CONSEJO GENERAL DE CACIQUES WILLICHE DE CHILO

Konsejatu Chafn Williche Chilwe

Natri Bajo, Chonchi, Chilo.
065-2800804 | Casilla 352, Castro.
consejocaciques@surnet.cl

Public Communication: General Council of Williche Chiefs of Chilo requests that the
Interamerican Commission on Human Rights implement Precautionary Measures in Chilo
(May 6th 2016)
PUBLIC COMMUNICATION
The General Council of Williche Chiefs of Chilo, represented in Chile by the High Chief Don
Armando Llaitureo Manquemilla, submitted a petition to the Interamerican Commission on
Human Rights (Washington, USA). In light of the current human-caused environmental
catastrophe affecting the west coast of Chilo, the Council asked the Commission to implement
precautionary measures to protect the wellbeing of indigenous communities homed in the zone
of disaster.

Jorge Guenuman Nan, Chief from Wentemo and General Secretary of the Council of Williche
Chiefs of Chilo, requested the following precautionary measures:

-To protect the life and ensure the safety of indigenous families and communities homes in the
west coast of Chilo by prohibiting the Chilean State to exercise any act of political repression
toward them.

- To demand that the Chilean State implements urgent measures to ensure that affected
Williche families and communitiesspecially, children and eldershave access to food and
health resources.

-To ensure that affected indigenous communities have access to all existing information
regarding the pollutants that have been deposited in the sea and coasts within their territories.

-To demand that the Chilean State implement immediate actions to decontaminate the sea and
natural environment homed by Williche people, who are currently fighting for the official
recognition of this territory as a Coastal and Marine Territory of Indigenous Peoples, in
conformity with Chilean law (20.249).

CONSEJO GENERAL DE CACIQUES WILLICHE DE CHILO

Konsejatu Chafn Williche Chilwe
Natri Bajo, Chonchi, Chilo.
065-2800804 | Casilla 352, Castro.
consejocaciques@surnet.cl

-To demand that salmon-farming companies which have discarded large volumes of dead fish in
the sea and land of Chilo make available records of these discarding-procedures to be
examined by the Commission.

- To suspend the permits and licenses that allow salmon-faming companies to operate and
expand their operations in Chilo.

This request for Precautionary Measures is a 12-page document that provides a detailed
account of the current catastrophe and the ways in which the human rights of local indigenous
communities are threatened by it.

The General Council of Chiefs of Chilo hopes that the Commission will grant its requests to
intervene in their behalf and work with the Chilean State to ensure that the human rights of the
Williche People are respected.

The General Council of Williche Chiefs of Chilo will continue to find and pursue all available
legal and administrative actions to safeguard the rights of all persons, families and communities
who are presently being affected by this human-caused ecological catastropheof which, the
Chilean State is the main culprit.

THE GENERAL COUNCIL OF WILLICHE CHIEFS OF CHILO