Intercultural Conflict and Peace Building: The Experience of Chile

With nine distinct Indigenous Peoples and a population of 1.8 million, which represents 11% of the total population of the country,1 conflicts between Indigenous Peoples and the Chilean state have increased substantially in recent years. Such conflicts have been triggered by different factors including the lack of constitutional recognition of Indigenous Peoples; political exclusion; and the imposition of an economic model which has resulted in the proliferation of large developments on Indigenous lands and territories without proper consultation, even less with free, prior, and informed consent, and with no participation of the communities directly affected by the benefits these developments generate. The growing awareness among Indigenous Peoples of the rights that have been internationally recognized to them, and the lack of government response to their claims—in particular land claims—also help to explain this growing conflict