Nov. 11 Melbourne.- "Besieged Land", Australia Premiere film documentary

“The Trial of Pascual Pichún” a Mapuche (indigenous people in Chile-Argentina) Leader accused of “Terrorism” in Chile.

Maysar (Indigenous youth sport and recreation centre) 184-186 Gertrude St. Fitzroy

The documentary tells the story of two Mapuche (Indigenous people in Chile-Argentina) leaders ( Lonko = Community Chief ) and one non indigenous supporter who were accused of burning down a landowner’s home and threatening to start more fires in southern Chile, an area that has seen massive growth in the forestry industry in recent decades, destroying native plantations and community lands.
They were subsequently tried in March of 2003 for “terrorist arson” and “terrorist threats” under Chile’s terrorism laws enacted under the Pinochet regime. The two Mapuche leaders, Pascual Pichún Paillalao and Segundo Aniceto Norín Catriman, were convicted and sentenced to five years and one day in prison. Fellow defendant Patricia Troncoso was sentenced to ten years.
Today after a year of his release, Pascual Pichun Paillalao is Visiting Australia telling about Mapuche indigenous culture and their struggle for land and autonomy.
Discussion, Q & A and comments by Pascual Pichun himself, visiting Australia to denounce the violence against his people by the Chilean State.