous communities mentioned.

The process established the creation of a Ministry of Indigenous Communities whose duty it will be to define a national indigenous policy in addition to the creation of nine separate councils, one for each community including a National Board.

"These were intense days of debate and this is the result of the work and also the historic demands of these communities ", Villegas confirmed.

The Social Development sub secretary, Juan Eduardo Faúndez, highlighted that the creation of the Ministry and the community councils "will allow society and the State to prioritize the plight of these communities".

Both authorities revealed that the spirit of the government during this process revolved around promoting the participation of all organizations that represent indigenous communities, respect for their indigenous traditional and cultural practices, timely information on them and their integration in public matters".

Thus "transparency in the divulgence of information is above all, in good Faith the essential base on which the consultation process was developed".

The communities will also demand that the National Corporation of Indigenous Development (Conadi) be included in the Ministry in order to execute public policies with their own budget and assets.

Since September, meetings and regional consultations have been held between the representatives in which six thousand leaders and authorities from all over the country participated.

Minister Villegas says that the lawsuits to establish the Councils and Ministry will be sent to the legislator during the first semester of this year and may be established in March.

© Terra / Translated from portugese by Felix Charnley original article