In September, Aljazeera English was given access to a historic meeting between moderate Mapuche Chiefs and spiritual leaders, and representatives of Chile’s three state powers. This was supposed to initiate an urgently needed period of change and present an alternative to the escalating armed rebellion in the Araucania region.

Six months later the uprising in southern Chile has escalated to unprecedented levels. The region has become lawless, as the President resists calls
to declare a ‘State of Siege.’

Aljazeera English speaks to the leader of the largest and oldest resistance organisation, the CAM, described by the government as a “terrorist organisation” who says that for the first time, the CAM is willing to begin a dialogue with the Chilean Govt to reach a political settlement, conceding that violence is getting out of control.