Chile: Arson attacks on churches in the Araucanƒ­a region

Hostile activities targeting churches have been reported in the Araucanƒ­a region:

• 17 April 2021: Infobae reported that a Catholic church located on the road connecting Padre Las Casas with Cunco was set on fire. This region is marked by violence revolving around land ownership.
• 4 February 2021: Aciprensa reported that a Catholic church in the Diocese of Villarrica ‚ had been severely damaged by an arson attack.

World Watch Research analyst Rossana Ramirez comments: "For many years, the Araucanƒ­a region has been the center of conflict due to social inequality, neglect by the State and lack of constitutional recognition of the indigenous peoples that inhabit it. For some radical Mapuche groups, violence has become the way to get the nation"s attention to their demands. Arson, roadblocks and other types of confrontation between radical Mapuche and the security forces, far from solving the conflict, have increasingly polarized the situation." Rossana Ramirez continues: "The Catholic Church has proposed on more than one occasion to strengthen dialogue and build bridges to resolve outstanding differences (Vida Nueva, 19 April 2021). In the Araucanƒ­a Region, churches are not only centers for worship and evangelization, they also serve as schools and collection points for humanitarian aid. Despite this, radical Mapuche groups continue to vandalize churches to make the public more aware of their demands. Other observers claim that the attacks may come from people opposed to the Mapuche cause in order to provoke military intervention in the area. Either way, there is no doubt that churches continue to be vulnerable to attack in the region."