Egaña announces a "new standpoint" and clear measures to resolve Mapuche conflict

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SANTIAGO.- The newly elected President of Indigenous Affairs, Rodrigo Egaña, made it clear that, upon assuming his position, President Michelle Bachelet supplied him with four key tasks to complete. These projects aim to improve government oversight so that their efforts can more efficiently improve the quality of life in indigenous communities.

Egaña emphasized that "we are on verge of a very important change in public policy that favors indigenous people (…) a new standpoint, characterized by the social protection policies of President Michelle Bachelet's administration".

Rodrigo Egaña also indicated that the President has asked him, "to re-initiate dialogue with the indigenous communities and their leaders", and to "sustain an ongoing assessment of current public policies concerning the indigenous population".

In addition, he assured that "special attention" should be paid to the way "the policies are being applied and to how well promises are kept".

The third objective for the new official, "has to do with the changes necessary" for the Chilean people to "firmly embrace their multicultural heritage", Egaña said to Radio Cooperativa.

Finally, President Bachelet asked Egaña to work with other government officials to permit alternatives to be passed in Parliament that would achieve constitutional recognition of indigenous communities, as well as to address other pertinent concerns with the goal of improving current conditions.