Representative of indigenous affairs asks authorities to pay greater attention to Mapuche cause

SANTIAGO.- In the atmosphere of controversy that has been generated by a new attack on a property in the La Araucanía Region belonging to the Luchsinger family, the presidential representative designated to address indigenous matters, Rodrigo Egaña, has stated that paying a greater amount of attention to the demands of the Mapuche population could be a good way to reduce incidents of confrontation in the region.
  
According to Egaña, timely action on the part of authorities could help to mitigate the tense atmosphere that has been generated lately in the district.

Egaña also indicated that a build-up of unanswered demands could cause the conflict to worsen. “When demands are not met and they start to accumulate, it creates prime conditions for harsher demonstrations, which could be detrimental public order”, he told Radio Cooperativa.

Along with his recommendations, Egaña also claimed that it is in the people’s best interest to put a stop to the problems before they escalate, stressing the importance of prevention.