(CNN Spanish) - A series of incidents carried out this weekend by groups of civilians who tried to evict Mapuche community members in five municipalities in the La Araucanía region, in Chile, left clashes with the police, fires and destruction, according to the Chilean government.
The headquarters of the local government of Ercilla, Curacautín, Traiguén, Collipulli and Victoria were occupied during the past week by dozens of Mapuches in support of the hunger strike of the machi (shaman) Celestino Córdova - the only one convicted of the murder of a married couple during a Mapuche demonstration in 2013— and other inmates belonging to the ethnic group.
The fighting began on Saturday night, when organized groups of civilians attempted to evict the Mapuche.
Carabineros de Chile tried to contain the situation, but the incidents worsened and continued during the early hours of Sunday, leaving fires in two municipalities, and the rest with damages of varying consideration.
“It was a painful day for Chile, with burned municipalities, with citizens facing each other and with wounded military and police personnel. For this reason, violence must be condemned wherever it comes from. The sentence must be absolute, "said the undersecretary of the Interior, Juan Francisco Galli, who explained that in total there were" 48 people detained, 36 in detention control and another 12 who are minors. "
The Mapuche conflict has been going on for several years in the Chilean La Araucanía region, where the native people have faced police officers on different occasions demanding “vindication of their land”.
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